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How the Big Tens Decision does and doesnt effect Georgia football
Anticipate some changes to come to the schedule if the SEC is forced to go to a conference-game just slate. For one, conferences like the Big Ten and Pac-12 play 9 conference video games compared to eight for the SEC. With the lost profits that originates from those non-conference games, conferences could aim to add more conference games to recover some of that money. According to ESPNs Heather Dinich and Mark Schlabach, there is “frustrating assistance” for going to 10 games.
For the SEC, lets amuse a world where it does go to conference-only video games. That indicates no Chick-fil-A Kickoff Classic and the money that features that versus Virginia. It indicates no game against UL-Monroe, which Georgia is paying $1.75 million to play on Sept. 26 at the moment.
It also suggests that Georgia would tentatively open the season on the road versus Alabama.” Im simply thinking that you would see a totally various schedule (in that conference-only situation),” McGarity told DawgNation. “Right now, were playing eight league games.
On Thursday, the Big Ten announced it would be moving to a conference-only format for the 2020 season. This means massive video games like Ohio State-Oregon, Washington-Michigan and Wisconsin-Notre Dame are now off the schedule. From a larger college football fan viewpoint, this is a bummer. Notre Dame-Wisconsin at Lambeau Field is something fans have actually been waiting to see for a while. However its likewise a reality we understand need to deal with as COVID-19 cases, the positive test rate and deaths continue to climb. After the Ivy Leagues choice to cancel fall sports on Wednesday, it was only a matter of time prior to this type of choice trickled up to the Power Five level.
When it comes to how that straight affects the SEC, it does not at the moment. The SEC and Big Ten had absolutely no non-conference games scheduled for the 2020 season. So for the minute, the SEC hasnt had to cancel any video games yet.
It might not stay that method for long. According to numerous reports, both the acc and the pac-12 are mulling decisions to also relocate to conference-only schedules for this season. The Atheltics Nicole Auerbach reported that the PAC-12 is expected to make a statement in the coming days.
The ACCs decision is a lot more fluid, with clashing reports about what is set to occur. Arenas Brett McMurphy reported that while no main choice has been made, it is a likely outcome. The Athletics Matt Fortuna reported that the conference is not yet all set to decide to transfer to conference-only games. The ACC did announce on Thursday that it would be postponing all fall Olympic sports up until Sept. 1.
As for what the SEC said on the matter, it kept it is sticking to a late July timeline. ” The Southeastern Conference will continue to fulfill regularly with our campus leaders in the coming weeks, guided by medical consultants, to make the important decisions required to identify the very best path forward associated to the SEC fall sports,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a declaration. “We acknowledge the challenges ahead and know the well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans need to stay at the forefront of those choices.”
The PAC-12 going to conference-only video games indicates no more Alabama-USC and Texas A&M- Colorado, however those would be the only two games impacted with regards to the SEC.
The ACC possibly going to conference-only video games is an entirely different can of worms. It would affect video games on the front and back end of the season. Georgias game against Virginia and Auburns contest versus North Carolina would be removed from the schedule.
More importantly are the video games at the back end of the season, as Georgia, Florida, South Carolina and Kentucky all play ACC teams during the last week of the routine season. All of those contests are competition ones too, with state bragging rights on the line.
For Georgia, its the Georgia Tech game. The two sides have met every year dating back to 1925. Georgia Tech isnt the greatest rival Georgia plays every year, and when Paul Johnson was doing and running the triple option Paul Johnson-type things, there were some who probably didnt wish to see the Yellow Jackets on the schedule.
But as Georgia Athletic Director Greg McGarity informed DawgNations Mike Griffith that the hope is to keep those competition games.” It would be terrific to attempt to preserve games like that,” McGarity said. “Im sure Florida feels that method about Florida State, then you have Kentucky and Louisville and Clemson and South Carolina.”
The Big Tens decision is only the start. A growing number of conferences and colleges will need to make comparable decisions in the coming weeks about how to improve their schedules. And offered things arent getting much better when it concerns slowing the spread of the virus, its looking like increasingly more conferences will have to make choices like the Big Ten did on Thursday.
Maybe that ultimately means a spring season. Theres a reason Sankey and McGarity have continued to reinforce the concept that there are a variety of contingency prepare for the 2020 season. The tweaks and changes to the 2020 schedule have only just begun and it would be a rather big surprise if the Big Ten ended up being the only conference to make drastic changes to the schedule.
No one desires to see games wiped off the schedule. And unlike the NBA, NFL and even MLB, there isnt a strong central leadership in college football and college athletics. Thats why there were some coaches and conferences that were disturbed about the Big Ten going ahead and making the statement.
To strengthen whatever with concerns to Georgia, anticipate a decision to come in late July. That much is known at this moment offered everything those in power have actually stated. Its hard not to envision it looking like the Big Tens provided the current state of the country when it comes to COVID-19.
Georgias SEC East opponents are Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Missouri and Kentucky. Those will undoubtedly stay the exact same. Where the additional games in a possible 10 game season come from would be the SEC West. Georgia has Alabama and Auburn scheduled for the 2020 season. In 2021, Arkansas gos to Athens, and in 2022 Georgia journeys to Mississippi State. Could the SEC move those contests as much as accommodate a 10-game conference slate? Its still prematurely to say as the SEC eyes a late July choice when it comes to the 2020 schedule.
Where it does get tricky though is in finding out how to do a 10-game conference schedule while likewise preserving the Georgia Tech video game for Georgia. Do the other SEC groups go to an 11-game schedule, with one non-conference game and 10 SEC video games? How does that impact the rest of college football with concerns to the College Football Playoff?
And releases statements like it did on Thursday as the sport was fracturing. “As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact college sports nationally, the NCAA supports its members as they make crucial decisions based on their specific situations and in the best interest of college professional athletes health and wellness,” the organization stated in a declaration.
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Georgias game versus Virginia and Auburns contest against North Carolina would be eliminated from the schedule.
For Georgia, its the Georgia Tech video game. Georgia Tech isnt the biggest rival Georgia plays every year, and when Paul Johnson was running the triple choice and doing Paul Johnson-type things, there were some who probably didnt want to see the Yellow Jackets on the schedule.
It indicates no game against UL-Monroe, which Georgia is paying $1.75 million to play on Sept. 26 at the minute.
Where it does get tricky though is in figuring out how to do a 10-game conference schedule while likewise preserving the Georgia Tech video game for Georgia.
