While many of you spent the better half of the last 72 hours constantly refreshing sports sites waiting for an answer to come from the chaos that has been college football – some of you may not be as in tune to what has been going on in the sports world.
So, ICYMI: It looks as though the Southeast will see football this fall. 🏈
On Tuesday evening, statements made by SEC + ACC officials made it clear that both conferences were planning to move forward with football this fall, following Big 10 + Pac-12’s decisions to cancel their fall seasons due to COVID-19 concerns. See SEC statement here + ACC statement here.
However, during an emergency meeting on Monday, an ACC official stated, “I don’t know if there is a drop dead time period [to decide]. We don’t start play until Sept. 12 as a league.” Additionally, SEC Commissioner Greg Sanky stated, “We know concerns remain. We have never had a [football] season in a COVID-19 environment. Can we play? I don’t know. We haven’t stopped trying.”
What this translates to is while these conferences are planning to have fall seasons, things could change in the coming weeks. But for now, here’s what the 2020-21 season is slated to look like for our local teams:
🏈 University of North Carolina | Schedule here | The Tar Heels will be participating in an 11-game schedule, with the team’s first game slated for Sat., Sep. 12.
🏈 NC State | Schedule here | The Wolfpack will play its first of 11 games Sat., Sept. 12. No official decision has been announced by the ACC for the regarding restrictions on in-person attendance at games, however current statewide regulations in NC prohibit public gatherings of more than 25 people through at least Sept. 8.
🏈 Duke University | Schedule here | The Blue Devils will play their first of 11 games Sat., Sept. 12.
🏈 University of Tennessee | Conference-only schedule here | The Volunteers will be participating in an eight-game conference-only schedule, with the team’s first game slated for Sat., Sep. 26.
🏈 Clemson University | Schedule here | The Tigers will be participating in an 11-game schedule, with the team’s first game slated for Sat., Sep. 12.
