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All of a sudden it seems, we’re this close to seeing college football either postponed or canceled for the Fall of 2020. Follow all of the latest developments here:
Thursday
5:44 p.m: All non-FBS fall championships are canceled.
"We cannot, at this point, have fall NCAA championships."
— Inside the NCAA (@InsidetheNCAA) August 13, 2020
NCAA President Mark Emmert discusses the latest developments in fall sports and looks ahead to winter and spring championships.
Hear more on the NCAA Social Series TONIGHT at 7 p.m. ET from @NCAA. pic.twitter.com/DpuIdqQrhj
Mark Emmert didn’t exactly break this news; the decision was basically made for the NCAA after a handful of Division I conferences — Southland, Horizon, Big Sky, Western Athletic, Southern, Ohio Valley, West Coast, etc — announced today that they are postponing fall sports. Fall championships for Division I Olympic sports and FCS football were feasible only if 50% of schools in each sport were still available to play. That’s no longer the case.
So, the only postseason championship that remains viable for this fall is in the FBS. Its championship isn’t controlled by the NCAA.
5:40 p.m: All FCS conferences have canceled their fall football season.
All FCS conferences have canceled their fall football seasons. https://t.co/EAnHg25Owy
— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoAP) August 13, 2020
10:45 a.m: New Mexico State won’t play football this fall.
New Mexico State postpones fall football season to spring because of COVID player health & safety concerns as well as 14-day quarantine requirement when traveling back into state, sources told @Stadium. Of 130 FBS programs, 54 will not play in fall, while 76 plan to play in fall
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 13, 2020
NMSU is the third independent program to make this decision, joining UConn and UMass. There are now 54 FBS teams not scheduled to play this fall.
Wednesday
8:21 p.m: As expected, Conference USA is moving forward with fall football
As expected, Conference USA is still moving forward for now. pic.twitter.com/EfoTVvU2db
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) August 13, 2020
7:09 p.m: The D1 Council chimes in on eligibility extensions.
NCAA DI Council recommends eligibility extensions for players who opt out or have a season cut short, and an extra year for those who play in 50% of less of a maximum season.
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) August 12, 2020
Board will decide next week. pic.twitter.com/xjHieOacCW
The NCAA Board of Directors will likely follow through on this recommendation when it meets on Aug. 21.
7:08 p.m: The Big East won’t hold fall sports in 2020.
The Big East Conference and its member institutions have announced that fall sports competition will not be conducted in 2020.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) August 12, 2020
The Big East is a non-football conference.
5:24 p.m: Regarding the eligibility of those athletes who opt out or have their fall season canceled ... it’s just more can-kicking.
Source to @TheAthleticCFB: Lots of discussion during the Division I Council meeting this afternoon around eligibility and what constitutes a season of competition. Council will have to make recommendations to NCAA Board of Directors.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) August 12, 2020
One D-I Council recommendation is expected to be, source says, that an athlete who participates in up to 50% of the maximum number of allowable contests for his/her sport could retain the season of eligibility.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) August 12, 2020
NCAA initially set an Aug. 14 deadline for divisional governance action on a variety of topics, including eligibility-related accommodations made for student-athletes who opt out or those whose seasons are interrupted/cut short due to COVID-19. Now, looking like it'll be Aug. 21.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) August 12, 2020
5:20 p.m: Conference USA officials are meeting right now. But don’t expect any news to come from it.
Sources: There’s no plan to vote from Conference USA on the fate of the season tonight. They’ll listen to medical experts, including multiple heart specialists to address myocarditis. “We’re going to continue to walk forward and digest information.”
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 12, 2020
2:40 p.m. The Big 12’s schedule and expanded health protocols
Here's the new Big 12 conference schedule pic.twitter.com/KlIZJJTQOd
— Max Olson (@max_olson) August 12, 2020
Big 12 return to play protocols after positive occurrences will include an EKG, troponin blood test, echocardiogram, and cardiac MRI. Non-conference opponents must also adhere to COVID-19 testing protocols that conform to Big12 standards during the week leading up to competition.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) August 12, 2020
Commissioner Mike Aresco said yesterday that AAC athletes who test positive for COVID-19 will receive an EKG (electrocardiogram) as a part of their medical evaluation as well.
