Tag: 2020 football

Report: ACC Moving Forward Attempting to Play Football in 2020

There were rumors that the Pac-12 would be just behind the Big Ten and cancel their season as well, but instead we sit at at almost 6:00 pm. ET on Monday and there has been no official word of any additional cancellations.

It’s a roller coaster ride of a day yet again in college football.  It began with the Big Ten seemingly cancelling their season before they came out with leaks that said previous reports were incorrect.

There were rumors that the Pac-12 would be just behind the Big Ten and cancel their season as well, but instead we sit at at almost 6:00 pm. ET on Monday and there has been no official word of any additional cancellations.

We do have a new report out however that one Power Five conference is going to attempt to play football this fall.  Pat Forde of Sports Illustrated is reporting this evening that after meeting today, ACC athletic directors are “moving forward in an attempt to play”.

Notre Dame has obviously joined the ACC for the 2020 season and for those hoping there is football in 2020, it’s a bit of good news.

It’s worth noting that there is no guarantee of anything with that, just that an attempt will be made to play.  If anything it’s good news for the chances of college football in 2020 that an attempt is reportedly still being made to play.

This is going to be a crazy week and I feel like the reports and backtracks are only going to speed up before they slow down.

As always, stay tuned as we’ll have it all covered for you at Fighting Irish Wire.

MAC cancels football, Notre Dame out an opponent

Just days after Notre Dame announced their revised 2020 football schedule amid the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ll have to reschedule yet again. That’s because the Mid American Conference (MAC) has become the first FBS conference to cancel their 2020 …

Just days after Notre Dame announced their revised 2020 football schedule amid the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ll have to reschedule yet again.

That’s because the Mid American Conference (MAC) has become the first FBS conference to cancel their 2020 fall football season, doing so on Saturday morning. There was no announcement as to whether the conference would make spring football an option.

That leaves Notre Dame without an opponent on September 19 when they were supposed to play host to Western Michigan, a MAC member.

Related: Predicting Notre Dame’s schedule game by game

Power Five conferences like the Big Ten canceling all out of conference games this year did a huge number on the MAC. For example, Central Michigan was to play road games at both Nebraska and Northwestern that would net the athletic department over two-million dollars in revenue but lost out on both opportunities.

Bowling Green loses out on $2.2 million they were set to receive for games at Ohio State and Illinois.

As Nicole Auerbach of The Atheltic points out, the MAC isn’t going to be the only conference that goes this route.

How many conferences will follow suit? The MAC was the final conference to announce their revised plans that were ultimately a cancelation, but that doesn’t mean several other can’t revise theirs and do the same thing.

Stay tuned as the fallout from this will impact a lot more than just the 2020 college football season.

College Football Playoff Announces Schedule Changes for 2020-21 Season

The College Football Playoff has announced changes in their scheduling for the 2020-21 CFP. Details here –

The College Football Playoff has announced changes to their 2020-21 schedule.

Now that I have your attention, before you get too excited or worked up know that the changes are to date of the final College Football Playoff rankings being released and later in December and the amount of time teams are at their bowl locations gets shortened significantly while media day for these games has been canceled.

With that in mind here your official release from the College Football Playoff on August 5, 2020:

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF ANNOUNCES
SCHEDULE CHANGES FOR THE 2020-21 SEASON

The College Football Playoff (CFP) selection committee will release its final rankings of the 2020-21 season Sunday, December 20, executive director Bill Hancock announced. The top four teams will participate in the Playoff Semifinals Friday, January 1, in the Rose Bowl Game and Sugar Bowl. The national championship game will be played Monday, January 11, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.

The final rankings were originally scheduled to be released Sunday, December 6. The CFP Management Committee made the change as a result of several conferences having moved their championship games to December 12, 18 or 19.

The committee’s final meeting of the season will be December 18-19-20 in Grapevine, Texas.  The CFP will announce the full schedule of this fall’s selection committee meetings at a later date.

“With recent schedule changes for the regular season, it makes sense for the committee to make its final rankings after the conference championship games, when it can get a complete picture of the season,” Hancock said.  “The selection committee members understand the need to be flexible as we all navigate uncharted waters this season, and this move will allow them to evaluate all the available information.”

The Management Committee also shortened the post-season travel time for teams.  The two teams participating in the CFP National Championship will arrive in Miami on Saturday afternoon, January 9, 2021 instead of the usual Friday evening arrival. With this change, media day, typically held on Saturday morning in the host city, will not take place this year. Details on virtual media availabilities will be announced at a later date. The Rose Bowl Game, Sugar Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Orange Bowl and Peach Bowl will follow a similar three-day schedule.

“In this unprecedented time, the Management Committee believes it is in the best interest for the health and safety of the student-athletes, coaches and staffs to complete their game-week preparation on campus, under the familiar protocols they will have used all season,” said Hancock. “This is an unfortunate consequence of the pandemic, but it is the right thing to do.”

