Week of 8/3

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8/8:

  • A very important news item I forgot yesterday….Lee Corso turned 85! I never would have guessed he was that age! Happy Birthday Lee - we love your spirit on College GameDay!

  • With the FCS formally canceling their playoffs this fall, the Missouri Valley Conference announced yesterday that they will move their conference play to next spring. Schools in the conference can still play non-conference games this fall if they wish…

  • The SEC announced the new conference games for this upcoming season. Games that look most exciting to me are Florida at Texas A&M and Tennessee at Auburn. I feel bad for Arkansas as they were given the Gators and the Dawgs…

  • As players are opting out of playing this year, Trevor Lawrence announced that he is “100 percent committed” to playing in 2020.

8/7:

  • It’s official - both the Big Sky and the Pioneer Football League have canceled their Fall 2020 season. Now three Championships (FCS, Div II, and Div III) will not be played this fall.

  • We might hear soon that a second FBS team might opt out of the season. The MAC has hinted that they will be moving ahead with this season (announcement on Saturday?), but there’s a possibility that Northern Illinois will say “thanks, but no thanks”.

  • A very damaging scenario could be happening in the FCS, as there are rumors that the Big Sky is going to postpone their fall season and play an eight-game conference schedule in the spring.

  • Three more NFL prospects have decided not to play this year: Micah Parsons, Penn State LB, Gregory Rousseau, Miami DE, and Rondale Moore, Purdue WR. Parsons will probably be a star on the next level, but losing Moore at Purdue hurts me the most of all the announcements so far. I remember seeing his first game against Northwestern, and thinking how exciting it was going to be watching him for the next three years. An injury last year and the pandemic this year cost me from seeing him in at least 20 games.

  • Teams are starting to fill up their schedules with new games to replace previously canceled games.

  • Lastly, I’m not sure it is going to do much good, but the Governor in Florida, Ron DeSantis, is pushing to have the Florida-Florida State rivalry game rescheduled. If he is successful, I would love to submit a list of other games to reschedule…

8/6:

  • Yesterday the Mountain West approved an 8-game conference schedule plus two non-conference games. Their season will begin the weekend of Sept. 26th.

  • Another story from yesterday - Colorado State is following up on allegations made by some coaches, players, and sports medicine that leaders in the athletic department are discouraging athletes from being tested. In addition, some student-athletes claim that their playing time could be affected by a positive test and an extensive absence.

  • The ACC released their 2020 schedule - and their season starts with Miami hosting UAB on Sept. 10th.

  • With the ACC announcement, Notre Dame will not play Navy for the first time since the series began in 1927 (93 years) because of the conference’s scheduling restraints.

  • And for my amusement, I read that both of Ray Lewis’ sons (Rayshad and Rahsaan) will transfer to Kentucky as walk-ons. The brothers will both be playing for their third FBS school.

8/5:

  • A very busy day - as there were a lot of stories to read and follow. I will start with the announcement that the Division II and Division III Championships have been called off for this fall. I can only hope that we will see the football championships played next spring.

  • UConn became the first FBS team to cancel their season. Is it that they feel that their student-athletes are at an unacceptable level of risk - or is it money-related since their schedule is a disaster?

  • Two more Power 5 players have opted out of playing this year, Michigan State DE Jacob Panasiuk and West Virginia safety Kerry Martin.

  • The American Athletic Conference has officially come out an said that they would play 8 conference games, and up to four non-conference games. Realistically it will be one or two non-conference games.

  • Lastly, the Big Ten had two news items: they announced their Fall 2020 football schedule, which starts Sept 3rd wilth Ohio State at Illinois, and then the Big Ten players formed a unity group , like the Pac-12, to address concerns.

8/4:

  • Yesterday the Big 12 rolled out their plan for the upcoming football season. They will play nine conference games plus one non-conference game that is to be played at home. The conference season is set to begin in mid- to late-September, so to prevent extra off weeks Oklahoma and Kansas may again move games that are currently scheduled for Week Zero.

  • We have heard from another Group of Five conference! The Sun Belt conference has approved a schedule that includes 8 conference games and up to 4 non-conference games. The first FBS conference attempting to play a normal full season. Not sure if the pandemic will allow such a plan…

  • After knowing more about the situations at Washington State and TCU, and hearing the head coaches’ rebuttals - I find myself comfortable with how it was truly handled internally.

  • Rashod Bateman, Minnesota Golden Gopher receiver, is opting out of the upcoming season. Bateman is the second pro prospect (potenital 1st-round pick) to say no go to the college game this year.

8/3:

  • The biggest story to watch over the next few days, weeks, and maybe months will be the boycott statement released yesterday morning by a group of Pac-12 football players. In summary the group is seeking protection and and acknowledgement regarding: Health & Safety Protections, Protect All Sports, End Racial Injustice in College Sports, and Economic Freedom and Equity.

  • It was reported that Washington State cut players that supported the unity movement and had them clean out their lockers, which was denied by the school. They will issue a statement later today. Cougar head coach Nick Rolovich and wide receiver Kassidy Woods are the central figures in this story as Woods recorded his conversation with the head coach.

  • And it has now been reported that players at TCU refused to practice after a player made allegations against Gary Patterson. From what’s been learned from teammates, sounds like words got twisted around a bit.

  • Back in early June, Michael Turk, who declared for the NFL draft but was undrafted, was granted a waiver to return to Arizona State. Now we have a new twist as a Texas Tech defensive lineman, Houston Miller, who declared for the draft, went undrafted and is returning to college football with his eligibility intact. Funny thing is - he has transferred to Southeastern Louisiana.