10:28 a.m: An interview with AAC Commissioner Mike Aresco
I caught up with #AAC commissioner Mike Aresco late last night. He said the AAC sees no reason to alter schedule and plans to play in fall. https://t.co/g5lB3Cvg33 pic.twitter.com/jUnqwvCJUg
— Matt Murschel (@osmattmurschel) August 12, 2020
Aresco told the Orlando Sentinel’s Matt Murschel that it would be “premature” to decide the fate of 2020 AAC football now and that the conference is moving ahead “cautiously, one step at a time.”
Also: “We certainly want to know what was behind the Big Ten and Pac-12 situation because our own doctors have been tracking the heart issues and they’ve been out there, but we want to know what’s changed.”
Nothing has really changed. The issue is that these conferences are receiving different, sometimes contrastinng advice from their medical professionals. The Athletic spoke with Dr. Greg Stewart, the chair of the AAC’s COVID-19 medical advisory group, earlier this week. His words tell you exactly why the American is pushing forward with a season.
An example: “It’s a bad virus. We didn’t shut the country down because people were getting the sniffles. It’s a bad thing.”
10:22 a.m: The Big South (FCS) is postponing fall football but will allow its member schools to play up to four games this year
Big South announces postponement of fall sports to spring, but will allow up to four non-conference football games to be played this fall at the discretion of each school.
— FBSchedules.com (@FBSchedules) August 12, 2020
Ten of the 13 FCS conferences have now canceled fall football. Only the Ohio Valley Conference, the Southland Conference and the Southern Conference remain standing.
10:21 a.m: Big 12 update:
Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby is holding a noon ET news conference to give an update on the conference's 2020 schedule, which he is expected to release.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 12, 2020
10:16 a.m: Conference USA presidents officials will meet tonight.
Conference USA officials are set to meet Wednesday night as the landscape for football season continues to shift, both within the league and on the national level, a source confirmed to the #DentonRC. Here's the latest ⤵️ https://t.co/hEDTQLrhIh
— Brett Vito (@brettvito) August 12, 2020
As of Tuesday night, it sounded like C-USA is planning to forge ahead with its season. We’ll see if anything changes after this meeting. Conference USA is one of the six FBS conferences that are still planning to have fall football — SEC, ACC, Big 12, AAC, C-USA and Sun Belt.
Tuesday
9:46 p.m: The Big 12 will likely release its revised conference schedule Wednesday
Can confirm the Big 12 season is still a go at this point, per source. Schedule may be released tonight but more likely tomorrow given the time. This after listening to medical personnel tonight for 90 minutes.
— Brian Davis (@BDavisAAS) August 12, 2020
Six FBS conferences are still planning for a 2020 season: The SEC, ACC, Big 12, American, Sun Belt and Conference USA. We know what each of those conferences is thinking right now, either because of reports or their own official statements today.
But as a momentous day in college football comes to a close, 53 of the 130 FBS teams are now not scheduled to play any football this year.
9:15 p.m: A look inside tonight’s Big 12 presidents meeting — with a warning.
Before their presidents OK'ed to continue the season, Big 12 ADs got briefed for 90 minutes tonight by a medical panel, which led to vigorous debate.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 12, 2020
Sources tell @SINow that conference plans to add an extra layer of protocol involving heart imaging tests for COVID-19 patients.
A warning from a Big 12 source to @SINow about a big hurdle ahead:
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 12, 2020
"This doesn’t mean we’re going to play. Students are coming back to campus..."
8:58 p.m: UCF fans can breathe for another day. The AAC isn’t folding fall football tonight. They will move forward with the season
A Group of 5 update, after the end of a hectic day: AAC, Sun Belt & C-USA continue toward a 2020 fall football season, sources in those leagues tell @SINow.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 12, 2020
AAC presidents met today. C-USA expected to meet tomorrow.
As long as the Power 5s are hanging, I believe they will too.
If the Big 12 or the ACC had decided to cancel fall football tonight, I think you would have seen the American follow. But with three power conferences still standing by football this year, the American and the rest of the Group of 5 Group of 3 will keep on keeping on.
8:29 p.m: Report: Big 12 Conference moving forward with football season; a revised conference schedule may be released tonight.
Sources telling SoonerScoop's @CareyAMurdock and @Eddie_Rado Big 12 presidents will allow conference to move forward toward a season and a revised Big 12 schedule will be released after approval from AD's during tonight's meetings.
— SoonerScoop.com (@SoonerScoop) August 12, 2020
7:10 p.m: The Big 12 may not cancel 2020 football tonight. Instead, it may release a 2020 conference schedule
As @drewdavison reported, sources confirm the Big 12 could release its revised conference schedule tonight if the conference's presidents take no action in their meeting.
