SEC Will Not Reschedule Games Due to COVID-19 Outbreaks in 2021

On the first day of SEC Media Days on Monday, commissioner Greg Sankey made it clear that teams need to get their players vaccinated. If they don't, it could cost them a win. 

Sankey announced that unlike last season, games will no longer be rescheduled in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak on a team before a scheduled game. Sankey didn't commit to any specifics, but this could mean a team with an outbreak may be forced to forfeit or the game will just be declared a no-contest. 

This comes less than a week after Big 12 Media Days kicked off their availability with the message that vaccinations need to be increased— and will likely be shared among the rest of the Power Five conferences.

As it stands, six of the 14 football teams in the SEC have reached the 80% vaccinated threshold or better. Teams that are 85% vaccinated are not required to test regularly or wear masks inside school facilities. 

"That number needs to grow and needs to grow rapidly," Sankey said.

"They've [vaccines] proven to be highly effective and when people are fully vaccinated we all have the ability to...maximize are chances of returning to a normal college football experience, and a normal life." 

The first SEC game of the 2021 season will be when Tennessee faces Bowling Green on Sept. 2 in just over six weeks.