The clock is ticking on the college football season
July13,2020
by Ed Daniels
COVID-19 has affected every American. But, how each part of the country views the virus is already affecting the 2020 college football season.
The Ivy League, where sports is less a part of the college experience, cancelled all fall sports, including football.
The Big Ten has reduced its college football season to only conference games.
One of the casualties of that decision appears to be a week two game for Tulane at Northwestern.
Meantime, the Southeastern Conference continues to mull a decision, moving forward.
Why? Pretty simple. It is college football, and it is the south.
And, the two are as entwined as any two entities in America.
The stakes for a complete 12 game SEC football schedule, are higher, not only for the league’s schools, but for some of the FCS institutions they compete against early in the season.
Saturday, Oct. 3, the Nicholls Colonels are scheduled to play LSU in Tiger Stadium.
The game guarantee for the Colonels is $500,000.
On Wednesday night, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said that “optimism may not be reality” when it comes playing college football this fall.
The reaction to the Ivy League cancelling all fall sports was predictable, and all over the map.
CBS Sports.com praised the league for being a leader.
Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh couldn’t understand why the Ivy’s acted so quickly.
“I don’t understand why that would be a decision now, “said Harbaugh.
Because football is not that important, there.
If there is any league in America that has a chance to complete a 12 game regular season, it’s the Southeastern Conference.
And, it is simply because the league views the pandemic through a different prism.
In the meantime, some questions?
When do we decide it is safe enough for America to put its toes back in the water?
And, who will be bold enough to make that decision?
The clock is ticking on the college football season, and if the SEC cancels even part of its football schedule, that would speak volumes.