For additional information on the selection committee and its weekly rankings, and to view the selection committee protocol in its entirety, please visit CollegeFootballPlayoff.com.

-#CFBPlayoff-

About the College Football Playoff

The College Football Playoff matches the No. 1 ranked team vs. No. 4, and No. 2 vs. No. 3 in semifinal games that rotate annually among six bowl games – the Goodyear Cotton Bowl, PlayStation Fiesta Bowl, Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl, Capital One Orange Bowl, Allstate Sugar Bowl and Rose Bowl Game. This season’s Playoff Semifinals will take place Friday, January 1, 2021, at the Rose Bowl Game and the Allstate Sugar Bowl. The College Football Playoff National Championship will be Monday, January 11, 2021, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Mack Brown weighs in on Notre Dame addition to ACC for 2020

Mack Brown isn’t worried about Notre Dame joining the ACC full-time but he’s very excited about their addition to the conference for 2020.

News came out last week that Notre Dame was joining the ACC for the 2020 football season, making it the first year the Fighting Irish would not play as an independent.

Notre Dame fans are mixed about the move but appear to understand the importance of doing it for the 2020 season at least as we live in such unique circumstances.

One of the four ACC opponents that Notre Dame had added to their schedule was North Carolina, where Mack Brown is set to begin his second year back at the school.

Brown was on ESPN Radio’s Packer and Durham Show this morning and discussed Notre Dame and the ACC’s temporary football marriage.

“It’s very unique but I think it’s great for them this year and it’s great for us,” Brown said. “Because they needed some extra help in scheduling, and anytime you add Notre Dame to your league it’s a great brand, they do it right, they play by the rules, they’re a great team.  Brian Kelly does a tremendous job he’s a friend of mine, so this is a win-win. They will also bring some TV money it sounds like into the league, all of us are needing that right now. So I think it will be exciting, our guys are excited about playing Notre Dame.” – Mack Brown on ESPN Radio

I couldn’t have been more wrong about the impact Mack Brown would have in his second stint with North Carolina.  I didn’t think he had much left in the tank when the hiring was announced roughly a year and a half ago, but turning the Tar Heels into a bowl team in year one and immediately improving recruiting efforts has made them quite the up and coming program.

It’s not as difficult as a trip to USC or playing Wisconsin in Lambeau Field would be but North Carolina presents a formidable foe for Notre Dame this fall and are very possibly the second toughest team on their schedule behind Clemson.

Another day, another Notre Dame player named to Watch List

Each day right college football is announcing which players are included on watch lists for various awards.  So far Notre Dame players to be mentioned for one or more awards are Kyle Hamilton, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Ian Book, Aaron Banks, Liam Eichenberg, Jarrett Patterson and Drew White.

I should have welcomed you to the season last week but I failed to.  I now feel like an usher at Notre Dame Stadium who doesn’t greet you with “Welcome to Notre Dame”.

It’s Watch List Season, friends.

Each day right college football is announcing which players are included on watch lists for various awards.  So far Notre Dame players to be mentioned for one or more awards are Kyle Hamilton, Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, Ian Book, Aaron Banks, Liam Eichenberg, Jarrett Patterson and Drew White.

Now add another name to the list as senior place-kicker Jonathan Doerer has been named to the 2020 Lou Garza Collegiate Place-kicker Award Watch List that goes to, get this, the nation’s best kicker.

Doerer has made 62 consecutive PATs, the sixth longest streak in program history.  His 45, 52 and 43 yard field goals against USC in 2019 helped earn him game ball honors in the 2019 win.

Doerer finished the 2019 season making 17 of 20 field goal attempts and finishing with 108 points, including 16 and 15 point performances against Boston College and Iowa State, respectively.

Many wondered how Notre Dame could replace the very accurate but lacking power, Justin Yoon in 2019.  Doerer thrived his first year as the full time kicker and should be seen as a bright spot for Notre Dame entering 2020.

About the Lou Garza Award…

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Notre Dame Player Preview: Brendon Clark – Quarterback

The race to be Notre Dame’s backup quarterback in 2020 is on. Find out more about the leading candidate for it, Brendon Clark, right here!

We get a day closer to Notre Dame football returning and although we’re anything but certain as to what exact day that will be, we’re still excited for the idea of it.

Before the ball is kicked though we need to keep informing you on those that will suit up in blue and gold this fall (or next spring).

In this edition we look at a young man who isn’t going to be starting any games in 2020 but will be working towards being the starter at his position in 2021.

We’re talking about quarterback Brendon Clark, a young man who has never shied away from a difficult path.

Stats and Information…

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Notre Dame Player Preview: Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah might be the best defender on Notre Dame’s roster entering 2020. Find out more about the star linebacker right here

Notre Dame head coach Brian Kelly said recently that it wasn’t a matter of if college football would be played this year but when.  In those regards we’ll continue to bring you player previews for Notre Dame’s entire team in 2020.

