College Football Late Start Options

[UteThunder]

Let’s say the college football season is minimally impacted, but teams aren’t allowed to start playing until what would be Week 3.

Which is more likely to happen:

Option1 – The first two weeks of the season are cancelled, meaning games scheduled for Aug. 29th (week 0) through Sept. 12th (week 2) never get played? 

Option 2 – The season opens with week 3 matchups (Sept. 17th-19th) and play continues as scheduled through week 13, but the first two weeks’ games are moved to the back end of the schedule with CCGs scheduled the week after that?

Option 3 – The season is played in its entirety, everything is just pushed back a couple of weeks with games starting Thursday, September 17th?

[GameForAnyFuss]

Option 4 – Everything is played as scheduled but in empty stadiums.

Option 5 – Everything is played as scheduled, but fans have to wear masks and have their temperatures taken at the gate.

[UteThunder]

I’m asking about LATE START options, which one everyone thinks would be most likely. 

[Johnny80]

My guess would be that OOC games would not happen.

[GameForAnyFuss]

Yeah I’m saying that late start may be combined with other measures like the ones I laid out.

[PlainsUte]

Look for option 5.  Maybe testing will be available so that the players can be tested before each game — that is the other risk — players giving it to their teammates and opponents.

[UteThunder]

To answer my own question . . .

I think if the season is delayed, we are most likely going to see the cancellation of games rather than pushing back or otherwise rescheduling them. The logistics of rescheduling everything involving more than 130 college football teams (FCS teams included) would be too big of an obstacle to overcome. 

[EagleMountainUte]

Risks of injury with reduced contact and training camps.  I think they cancel. 

[PlainsUte]

What’s the point in delaying 2-3 weeks something that is 5 months away?   What is gained?  Just having fewer games?  More time to implement “safe” crowd procedures?   We have 5 months to do that!   I think the NCAA needs to start meeting online NOW to start planning that, getting whatever equipment they need, etc.   

[UteThunder]

The P5 conference commissioners are teleconferencing daily or weekly to discuss options based on the latest news and projections. The possibility of delaying the season 2-3 weeks and cancelling games becomes a necessary option because the coaches have said they need at least 4 weeks of strength and conditioning plus an entire fall camp to get the players ready for the season. If players can’t get on campus until some time after July 1st, then the start of the season will be delayed. If that happens, the only questions are how long will it be delayed and how many games will be cancelled or rescheduled.

I might be wrong on the 4 weeks of strength and conditioning, I can’t remember if it was 4 weeks or 8 weeks. But if it is 8 weeks, then the timeline shifts to June 1st for the season to begin on time, obviously.

[GameForAnyFuss]

I think the decision on college football will be made by itself, in a way. The NCAA will just watch other sports leagues around the world and follow their models.

The Bundesliga (the highest level of German soccer) has reopened training camp and will resume their interrupted season in early May. They will play in empty stadiums for the rest of 2020.

I bring this up because I expect other sports – and the NCAA, including college football – to do the same thing. Unless this leads to a new outbreak of COVID, in which case it will all be cancelled.

[GameForAnyFuss]

I think the decision on college football will kind of make itself. The NCAA will simply look at what other sports leagues around the world are doing.

The Bundesliga (the top level of German soccer) just brought their teams back into training camp. The plan is to resume their interrupted season in early May and play the rest of 2020 in empty stadiums.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/08/sports/germany-soccer-coronavirus.html