Is the college football season happening this year?

DUKE PLAYS NOTRE DAME in South Bend, Indiana, in the empty Notre Dame Stadium.  Pat Forde/Sports Illustrated

By Danielle Generaux | Student Life Editor

September 20, 2020

Many families and individuals look forward to college football during the fall season. University students have some of the most exhilarating experiences at their college’s football games because they are unique to each college and provide a passionate source of spirit. College football games bring families closer, especially at the high school age.  

“My family and I watch college football when Utah plays,” junior Grace Parry said, explaining how her family will watch more often this year because her older sister now goes to school there. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, many sports have been canceled.

Here’s what you need to know about the college football season this year.

Over 40 teams have opted out of playing football this fall and will try to play in the Spring of 2021. On August 5, 2020, the University of Connecticut (UConn) became the first team that decided not to play this fall’s football season.

“The safety challenges created by COVID-19 place our football student-athletes at an unacceptable level of risk,” UConn’s athletic director David Benedict said alongside the decision that UConn will not play this season.

The next month, on August 8, the entire 12-team MAC (Mid-American Conference) also decided not to play football. Shortly thereafter, the entire Mountain West Conference opted out on August 10, followed by the Big Ten (later changed) and the Pac-12 on August 11. 

Over forty teams have opted out of fall college football, including USC and UCLA. For the full list and reasons why each team has opted out, visit this website.

The spring season will most likely only happen if the positive tests for COVID-19 remain low. According to ESPN writer Bill Connelly, there are two options for the spring season: either keep the schedule the same and move the dates to the spring months or shorten the original eight or nine game schedule. Each path has different pros and cons. If colleges play the season and move the schedule, the shifted season may affect the fall 2021 football season and conflict with the NFL draft. If colleges shorten their schedules to an eight or nine game season, it will be less likely to affect the 2021 season. This option, however, will offer less play time.

This year, around 90 colleges are playing the fall football season.  Many of these teams are part of college athletic conferences including the ACC, the Big Ten, Big 12, American, SEC, Conference USA, and Sun Belt. This year, Notre Dame, who is typically an independent, is playing in the ACC league. The Sun Belt league began on September 5 and the ACC league began the weekend of September 12. The Big Ten begins their season on October 24 and the SEC, the Big 12, and Conference USA begin their seasons on September 26.

Most of the high profile, elite college football teams, such as Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Notre Dame, and Ohio State, have all elected to play. Find the full list here

BYU PLAYS THE NAVAL ACADEMY in Annapolis, Maryland at the empty Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.  Scott Taetsch/USA TODAY Sports

Significant safety precautions have been taken this the football season to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The main deterrent is that players must be tested for the virus every week at least 72 hours prior to the game, and any player must isolate himself if he has been in contact with anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19. While some people believe that the three day period leaves too much of a gap between the test and the game, the testing strategy appears to be working so far. Other precautionary measures include the NCAA recommendations: anyone on the sideline must wear a mask, a team that has a player who gets symptoms of COVID-19 and then gets tested positive must inform the opponent, referees should undergo COVID-19 testing before each game, and practices and workouts should be in small groups outdoors if possible.

Each college that is playing in the 2020 fall football season is taking considerable COVID-19-related safety precautions, and for the colleges not playing this fall, there remains the possibility of playing during the spring of 2021.

 

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