— Max Olson (@max_olson) August 11, 2020
A power conference confirming its commitment to fall football with a schedule release tonight would be quite the 180-degree turn from the rest of the day’s college football news. The Big 12 had already announced its plans to play a 10-game season: nine in-conference games plus one out of conference.
6:42 p.m: In memoriam — 2020 Big Ten football
We'll miss you, @B1GFootball.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) August 11, 2020
Until we meet again. ❤️️ pic.twitter.com/DBDnJTktKX
6:35 p.m: American Conference news incoming?
Hard to keep up on what's been reported but hearing the American is planning to delay the start of its season and the Big 12 is meeting. Unclear if it will have a definitive decision tonight.
— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoAP) August 11, 2020
The AAC football season begins as early as Aug. 29 with Marshall vs. East Carolina. The Knights are scheduled to open on Sept. 12 vs. Florida International.
5:55 p.m: Just a few minutes after the ACC’s statement, the SEC commish released this:
Statement from @SEC Commissioner @GregSankey pic.twitter.com/8nyweGPBk1
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) August 11, 2020
No matter what decisions are made by other conferences, the SEC is definitely going to be the last one to punt on fall football.
5:52 p.m: The ACC is staying the course.
Statement from the ACC: pic.twitter.com/9lBY5h8jNy
— The ACC (@theACC) August 11, 2020
5:05 p.m: UCF defensive lineman Kenny Turnier is all of us.
Big 10, PAC-12 Who Next
— Kenny Turnier (@KennyTurnier0) August 11, 2020
We’re just waiting and wondering, too.
4:53 p.m: RE: scholarships and eligibility in the Pac-12:
Larry Scott says all athletes' scholarships will be guaranteed and that the league will strongly work with the NCAA about getting the year back for the athletes.
— Matt Prehm (@MattPrehm) August 11, 2020
Division I must determine by no later than Aug. 14 the eligibility accommodations that must be made for student-athletes who opt out of participating this fall or for those whose seasons are canceled or cut short due to COVID-19.
4:50 p.m: The Power 4?
The New Power 4.... (2020)
— Coach Jeff Scott (@coach_jeffscott) August 11, 2020
SEC
ACC
BIG XII
AAC
Conference champions go to @CFBPlayoff #WeWantToPlay
That comes from USF’s first-year head coach Jeff Scott. Who knows what the college football season (if there is one) will look like, so, hey, it’s time to get creative!
4:31 p.m: How is all of this impacting the AAC? It is in a holding pattern.
A source close to the AAC's decision process tells @TheAthleticCFB the American is still gathering information. A lot of people want to know why the Big Ten/Pac-12 made a move now.
— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) August 11, 2020
Communication between leagues has clearly been... lacking.
The American sounded pretty confident about its 2020 plan last night. But Tuesday’s reality might be giving the AAC’s university presidents some pause right now. Those presidents are scheduled to meet today.
4:27 p.m: It’s official: The Pac-12 is postponing all competition until 2021.
Update on the 2020-21 Pac-12 season below.https://t.co/G6VxDO2VM2
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) August 11, 2020
4:08 p.m: Here’s a real ‘Wow!’ moment: The Pac-12 is reportedly canceling all sports for the rest of 2020.
Pac-12 delaying all sports until Jan. 1.
— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoAP) August 11, 2020
What a day.
That is a measure above and beyond what most major conferences have done thus far. Those others have said they will continue to examine winter sports schedules. The Ivy League and other, smaller conferences declared a similar 2020 ban this summer.
3:52 p.m: Another P5 bites the dust, reportedly.
Pac-12 has canceled fall football season, source told @Stadium. “We’re done,” source said. Official announcement at 4:30 p.m. ET
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 11, 2020
The Pac-12 will hold a press conference at the bottom of the next hour, but this decision seemed inevitable once the Big Ten made its choice. Those two conferences always seemed to be linked in reports as the most likely among the P5 to cancel fall sports.
3:28 p.m: This would be interesting.
UCF is looking for a nonconference home game this season ... I'm just saying. https://t.co/6kiajmtNeH
— osknights (@osknights) August 11, 2020
In the wake of the Big Ten’s decision today, Nebraska has firmly stated that it still wants to play football against ... someone this fall. A matchup here would undoubtedly cause UCF Twitter to explode.
