CFB Saturdays – What’s New in a Few – Latest on CFB Season

At CFB Saturdays we take a look at some of the latest headlines in College Football.  Our goal is to keep College Football Fans up to date on recent happenings from around the nation and some quick analysis.  (Note: all recruiting rankings are based upon the 247sports composite).

The Latest on a Season Start        

The biggest question in every College Football fan’s mind is whether or not there will be a season due to the COVID 19 pandemic.  In this version of What’s New in a Few we take a look at some of the latest developments.

Yesterday Cal State Universities announced a decision to cancel most in-person classes this fall.  The football programs included in the university system are Mountain West conference members Fresno State, San Diego State, and San Jose State.

The move could influence other universities to follow suit in the region and potentially impact the Pac-12 season.  Fox Sport’s Colin Cowherd tweeted yesterday that two different sources told him that the USC v. Alabama game would be canceled.

Told by two people I trust — USC v Alabama isn’t happening. Trojans can’t even practice in LA potentially for several months. This is why Bama already talking to other possible opponents. Not official but understood. Feeling now that Pac 12 football in spring — much more likely.

— Colin Cowherd (@ColinCowherd) May 13, 2020

The inclination is that California schools will not be able to start the season on time.  However, there was this tweet by USC AD Matt Bohn seemingly refuting Cowherd’s:

I enjoy regular conversations with @Greg_Byrne. We have every intention of playing our game against Alabama.

I’d like to remind all our fans that this is an uncertain time and there will be much disinformation. We continue to explore every model for the 2020 football season.

— Mike Bohn (@USC_mikebohn) May 13, 2020

Bohn’s statement indicates that USC wants to have a season, but gives no indication if there is a possibility for a September start.  Compare that approach with the schools in the SEC where 13 of 14 schools have announced their intention to resume in-person classes this fall.  Vanderbilt is the only outlier but in a recent statement by university representatives maintain that in-person classes in the fall are a goal. 

Eight of 14 Big Ten schools indicated in a survey conducted by the Chronicle of Higher Education that they intend to hold in-person classes.    Three have not made a determination and three did not respond. 

In the ACC nine of 14 schools have announced their intention to resume classes in the fall.  Five Pac-12 schools also announced a similar intention with the entire Big 12 planning on returning to in-person classes in the fall. 

The focus on having students on campus is aligned with NCAA president Mark Emmert’s previous statement that student-athletics would not resume if the regular student body does not return to campus. 

What schools will open and not open are an important factor but they are secondary to the question of what states will allow sports to begin, and in what format.  In a big step towards the return of sports, Arizona Governor Doug Ducey announced yesterday that pro-sports can begin without fans on May 16^th . 

College Football fans should be watching closely as a successful reopening of pro sports (in any capacity) will provide a blue print for collegiate sports to follow.  How soon other Governors follow Ducey’s lead will be crucial.

Today, Paul Finebaum opined that the Cal State University decision severely limits the chances of the season starting on time.   If Finebaum’s intuitions are accurate, then the question becomes how long does the season get delayed?

If the season starts in October, as was previously reported, then universities will have to adapt final exam schedules for athletes.  If the season is pushed back to the spring there could be a severe impact on star power with eligible prospects eyeing the NFL Draft.  

Imagine a season without the top returning players.  No Justin Fields.  Trevor Lawrence.  Jamarr Chase.  Rashod Bateman.  Penei Sewell.   

Could some conferences play on time while others remain closed to in-person activities?  SEC Commissioner Paul Sankey opposed that notion on Finebaum’s radio program.  

The bottom line is that nobody truly knows what is going to happen.  For every positive development there seems to be an equally negative one.  Sitting here in the middle of May, all the College Football faithful can do is monitor the situation.  But for the season to start as scheduled, time is running out with each passing day.

For the latest content follow us on twitter @saturdayscfb & @cfbsaturdaysC or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CFBSaturdays.

NCAA Image by Tom Woodward is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.