FILE - In this March 12, 2020, file photo, Greg Sankey, commissioner of the Southeastern Conference, talks about the decision to cancel the remaining games in the SEC NCAA college basketball tournament, in Nashville, Tenn. College sports leaders have repeatedly said there can be no college sports without campuses being open to students. And those decisions will be made with guidance from state and local public health and government officials. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey, File)

No Decision on SEC Football Yet

The world of sports is still trying to adjust its schedules to COVID-19’s uncertainties. Some professional leagues have already restarted their seasons. Others are close to doing so. The next up to decide its fate is college athletics; more specifically, the fate of college football.

Conferences have started to develop their plans for fall sports. But football is probably the most complicated to adjust to recent health guidelines.

The SEC has yet to comment on what it will do in regard to its schedule. Missouri athletic director Jim Stern said an official decision will most likely be made by late-July.

One of the things that make creating a set plan difficult is the inconsistent path the coronavirus has taken since it first hit the US in March.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said because of this, they are taking this one day at a time.

“I wrote up the timeline way back in May, and I realized how much has changed since then,” Sankey said. “So we look at next week as an important milestone… the challenge right now is to understand where the finish line may be.”

Sankey said next week will most likely influence the SEC’s final decision.

(Courtesy of: ABC Newscall)

If NFL training camps are successful, the SEC and other conferences could try to adapt to a similar plan.

Other conferences

The ACC and the Big 12 are also waiting a little longer before they make a decision. Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said that it is too early to make the decision to switch to a conference-only schedule. But the conference has a model ready in case that becomes its most viable option.

The Big Ten and the Pac-12 are the only FBS conferences that have made a serious decision about their schedules. Both have decided to move to a conference-only schedule.

The first conference to make a decision was the Ivy League. It took the most drastic approach by canceling all fall sports. Some fans wonder now if it will move football to Spring. League executive director, Robin Harris, has not made any comments on the topic.

Moving football to the Spring is something that the SEC and other conferences are actively avoiding. For the SEC, moving football to the Spring is not even one of their top options.

ESPN College Football reporter Heather Dinich said that the option of moving football to Spring cannot be counted out.

(Courtesy of: ABC Newscall)

About Camila Maffuz

Camila is a senior at the University of Florida, who served as a beat writer for the women's basketball team from 2019 until the 2021 season. She was also a beat writer for the Gators football team during the 2020 season. Camila is also WUFT's news director as well as a sports reporter/anchor.

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