3:12 p.m: Here is the Big Ten’s formal announcement:
Big Ten Statement on 2020-21 Fall Seasonhttps://t.co/BCiRSzeAPL
— Big Ten Conference (@bigten) August 11, 2020
The conference has postponed all competitions — regular season and postseason — for all of its fall sports, not just football. Other conferences who choose to call off fall football will inevitably do the same.
2:59 p.m: The Big Ten has canceled. The Pac-12 might soon. But the ACC’s resolve to play fall football has reportedly increased.
Added: “The whole purpose of delaying the season was to navigate the return of students. We deserve the opportunity to get to that hurdle and re-assess once that happens.” 2/2
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 11, 2020
2:45 p.m: The Big Ten has reportedly canceled fall football.
Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel had it first.
B1G to the spring, folks.
— Jeff Potrykus (@jaypo1961) August 11, 2020
Sources: Big Ten is announcing that the fall is cancelled. League will attempt to play in the spring.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 11, 2020
This was expected given the reports from Monday morning, but as day turned to night, there was a growing sense that the public outrage from players and coaches might cause the Big Ten presidents to delay the fall season rather than outright can it. Ultimately, those calls for #WeWantToPlay didn’t change anything.
Now, with one Power 5 Conference down, all eyes turn to the Pac-12 presidents, who are currently meeting.
10:17 a.m: While we wait for word from some P5 conferences this morning, UMass has called off fall football.
UMass has canceled its fall football season, sources tell @TheAthleticCFB. Hoping to play in the spring. UMass is, of course, an FBS independent.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) August 11, 2020
Twenty-six FBS programs have now said they won’t play any football in the fall. It would be 27, but Air Force stated yesterday, even after the Mountain West canceled fall football, that it wants to hold games against Navy and Army.
Monday Evening
10:13 p.m.: And don’t forget about the Pac-12!
SOURCE: Pac-12 ADs and coaches met with Larry Scott tonight. League presidents are expected to vote Tuesday on whether the Pac-12 will postpone the fall season, delay or proceed.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) August 11, 2020
Tuesday is going to be very, very active.
9:46 p.m: Will the Big Ten cancel fall football on Tuesday, as was reported Monday morning, or merely delay it?
Update: starting to feel like delay more than cancel in both B1G and P12. https://t.co/Lf8P6C1emM
— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoAP) August 11, 2020
9:45 p.m: A bit of short-term good news for UCF/AAC fans — The American is reportedly not expected to vote on canceling fall football Tuesday.
The AAC is continuing to move forward with a 2020 fall season after athletic directors met tonight to discuss potential scenarios, sources tell @SINow.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 11, 2020
Presidents meet tomorrow, where there is not expected to be a vote, barring significant movement from the Power 5 level.
AAC commissioner Mike Aresco told The Athletic’s Chris Vannini earlier tonight that the decisions made by the MAC and the Mountain West conferences are “not decisive for us.” Aresco, as he has all along, is glued to what the P5 conferences choose.
8:29 p.m: AAC Commish Mike Aresco speaks:
Spoke with #AAC commissioner Mike Aresco briefly before he jumped on a call with conference officials.
— Matt Murschel (@osmattmurschel) August 10, 2020
"We would still like to play and we are keeping a close eye on what the A5 (autonomous) conferences are doing."
That quote doesn’t seem to carry the same confidence that other high-profile people in college athletics have conveyed today.
7:49 p.m: Old Dominion football decided earlier today that it’s out for the fall. But Conference USA isn’t ready to shutter everything just yet.
Conference USA schools still planning to play football this fall, even w/league member ODU canceling fall season, sources told @Stadium. C-USA ADs met today & are “holding firm on playing in fall,” source said
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 10, 2020
We’ve seen similar quotes of steadfastness today from sources within the SEC, ACC, AAC, Sun Belt, and from numerous coaches and athletic directors around the country.
6:36 p.m: The Sun Belt Conference is following the SEC’s lead
Sun Belt Conference plans to follow SEC’s lead & play sports this fall, sources told @Stadium
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 10, 2020
If anyone’s guessing when the three remaining Group of 5 leagues will leave behind fall football, it feels comfortable to say that the Sun Belt will be the last one out the door.
5:34 p.m: The Mountain West Conference has said no to fall football.
More news: Mountain West cancels fall football season because of COVID player health & safety concerns, sources told @Stadium. League will consider playing in spring. MW & MAC are 1st two FBS leagues opting not to play, bringing total to 26 FBS programs https://t.co/LPi7iX4tzA
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 10, 2020
With the MAC and the MWC shut down, the G5 has quickly become the G3. It also means 26 of the 130 FBS programs will not play football this fall.