Next up is linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah who some have pegged as a fringe first round draft pick in 2021.

What’s in store for “JOK” in what very likely will be his final season in South Bend, though?

That’s exactly what we’re here for.

Stats and Information…

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A Notre Dame July Bowl Projection because why not?

We don’t know much about what the next college football season will look like but we do know it will be something none of us have ever seen before. It may seem a bit far-fetched but why not have some fun and take a peak at a Notre Dame bowl projection that was recently released.

As we’ve seen in the last few days the college football season is very much up in the air as conferences continue to announce they’re only playing themselves this fall.

We don’t know much about what the next college football season will look like but we do know it will be something none of us have ever seen before.

With that preface, 247Sports recently released their July edition of bowl projections and whatever formula they used for schedules, they have Notre Dame headed to what has been a fairly regular destination of late.

It falls short of the College Football Playoff that Notre Dame fans clearly desire but it’s still a marquee game against a marquee opponent.  The projection you ask?

Fiesta Bowl vs. Oregon

Although the specific bowl game doesn’t thrill me since we’ve all seen them already play there a bunch, the match-up certainly does.  Oregon enters the year with high expectations after a Rose Bowl win and top five finish last season.  If it’s not the College Football Playoff, it doesn’t get much better than this for the Irish.

It would be Notre Dame’s sixth ever appearance in the Fiesta Bowl which would move it to the second most common bowl game in Irish history as they’ve played in the Cotton Bowl eight times.  Notre Dame has also played in the Orange Bowl five times to date.

The game, as impossible as it may feel to happen this season, would mark just the third meeting between Notre Dame and Oregon.  The Irish blanked the Ducks 41-0 in their 1976 meeting in South Bend before the two played to a 13-13 tie in Eugene, in 1982.

 

Another Conference Cancels Fall Sports for 2020

It was the Ivy League last week and today it’s another conference that is cancelling all fall sports in 2020.

Last week saw big news on the college sports landscape as the Big Ten and Pac-12 announced plans to only play conference games during the fall sports season this year while the Ivy League took things a step further, cancelling all fall sports.

Now the Ivy League has company as another collegiate conference is axing all fall sports.

The Patriot League that consists of American University, Bucknell, Boston University, Holy Cross, Colgate, Lafayette, Lehigh, Loyola (Maryland), Army and Navy, announced Monday that they have cancelled all fall sports for 2020.

The league added that both Army and Navy are exempt from the cancellations.

Army plays football as a Division 1 independent while Navy plays football in the American Athletic Conference.

For now, Notre Dame is still scheduled to play Navy on Labor Day weekend but I feel safe in saying that is looking murky at very best, much like college football in general for 2020.

Big Ten’s Statement on 2020-21 Fall Season

Well, it’s official.  Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic had the news earlier today that the Big Ten would only be playing conference games this fall, which means no Notre Dame/Wisconsin at Lambeau Field.

Well, it’s official.  Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic had the news earlier today that the Big Ten would only be playing conference games this fall, which means no Notre Dame/Wisconsin at Lambeau Field.

The Big Ten just released their official statement in those regards that reads as follows:

We are facing uncertain and unprecedented times, and the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes, coaches, game officials, and others associated with our sports programs and campuses remain our number one priority.

To that end, the Big Ten Conference announced today that if the Conference is able to participate in fall sports (men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball) based on medical advice, it will move to Conference-only schedules in those sports. Details for these sports will be released at a later date, while decisions on sports not listed above will continue to be evaluated. By limiting competition to other Big Ten institutions, the Conference will have the greatest flexibility to adjust its own operations throughout the season and make quick decisions in real-time based on the most current evolving medical advice and the fluid nature of the pandemic.

This decision was made following many thoughtful conversations over several months between the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors, Directors of Athletics, Conference Office staff, and medical experts including the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee.

In addition, the Conference announced that summer athletic activities will continue to be voluntary in all sports currently permitted to engage in such activities. Furthermore, Big Ten student-athletes who choose not to participate in intercollegiate athletics at any time during the summer and/or the 2020-21 academic year due to concerns about COVID-19 will continue to have their scholarship honored by their institution and will remain in good standing with their team. 

While Big Ten member institutions continue to rely on the most up-to-date medical information to establish the best protocols for voluntary workouts on their campuses, in compliance with local and state regulations, the Conference is working with the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee to finalize Conference-wide protocols.

As we continue to focus on how to play this season in a safe and responsible way, based on the best advice of medical experts, we are also prepared not to play in order to ensure the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes should the circumstances so dictate.

The Big Ten is the first to announce this move but don’t be surprised if the majority, if not all of the other Power Five conferences join them by the end of the day.

Stay tuned for all the breaking news right here at Fighting Irish Wire!

Related:
Jack Swarbrick not as hopeful for season to start on time

Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin at Lambeau called off

ACC to be Notre Dame’s 2020 football life-raft?