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Football:
Big 12 takes a significant step toward starting college football on time | The Star-Telegram
We might have a season!
“This phased approach is intended to permit gradual adoption of best practices for mitigation of COVID-19 as well as ensuring a safe environment and appropriately prepared facilities,” the conference said in a statement. “Until these dates, the Conference’s activities policy that was scheduled to sunset May 31 remains in effect for all Big 12 student-athletes.”
This is a significant step toward the college football season starting on time for those schools and teams being able to play complete seasons. Most believed that programs would need at least six weeks to prepare for a season, and this will give them more than 11 weeks before Week 1 games.
Big 12 schools will have to adhere to local and state protocols amid the coronavirus pandemic. All five states in which Big 12 schools are located (Texas, Oklahoma, Iowa, Kansas and West Virginia) have allowed gyms to reopen in limited capacity.
Thanks, Barrett!
Date: Saturday, Oct. 31
Oklahoma usually has a Big 12 game where it struggles to wake up, sleepwalks through a half or so and can’t finish off a rally late in a game. That game will be against TCU this year. The Sooners will be playing their sixth straight game and will to travel to Fort Worth one week after the Bedlam rivalry with Oklahoma State. While it’s true that the Horned Frogs will be on similar rest, playing a game against Baylor — even though it’s an in-state rivalry — pales in comparison to Bedlam. The Horned Frogs defense, led by all-everything defensive back Trevon Moehrig-Woodard, will rattle Sooners quarterback Spencer Rattler (pun intended ... I’m not sorry) and give the Sooners no margin for error in the race to return to the College Football Playoff for a fourth consecutive year.
Five Covid-19 Predictions For The 2020 College Football Season | Sports Illustrated
This rumor continues to swirl, but it’s the weekly zoom calls with media that are most intriguing to me.
3. Several non-conference games will either be cancelled, or rescheduled. The clock is probably ticking on Michigan’s trip out west to Washington and the Buckeyes’ doing the same to face Oregon. Reports are Alabama is already looking at a local replacement like TCU for USC in its Week 1 kickoff classic at Jerry World. Expect the month of June to be filled with numerous reports of cancelled or rescheduled non-conference games. For example, I expect Michigan to replace Washington and Arkansas State with instate MAC opponents. The unique challenge of this season could also finally call the question as to why we’re still scheduling 10 years out for college football?
Nick Saban hinting potential opening matchup with TCU? | Roll Tide Wire
Bama wants TCU?
“Let’s just take the scenario of what if they can’t play in California or they say they can’t play in California. Well, we play USC the first game. TCU plays Cal, for example, the first game. So, what if they can’t play in California, but we can play, aight? Well, we obviously can’t play a game, maybe we play TCU instead of Southern Cal because they can’t play a California school, as well. But is it a fair question to say just because California can’t play, none of the other players can participate and play? That’s a pretty tough debate. I would be for whatever players can participate to be able to participate, and it may not be completely fair.”
Football will survive. Other sports may not.
According to the study, it was discovered that schools in the Power Five conferences, the SEC, BIG 10, BIG 12, ACC and PAC 12, could lose $4 billion if there is no season in 2020.
TCU athletic director Jeremiah Donati said that if the college football season is canceled, there will most likely be significant changes to athletic departments across the country. “If there’s no football season, or if football season is interrupted or shortened, there will be a massive fallout,” he said. “There would have to be massive cutbacks. Could the department go on? Sure. It would probably look smaller. There would potentially be fewer sports and much less programming.”