There is a strong possibility that college football will not be played this fall, according to CBS Sports’ Dennis Dodd. In fact, in the words of one Power Five athletic director, it is “inevitable” that the college gridiron will be empty come autumn.
Dodd offered the following quotes from two Power Five athletic directors.
“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 Football Bowl Subdivision league to cancel its season, a decision that came on the heels of the Power Five conferences’ decision to adopt a conference-only schedule. MAC programs rely on the financial compensation that games with Power Five schools provide for a large part of their 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.
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