Earlier Monday
What’s going on at UCF?
Workouts and meetings. That much we know.
I've been told #UCF held team and position meetings today. The players are doing gym work, but there is "no huge urgency for full-blown practices" right now. A game on the weekend on Sept. 5 appears "unlikely." It's not clear yet when UCF will hold a padded practice.
— Brian Murphy (@Spokes_Murphy) August 10, 2020
However, I later learned that a full team meeting wasn’t held today. Just position and special teams meetings.
Following in Lawrence’s footsteps, a handful of AAC players posted a mission statement that was very similar to what the Power 5 representatives unveiled at around midnight.
#WeWantToPlay ‼️ pic.twitter.com/EpYNDH7QfJ
— Demetris Harris (@Meech64__) August 10, 2020
Memphis quarterback Brady White, Houston wide receiver Marquez Stevenson and USF cornerback KJ Salis collaborated with other AAC players in developing the statement. As of 5 p.m. Monday, no UCF Knights players have retweeted or mentioned the statement on Twitter.
Meanwhile, the American Athletic Conference isn’t ready to make any moves either — right now.
University of Memphis president Dr. M. David Rudd on our show this morning: “The AAC has made a commitment to move forward. We will revisit if there are new issues."
— John Martin (@JohnMartin929) August 10, 2020
Some Big Ten players and coaches have expressed their wish for a fall season in spite of today’s reports.
Perhaps no one raised more eyebrows with their words than Scott Frost: If we don’t play a Big Ten schedule, “[W]e’re prepared to look for other options.”
"Our University is committed to playing no matter what, no matter what that looks like and how that looks. We want to play no matter who it is or where it is."#Huskers HC Scott Frost on opponents for 2020. pic.twitter.com/kTPN9znv0v
— Husker Sports (@HuskerSports) August 10, 2020
That seems like quite the torpedo across the Big Ten’s bow from the former UCF coach.
While the Big Ten is apparently mere hours away from going on the record with its decision to cancel, the SEC is in no hurry, according to commissioner Greg Sankey.
...Deveoped testing protocols...We know concerns remain. We have never had a FB season in a COVID-19 environment. Can we play? I don’t know. We haven’t stopped trying. We support, educate and care for student-athletes every day, and will continue to do so...every day.
— Greg Sankey (@GregSankey) August 10, 2020
Old Dominion became the first Conference USA team to pull the plug.
Old Dominion is canceling its fall sports season and fall football, source tells @TheAthleticCFB.
— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) August 10, 2020
On the heels of the MAC’s shutdown on Saturday, this means that 14 of the 130 FBS programs have officially called off fall football, as of Monday evening.
A Big Ten Spokesman refuted the Free Press’ report about a vote.
But one of the reporters on the story said the Big Ten was still expected to announce the cancellation Tuesday.
Big Ten football spokesman: "No vote has been taken." Another conference source, however, tells me presidents are moving unanimously together in canceling the season, with an announcement expected Tuesday.
— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) August 10, 2020
As if this whole fiasco didn’t contain enough uncertainty already.
On Monday morning, Big Ten presidents reportedly voted, 12-2, to cancel fall football Monday morning, according to the Detroit Free Press and radio show host Dan Patrick.
Patrick was also told that the Big Ten and the Pac-12 would officially cancel their seasons Tuesday.
DP was told an hour ago that the Big 10 and Pac 12 will cancel their football seasons tomorrow... The ACC and the Big 12 are on the fence.. And the SEC is trying to get teams to join them for a season.
— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) August 10, 2020
Watch live: https://t.co/sMaeXQkLfl pic.twitter.com/oSUNGMTEqw
The college football world was rocked in the first minutes of Monday, when Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence released this post on Twitter:
#WeWantToPlay pic.twitter.com/jvQhE7noGB
— Trevor Lawrence (@Trevorlawrencee) August 10, 2020
@Trevorlawrencee & I got together with representatives from every Power 5 conference via Zoom Call and this is what we decided upon
— (@D_Rench_) August 10, 2020
Pac 12 movement and #BigTenUnited were in collaboration with us. All together — a step toward one collective voice
Lawrence and players representatives from each of the Power 5 conferences solidified their desire to play football this fall and called for, most notably, the creation of a college football players union.
That midnight post is what kicked off what has been a wild day.