The 2020 college football season seems on the brink of not happening and, per CBS Sports Dennis Dodd, some athletic directors at Power 5 schools are saying that it is more than likely not going to be played.
“It’s not fair what we’re doing to our coaches and student-athletes,” one long-time Power Five AD said. “The sooner we can come to a finality, the better.”
“I think it’s inevitable [the season will not be played in the fall],” said another veteran Power Five AD.
Neither AD wished to be identified due to the sensitivity of the situation.
On Saturday, the Mid-American Conference became the first FBS conference to cancel its season, a decision that seemed inevitable after the power 5 conferences decided to go to a conference-only schedule. The MAC programs are dependent on the pay games with Power 5 schools for a large part of its yearly revenue.
“I’m of the opinion it’s when, not if [the 2020 season is canceled],” the first AD said. “[The MAC announcement] adds more momentum to the finish line. I think everyone’s medical group is now all telling them the same thing. We all keep having the same conversations.”
Rumors continued to swirl Saturday that the Pac-12 and Big Ten would indeed be the next FBS conferences to cancel their respective 2020 seasons.
Big Ten presidents met on Saturday, though a league source told CBS Sports not to expect an immediate announcement to cancel its season — the feeling being that the league wouldn’t alter its practice schedule and announce a cancellation on the same day.
The Big Ten on Saturday announced it was “indefinitely” delaying a move to Phase 3 of practice that would have allowed players to use pads. The Detroit Free Press reported that Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren is believed to prefer attempting to play a season in spring 2021.
Pac-12 presidents will meet in a regularly scheduled call on Tuesday. However, that timeline could change in “20 minutes” to organize a conference call if the situation continued to shift, according to one league official.