The ACC anticipates to decide “in late July” that will figure out how its college football schedule will look, according to a declaration from conference commissioner John Swofford released Friday, and Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby informed ESPN that his league is “type of on the very same schedule.”
The timetable comes a day after the Big 10 revealed it embraced a conference-only design for fall sports this season– the first extreme college football scheduling relocation by a Power 5 conference in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
1 Related” Over the last couple of months, our conference has prepared numerous circumstances connected to the fall athletics season,” Swofford said in the ready statement. “The league membership and our medical advisory group will make every effort to be as prepared as possible throughout these unprecedented times, and we anticipate a decision by our Board of Directors in late July.”
Speculation has run rampant in the previous 24 hours over how the four other major conferences may respond to the Big Tens decision. Multiple SEC sources have informed ESPN the conference athletic directors will talk on Monday in a meeting that was arranged before the Big Ten statement, but that the league likewise intends to wait as long as possible before making any significant decisions.
SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a declaration recently there need to be more clarity about the season by late July, and issued a similar statement to ESPN on Friday, referencing “the coming weeks.”
” The Southeastern Conference will continue to satisfy regularly with our campus leaders in the coming weeks, guided by medical advisors, to make the important decisions essential to figure out the very best path forward related to the SEC fall sports,” the statement read. “We recognize the challenges ahead and understand the well-being of our student-athletes, coaches, staff and fans should stay at the leading edge of those decisions.”
One ACC source believes it is “extremely likely” the ACC is headed to a conference-only season however restated it is a week-to-week conversation that continues to evolve.
Moving the season to the spring has actually been discussed however only as a last option, and if it came to that, spring would probably likewise be conference-only. There is one making complex element for both the ACC and SEC must they move to conference-only schedules: Four rivalry games between the conferences that they would all like to play.
Swofford stated the ACC will continue to work with university presidents on upcoming choices.
” The health and wellness of our coaches, administrators and student-athletes remains the ACCs leading priority,” Swofford stated. “As we continue to work on the very best possible path forward for the return of competitors, we will do so in a manner that properly accompanies our universities academic missions.”
Bowlsby informed ESPN on Friday that the Big 12 is on a comparable timespan as the ACC and said the perfect scenario remains a complete, 12-game schedule that starts on Labor Day weekend. Due to the fact that the Big 12 conference has just 10 teams, its conference-only model would likely be a nine-game season, unless it had the ability to play a schedule made up entirely of Power 5 opponents, Bowlsby said. That would need other leagues to have teams readily available.
” There are other choices you could create,” he said as far as other models.
As a result of the Big Tens choice, the Big 12 lost West Virginias match against Maryland and Iowa States competition video game versus Iowa.
” Its an information point, and were sorry to lose the video games to them for this years schedule, however theres very little we can do about that,” Bowlsby said of the Big Ten. “As we move forward, were going to have our own set of criteria. Were mostly counting on the advice of physicians and scientists who are encouraging us. We think the decisions should be made slightly later.”
Bowlsby stated he wasnt expecting the Big Ten news. “I was amazed due to the fact that we had been on a call previously in the day and it didnt seem like that was going to occur,” he stated. “But odd things occur during conferences and you do not constantly have control over them, so I comprehend those things.”
Mid-American Conference commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said he wasnt expecting the decision Thursday, either.
Bowlsby told ESPN on Friday that the Big 12 is on a similar time frame as the ACC and said the ideal circumstance remains a full, 12-game schedule that begins on Labor Day weekend. Due to the fact that the Big 12 conference has just 10 groups, its conference-only design would likely be a nine-game season, unless it was able to play a schedule made up totally of Power 5 challengers, Bowlsby stated.” Its a data point, and were sorry to lose the video games to them for this years schedule, but theres not much we can do about that,” Bowlsby said of the Big Ten. Bowlsby said he wasnt expecting the Big Ten news. “I was shocked due to the fact that we had been on a call previously in the day and it didnt sound like that was going to take place,” he said.
” I was surprised at the timing,” he said. “It came prior to I believed there would be a decision made, but so be it.
When asked if the collaboration among the Power 5 commissioners has dissipated, Bowlsby said: “Were working at it the very best we can.”
” Its constantly much better to collaborate,” he said, “however we also all comprehend presidents and athletic directors and conference office staff have the authority to go their method, and in some cases they do, too.”
ESPNs Andrea Adelson added to this report.
