A version of this story originally appeared on Vols Wire.
BIRMINGHAM — The Southeastern Conference announced Friday it is taking measures to create flexibility for the remainder of the 2020 football season.
The SEC has four games postponed this week, including the Alabama Crimson Tide going on the road to take on the LSU Tigers. Dec. 19 will now be utilized for games needing to be rescheduled.
SEC press release:
The Southeastern Conference will utilize December 19 as a playing date for football games rescheduled during the 2020 season due to the impact of COVID-19 and has established parameters that allow for the adjustment of game opponents as late as five days prior to competition, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey announced Friday.
As of Friday, all games planned for November 21 will be played as scheduled. All games currently scheduled to be played after November 21 are subject to weekly evaluation in order to reschedule games that have been postponed during the 2020 season.
“It has been a goal of the SEC to play a complete football schedule provided we maintain a healthy environment for student-athletes and everyone around our football programs,” said Sankey. “The added flexibility of a December 19 playing date for teams that do not qualify for the SEC Football Championship and the ability to adjust opponents on five-day notification provide a greater opportunity for our schools to play a full schedule of games in 2020.”
December 19 is the date of the SEC Football Championship Game to be played in Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Teams that do not qualify for the championship game would be eligible to play games on December 19 that are rescheduled during the remaining weeks of the 2020 football season.
In addition, the Conference office may revise the weekly football schedule up to 9 p.m. ET/8 p.m. CT on the Monday prior to Saturday games for the purpose of maximizing the number of games available to be played. The games subject to rescheduling would only be those on a team’s original schedule and against opponents that a team has not yet played.
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