Notre Dame has built big-time rivalries with USC and Stanford over the years. Now the Pac-12 says those games may be skipped in 2020 – read
Notre Dame and USC have developed the best inter-sectional rivalry in college football, 91 times since 1926 with the schools each having seven Heisman Trophy winners in that time, which with Ohio State is as many as any program in college football history.
Notre Dame and Stanford began playing annually in 1988 (aside from a hiatus in ’96 and ’96) and have developed a strong rivalry over the last few decades as well.
Now both might be off Notre Dame’s schedule in 2020 if what was discussed by the Pac-12 on Monday ends up playing out as the Pac-12 has had talks about it’s member schools only playing games against each other this college football season.
“It’s been discussed in our Pac-12 meetings, and it’s been discussed by the commissioners,” USC head coach Clay Helton said via video conference call on Monday.
“That is one of the many structures as we go through this situation and this crisis that is a possibility of an all-conference schedule,” Helton said. “That is one of the structures under discussion, depending on where we are at six to eight weeks from now. Those are viable discussions, and it has been brought up in our meetings.”
You can say a lot of things about USC but saying they’re afraid to schedule big-time opponents is not one of them. Not only would that wipe away the annual Notre Dame game this year, it’d also mean the USC opener against Alabama to be played in Arlington, Texas would be waived off.
In order to find a solution for college football in 2020, Stanford head coach David Shaw says there is one rather important figure in the United States that will likely ultimately have to offer their opinion.
“I think the president of the United States is going to have a weigh-in, and I think every state governor is going to have a weigh-in”
“I think every president, provost, chancellor is going to have a weigh-in. There may be a scenario to where campuses are partially open, and if we can bring back athletes and bring back a section of the student body, that may not be exactly what Mr. Emmert is talking about, but that may be good for a certain university. They may feel they’re comfortable and ready to resume part of their normal activities and still field teams for fall sports, and not just football, then I think that’s going to be acceptable.”
This situation is about as fluid as fluid gets. Helton mentioned that everyone will know a lot more in six weeks and he’s right – although that puts us at almost the end of June which means a decision will just about be due in terms of starting on time because pre-season team workouts would have to be taking place.
I’m all for safety and for coronavirus infecting as few people as we can possibly make it but can someone explain to me why it’d be OK for Washington to make a trip to play at Arizona (1526 miles) but Southern California wouldn’t be able to travel to Arlington to take on Alabama (1435 miles)? Do we really think that would limit the spread of anything?
I credit the Pac-12 for trying to find a solution and for being open while doing so but this life-raft appears to have a couple of holes in it from a far.
If it’s what ultimately has to be done then that’s better than no sports or no football, I think we can all agree.
No Notre Dame and USC one fall though?
That’s like ordering a pizza without cheese.
