LIVE College Football Updates: What On Earth is Going On?
On Friday, the Southeastern Conference released the names of the two additional teams each school will be playing in the 10-game, conference only schedule.
By Sunday, it's looking increasingly impossible that football will happen at all.
The Big10 is meeting tonight, Sunday Aug. 9. According to reports by a plethora of credible sources, including Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger and Pat Forde, they will be moving toward cancelling the fall season altogether.
"In the next 72 hours college football is going to come to a complete stop,” one industry source said to Dellenger.
“It’s gotten to a critical stage,” another conference commissioner told Sports Illustrated on Sunday. “I think all of us will be meeting with our boards in the coming days. We have work to do that is no fun.”
A handful of prominent players, including Clemson's Trevor Lawrence, have taken to social media to defend the season, saying they want to play. Yet others, particularly in the Pac-12, have a list of growing safety demands that, unless met, will result in a player holdout.
A separate grouping of players, including a handful of projected day-one picks in the NFL Draft, are either sitting out the fall on a redshirt or to prepare for the draft.
Among the heart of the decision that, according to Dellenger, will likely lead to the cancellation of all seasons by this Friday, are health concerns.
“This virus seems to have an affinity for causing damage to the heart," said Dr. Matthew Martinez to SI.
“That’s what has been the final straw,” says one team doctor at a prominent college football program. “The commissioners are finally figuring it all out. The commissioners are going, ‘Oh my gosh!’ And the doctors are like, ‘Yeah...’”
Dominos began to fall on Saturday. The Mid-American Conference (MAC) postponed all fall sports. The Big Ten annoyed they'd be pausing the return to fully paced football practices.
“I think by the end of the week the fall sports will be postponed in all conferences," said one well placed source to Sports Illustrated on Saturday.
It's possible we'll still play SEC football in the fall.
Commissioner Greg Sankey said in an ESPN interview recently that there is room for different conferences to do different things.
"We want to be connected, but the best example is back in March," Sankey said. "Different conferences made independent decisions but all arrived at the same destination."
College football may be coming to a halt. The SEC still may try and play. But right now, things are looking rather bleak.
UPDATE: Aug. 10, 8:49 a.m.:
Dan Patrick of NBCSN was told this morning that the Big Ten and Pac 12 will be cancelling the fall football seasons. This report is yet to be confirmed.
Congressmen in Nebraska are even weighing in now.
UPDATE: Aug. 10, 10:29 a.m.:
It's looking like Patrick got this right. More sources confirming the cancellation of fall Big Ten play. Iowa and others have reportedly stopped practicing. Ohio State, in a very on brand move, is still practicing.
UPDATE Aug. 10, 11:57 a.m.:
SEC officials are meeting today in a meeting that was not prior schedule, Ross Dellenger is reporting. They are not expected to vote on anything regarding the season, just to discuss recent events. This reporting goes along with The Grove Reports earlier report of three meetings this week.
UPDATE Aug. 10, 1:04 p.m.: No one knows what's going on.
UPDATE Aug. 10, 1:25 p.m.: The SEC finally weighs in
UPDATE Aug. 10, 3:30 p.m.:
Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter has released a statement, which can be found in full here.
UPDATE Aug. 10, 4:55 p.m.:
UPDATE Aug. 11, 9:53 a.m.:
The Big Ten is currently meeting to discuss the possibility of cancelling or postponing the season.
UPDATE Aug. 11, 1:54 p.m.:
Players have been pulled from practices at Michigan State and told the Big Ten is cancelling the fall season, two sources have confirmed to The Detroit Free Press’ Chris Solari. SI’s Ross Dellenger and Pat Forde have confirmed the Big Ten cancellations. An official announcement is expected later this afternoon.
Update Aug. 11, 3:47 p.m.: Big Ten officially cancelled for the fall, as is the Pac-12
UPDATE Aug. 11, 5:06 p.m:
The ACC beat the SEC to the punch by barely more than one minute. Both released statements on the cancellation of the Big Ten and Pac-12 in-sync with each other. For more on their statements and the synchronicity of the conferences, see here.
UPDATE Aug. 11: 7:32 p.m.:
The Big 12 is coming to the aid of the ACC and SEC. On Tuesday evening the Big 12 voted to continue moving forward with the fall football season.
More From The Grove Report:
Ranking the Ten Games on the Ole Miss Schedule by Difficulty
SEC COVID-19 Management Requirements Include Twice Weekly Testing, More
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