SWAC Postponing Season Impacts Auburn's Season Opener

The Southwestern Athletic Conference became the third conference to decide not to play football this fall.

The Auburn Tigers are in the market for a new season-opening opponent with Monday's announcement that the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) will postpone their football season this fall. A decision on attempting a shortened season in the spring of 2021 seems open for debate. 

"The SWAC shares in the disappointment that will undoubtedly be felt by student-athletes, fans, and supporters impacted by the postponement of fall sports competition," the conference said in a statement. "The league will continue to review appropriate measures to ensure the health, safety, and well-being of student-athletes, coaches, administrators and the local community, which continues to be the primary responsibility of the Southwestern Athletic Conference and its member institutions."

Before Monday's announcement, Auburn was set to host Alcorn St. on Sept. 5, in their home, and season opener. They now join Alabama as SEC teams looking for potential replacement contests in week one. 

The SWAC joins the MEAC and Ivy League in postponing their season this fall, with more conferences likely to follow suit. Of the conferences making these moves, all are smaller conferences with fewer disposable dollars to spend on testing and other protective measures for their players that those of Power Five programs that are pushing forward on their seasons at this point. 

As for the Vanderbilt Commodores, their schedule remains intact at this point, with none of their non-conference opponents making moves as of this publication. 

Athletic directors and conference officials of the SEC met last week in Birmingham to discuss the situation, with no decisions of official announcements on any changes being made. While there is still time, and the conference has discussed the possibilities of a conference-only schedule, no scenario seems imminent at this time as the conference appears poised to wait as long as possible in hopes of keeping their full schedules intact. 

Optimism has swung toward and away from a season. Currently, it is simply too convoluted to say with any certainty what could happen in the coming days as conflicting reports continue to appear, leaving most people unsure of what the future holds. 

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