College Football Season Up in the Air

The 2020 college football season is rapidly approaching. This is usually about the time talking about the season ramps up around the country.

But with the first full week of July here, there is still much uncertainty about whether the season will start on time or if there will even be one at all.

On Monday, commissioners from the Power 5 conferences provided an update on the situation, saying that as of right now, they are holding off on making any sort of decisions related to the fall sports calendar. Instead, they are aiming for the end of July.

While some in the industry believe the season will take place during its normal time, others are not so optimistic.

Football in the Spring?

In addition to opting to push the start of the season back a month or so and possibly having games with no fans in the stands, the other idea that has been quietly discussed is playing football in the spring.

Not everyone is on board with this plan. However, it’s a proposal that may begin to gain serious steam in the coming weeks, according to ESPN’s Paul Finebaum.

Of course, playing college football in the spring would have its challenges. And Finebaum said one option possibly on the table is changing the season’s length.

Fans in the Stands

Arguably, the most talked about subject in addition to the sport itself is whether people will be allowed in stadiums come the start of the football season. Some athletic directors have expressed concern with the idea, while others, like Tennessee’s Phillip Fulmer, are planning for a packed stadium.

Over the last few weeks, the number of COVID-19 cases have surged around the nation, leading some states like Florida and Texas to close down bars and reduce capacity in restaurants once again.

Finebaum said the chances of fans being in stadiums during the fall are looking slim right now, but if the football season were to be moved to spring, the odds could increase.

What’s Ahead

While Power 5 commissioners announced they would hold off on any sort of decisions regarding fall sports for a few weeks, the Ivy League will be making its final determination on fall sports Wednesday.

The outcome could play a huge role in what other conferences decide to do moving forward. Finebaum said school presidents from around the major conferences will be paying close attention to the decision.

Will other schools go in the same direction? These next few weeks should provide a lot of answers.

Sound used in this story is courtesy of ABC Newscall.