Today Could Provide Answers for BYU Football
What a wild week it's been. There have been so many comings and goings it's nearly impossible to recap this week in a single article. If you're just catching up on this week's news, I would recommend that you go to our SI college football site where Pat Forde and Ross Dellenger have written about all the news surrounding college football. Today could provide answers for college football fans, and today's news will almost certainly impact BYU.
Here are the latest updates for each conference according to Pat Forde and Ross Dellenger:
Big Ten
"More than 24 hours after first reports published from ESPN, Yahoo Sports and SI of the Big Ten’s potential plans, the conference still hasn’t made an announcement and is now gripped in an internal strife that poured out into public Monday. From high-ranking politicians to the league’s own coaches, a variety of personas strongly voiced their support for a 2020 season, some of them specifically targeting the Big Ten and commissioner Kevin Warren.
“Kevin encountered a lot more blowback today than he thought he would,” says an industry source. “It may not change their position, but it’s at least slowed the train down. It may still end up at the same destination, but this has slowed them down.”
Big Ten leaders are expected to meet Tuesday. ESPN reported that a decision could be made in a 10:30 a.m. ET meeting. That could turn into one of the most consequential days in college football history, in which a host of Power 5 conference presidents decide to either shut down the season, continue moving forward—or, in more of an anticlimax, delay the season’s start even more than they already have."
PAC-12
"Tuesday’s most definitive call could come out West. The Pac-12 is expected to vote on a 2020 season during a presidential meeting Tuesday. While many high-ranking sources within the industry expect them to end their attempt at a fall season, the conference could choose to significantly delay kickoff. In an interview with ESPN radio, Utah team doctor Dave Petron suggested a delay is the likely course for the conference. The Pac-12 is scheduled to start Sept. 26, already well behind the original kickoff date."
Big 12
"Tuesday’s most important decision may come from the Big 12. Geographically situated in middle America, the Big 12 appears to be straddling the proverbial fence. Its neighbors to the West and North, Pac-12 and Big Ten, are drifting one way while its neighbors to the East and South, ACC and SEC, are advancing forward toward a season.
One industry source called the Big 12 the “linchpin,” and multiple administrators describe the conference as “split” on a decision. “I think the dialog can swing it one way or another,” a conference source said. A separate league source described the split thusly: "a small group that absolutely wants to postpone the season; a small group that absolutely wants to play; and a majority group that is right in between, saying we don't have to decide right now." ADs and presidents are expected to meet on a joint call Tuesday evening, sources tell SI, where a vote is expected on whether to cancel, proceed or delay the fall season.
The Big 12's status as the Power 5 swing conference has become clear. A source with knowledge of the situation said ACC presidents reached out to Big 12 presidents this week to get a gauge for what that league was going to do, communicating that it will influence the ACC's position. If the Big 12 were to join the Pac-12 and Big Ten in postponing until 2021, the ACC would feel compelled to go along, the source said, essentially leaving the SEC on an island. If the Big 12 opts to hold off on the decision, it would allow the ACC to hold off as well."
SEC
"Meanwhile, toward the Southeast, teams are forging forward. ACC athletic directors met three times on Monday, moving forward with the goal of a Sept. 10 kickoff. At an impromptu meeting Monday, SEC presidents were expected to take the same approach, mirroring an earlier statement from SEC commissioner Greg Sankey suggesting the league would continue strides to a kickoff. Both conferences would prefer to have as much Power 5 company as possible in playing, which is why they are keeping a watchful eye on the Big 12."
Group of Five
"Three of the remaining Group of Five conferences—the AAC, Conference USA and Sun Belt—are trudging ahead, taking cues from its Power 5 brethren. The Mountain West, a Monday casualty, announced a shut down two days after the MAC pulled its plug. While both cited health and safety reasons, finances are in play, too. In-season testing and other medical requirements come at a steep price."
BYU only has three games on the current schedule so they need as many potential opponents as possible. Most people believe that the AAC will follow the lead of the Big 12 - BYU really needs the AAC if they want to fill out their schedule. Without the AAC, they Cougars will turn to Conference USA and the Sun Belt. However, it seems like both would cancel their seasons should the AAC call it quits. One thing we know for sure - today is a pivotal day for college football.