Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves: "Let 'em play"

Mississippi's Governor leaves no doubt where he stands on college football being played this fall.

If Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves gets his way, Mississippi State and Ole Miss will be playing college football in the Magnolia State this fall.

Reeves took to social media on Tuesday afternoon, just moments after REPORTS EMERGED THE BIG TEN WON'T PLAY FOOTBALL THIS FALL. Reeves posted his thoughts, including three key words: let 'em play.

Conferences that completely cancel football are doing it because they’re scared of lawsuits and bad press—not because they’re worried about safety.

There is risk in all of life. There are things we can do to manage it without destroying society. Limit crowds and let ‘em play!

— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) August 11, 2020

"College football is essential," Reeves posted. "What do opponents of football think, these kids will end up in a bubble without it? You can get COVID anywhere.‬

‪"There are forces who want to cancel everything to avoid risk at all societal costs. It’s foolish. We have to balance risk and costs.‬

‪"Conferences that completely cancel football are doing it because they’re scared of lawsuits and bad press—not because they’re worried about safety. ‬

‪"There is risk in all of life. There are things we can do to manage it without destroying society. Limit crowds and let ‘em play!‬"

Reeves has voiced his support for college football in the past, encouraging mask wearing, in part, so there could be a college football season. 

Of course the final say as to whether the Bulldogs and Rebels play football in Mississippi in the coming months will come down to what the Southeastern Conference decides to do. On Monday, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey indicated the league is still attempting to get what would be a 10-game, league-only schedule off the ground.

"Can we play? I don’t know," Sankey included in a post to Twitter. "We haven’t stopped trying. We support, educate and care for student-athletes every day, and will continue to do so...every day."

Meanwhile in Starkville, all first-year head coach Mike Leach can do is hope he gets the chance to lead the Bulldogs onto the gridiron at some point.

"Right now college football hasn't quite figured out if they're the dog or the vehicle and whether they're going to stay," Leach told the Starkville Rotary Club on Monday. "I wish there was more clarity to that. We're all waiting to see, and we're excited about our team, we're excited about this opportunity and hope we get the chance to share it with everybody around the country."

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