RE: AAC Football Scheduling
SALT LAKE CITY — The status of the 2020 college football season is in flux with novel coronavirus numbers surging throughout the United States.
Here’s a look at where conferences and teams stand right now in regard to their 2020 football schedules:
The latest
Mountain West Conference
Presidents of Mountain West schools are expected to vote on a scheduling model Wednesday, The Mercury News’ Jon Wilner reported Tuesday afternoon. That would impact not only Utah State, but could impact BYU as well, as the Cougars have three games scheduled against MWC competition (Utah State, Boise State and San Diego State).
American Athletic Conference
ESPN’s Andrea Adelson reported Tuesday that the American Athletic Conference is expected to vote on its football plans Wednesday, and the conference is expected to go with a scheduling model that will include eight conference games and up to four nonconference games. Adelson added that a start date is still to be determined.
Sun Belt
The Sun Belt Conference announced Tuesday it will go with a football schedule that includes eight conference games and the option for member institutions to play as many as four nonconference games, beginning with Week Zero, with the season scheduled to start Labor Day weekend. The Sun Belt will also play a football championship game Dec. 5, with the title game date being adjusted if needed.
Among the changes to the 2020 college football season so far due to novel coronavirus safety concerns is the Pac-12 announcing its members will only play against league opponents this fall. Scott G Winterton, Deseret News Among the changes to the 2020 college football season so far due to novel coronavirus safety concerns is the Pac-12 announcing its members will only play against league opponents this fall.
Power Five conference decisions
ACC
The Atlantic Coast Conference made its decision to go ahead with a conference schedule plus-one model. That will include 11 games for ACC teams, with 10 league matchups and one nonconference game. Independent Notre Dame, an ACC member in every sport but football and hockey, will play a 10-game ACC conference schedule and will be eligible to play in the ACC’s championship game, the league said in its announcement.
The first week of competition for ACC members will take place the week of Sept. 7-12 and the 11-game schedule will play out over 13 weeks, with the ACC championship to be played either Dec. 12 or 19. Each ACC team will select their respective nonconference matchup, which must be played in the home state of an ACC institution.
Big 12
The Big 12’s 2020 football season will include nine conference games and one nonconference matchup for each team. The league announced that the nonconference game must be a home game for the Big 12 institution, and must be played prior to conference play beginning. The Big 12 said it anticipates starting the season between mid- to late-September, and the league’s championship game will move from Dec. 12 to Dec. 19.
“I would like to salute the work of our university presidents and chancellors, athletics directors, coaches, medical advisors and administrators who have worked tirelessly and collaboratively during these extraordinary times,” Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said in a statement. “We believe this change provides the best opportunity going forward. However, we will undoubtedly need to be flexible as we progress through the season in order to combat the challenges that lie ahead.”
Big Ten
The Big Ten became the first FBS-level conference — a Power Five league, no less — to make a move in regards to COVID-19 and the 2020 season, when it announced all the league’s members would only play conference opponents this fall.
Pac-12
The Pac-12 Conference unveiled its revised 2020 schedule last Friday, incorporating a 10-game schedule for each of its member institutions, three weeks after the league announced it would play only conference games this fall.
Competition will begin Sept. 26 for Pac-12 schools, with a bye week built into every team’s schedules, and Dec. 12 serving as another open date if games need to be made up. The Pac-12 Championship Game, originally set for Dec. 4 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, will now be a home-hosted model and take place either Dec. 18 or 19.
Utah added defending Pac-12 champion Oregon to its now revamped 2020 schedule. The Utes will host the Ducks on Dec. 5 in a rematch of last year’s conference title game.
SEC
The Southeastern Conference will also go conference-only in 2020, with a 10-game schedule that will start Sept. 26.
“This new plan for a football schedule is consistent with the educational goals of our universities to allow for the safe and orderly return to campus of their student populations and to provide a healthy learning environment during these unique circumstances presented by the COVID-19 virus,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement. “This new schedule supports the safety measures that are being taken by each of our institutions to ensure the health of our campus communities.”
The SEC’s revised schedule will be announced at a later date, while the SEC championship game, originally scheduled for Dec. 5, will now be played Dec. 19 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Each school’s schedule will also include a midseason open date, as well as another on Dec. 12.
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