COVID-19 has brought uncertainty to the 2020 college football season. The Big 12 was the final Power Five conference to announce their plans but did so Monday night. The conference is going to a 9+1 scheduling format, giving the Longhorns the usual Big 12 schedule plus a nonconference game.
There had been concern over the annual Texas-Oklahoma game after the State Fair of Texas announced it was canceled. However, it seems as if the Longhorns and Sooners will still be meeting in Dallas this season.
According to The Athletic, as long as it is safe to host, the historic Cotton Bowl will still be the site of the Red River Shootout. The matchup has been played in Dallas since 1929 and is one of the best events in all of sports.
After reports of a home and home series emerging, The Athletic is reporting those ideas have been shut down and will luckily not be happening.
Multiple sources have also indicated that Oklahoma and Texas still intend to play their rivalry game at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas, provided it’s safe to do so, and likely with limited capacity, despite the cancellation of the State Fair of Texas. Sources said neither side is interested in scheduling a home-and-home arrangement instead.
As for the Big 12 Championship, the conference remains flexible for when the game can be played. It is currently scheduled for Dec. 5 but Bob Bowlsby could delay it by a week to Dec. 12.
Worst case possible, the championship game could not only move dates but also locations. Dec. 19 is still a possible date for the conference championship game but would need to be moved to Globe Life Field.
Texas high school football championships are scheduled for AT&T Stadium Dec. 16-19 and the Dallas Cowboys have a home game on Dec. 20. With no room for a college football game, the Big 12 would move across the street to the Texas Rangers’ brand new indoor stadium.
The Big 12 is expected to be flexible in its approach to its December conference title game, which Bowlsby previously discussed with The Athletic. That game is currently scheduled for Dec. 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and could be rescheduled for Dec. 12 if necessary.
If the Big 12’s title game must get pushed to Dec. 19, multiple sources have indicated the title game could move to nearby Globe Life Field, the Texas Rangers’ new $1.2 billion ballpark, if there are scheduling conflicts. The UIL Texas high school football championships for class 1A-4A are scheduled for Dec. 16-19 at AT&T Stadium, and the Cowboys are scheduled to host the 49ers on Dec. 20.
Texas is currently scheduled to play Oklahoma in Dallas on Oct. 10. With the Big 12 expected to move the start date of the season back, the Longhorns will be waiting for a new schedule.
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