SEC Athletic Directors to Meet Next Monday

The SEC is summoning all 14 athletic directors to league offices in Birmingham, Alabama next week to discuss what to do with fall athletics, Sports Illustrated’s Pat Forde, and Ross Dellenger reported today. The meeting will be in-person and is thought to be the first face-to-face gathering among SEC Officials since the COVID-19 Pandemic first spiraled out of control earlier this year.

The meeting comes at a time of despair for College Football fans all across the country, as the Big Ten and the Ivy League both announced alternative plans for the season in recent days: the Ivy League cancelled all sports until the next calendar year, while the Big Ten announced that it would step away from all non-conference games in favor of a Big Ten only schedule for its teams.

Despite the alignment in the time frame, sources told Sports Illustrated that the meeting had been planned for “at least two weeks,” and was by no means a reaction to recent news from other conferences. In fact, no significant decisions are expected to be made from the meeting — and it is currently only thought to be a chance for athletic directors to meet face-to-face and discuss the best options to proceed with, Forde reports.

Sports Illustrated also spoke with numerous SEC Athletic Directors who believed that a normal season was simply a pipe dream. “What we have currently scheduled is not realistic,” one anonymous coach told Forde. “If someone told me we could play conference-only in the fall, that would be great. But I’m not sure we can get one game, let alone a full conference schedule.” Another SEC head coach added: “I think spring is more viable than fall.”

If the rumors regarding the season prove to be true, then the Vols would be forced to cancel their 4 non-conference games against Charlotte, Oklahoma, Furman, and Troy. The most significant game that would be cancelled would obviously be against the Sooners, which is a game that Vol Fans have been looking forward to for years — as the two teams have developed a unique little “rivalry” after meeting numerous times in recent years. The two programs were almost certainly looking forward to a rematch in Norman, but the chances of the match-up actually occurring seem to be growing smaller as each day passes.

The meeting is scheduled to be next Monday, as Phillip Fulmer and other SEC Athletic Directors will meet up to discuss the best plan for going forward. This article will be updated if any additional information emerges.