PROVO: Now, BYU’s 2020 soccer schedule has been reduced to six games and zero Power Five opponents.
The latest drop in the coronavirus pandemic schedule came Thursday, when the Southeast Conference announced a 10-game schedule, only for the 2020 conference, meaning the Cougars’ home game against Missouri on October 10. (as part of a series announced in 2014). ) the board has fallen.
In early July, a similar decision by Big Ten and Pac-12 to play conference-only schedules cost BYU five combined games on its 2020 soccer schedule.
While the Cougars will not play Missouri this season, there will also be no potential season opener against the SEC’s Alabama.
So BYU only has six remaining opponents on its 2020 calendar: Utah state (October 2), Houston (October 16), Northern Illinois (October 24), Boise state (November 6) , state of San Diego (November 14) and northern Alabama (November 21).
By now, BYU will not be playing against any Power Five opponents in 2020. That could change if the Cougars can schedule games with Big 12 and / or the Atlantic Coast Conference.
For decades, the Cougars have been flirting with the prospect of joining the Big 12. Could this be the time now, if only for a season?
The Big 12, which has only 10 members, plans to play a full 12-game schedule. The Big 12 have lost marquee games against the SEC, like Texas-Louisiana State and Oklahoma-Tennessee. The league announced that its virtual media day, scheduled for Monday, has been canceled.
Notre Dame, the most prominent freelance, who already had six ACC games on his 2020 schedule as part of his scheduling deal with the league, will play a full ACC schedule for this season.
The ACC also announced Wednesday that it will host an 11-game season, with 10 conference games and a non-league contest. According to the league, each enemy without a conference “must be played in the home state of the ACC institution, and all opponents without a conference must meet the medical requirements as agreed by the ACC.”
The SEC will play a 10-game schedule, for conferences only, and the season will begin on September 26. The championship game is scheduled for December 19.
So where does that leave the Cougars in terms of their 2020 calendar? There is a lot of speculation about BYU’s contingency plans.
As the Deseret News reported since last spring, BYU could schedule games against its independent peers: Liberty, UMass, New Mexico State, UConn, and Army.
Maybe Cougars can schedule games against ACC opponents? Or maybe the Cougars can negotiate a deal with the Mountain West Conference and / or the American Athletic Conference? Or schedule matches against FCS opponents?
Of course, there is a chance that, due to the pandemic, there will be no college football this fall. Could fall sports be pushed into spring?
A couple of weeks ago, AL.com first reported that Alabama and BYU could meet in Week 1. The two shows met only once, 1998, with Crimson Tide taking a 38-31 victory at Tuscaloosa.
But dreams of that high-profile showdown for the Cougars have faded.
“There have been many communications, many conversations with people,” said AD Tom Holmoe on BYUtv’s “BYU Sports Nation” program on July 20 when asked about a possible game against Alabama. “You have to look at it this way: It could take me a year, a year and a half, to put together a schedule, normally. And when those two conferences, the Big Ten and the Pac-12, announced that they would go only to conference games, the games opened. … Some (possible games) have been reported from your side. And I think (the reports and the rumors) will continue today and tomorrow and until this reaches the point where we are playing soccer. “
BYU saw five games disappear from its calendar earlier this month in a span of 24 hours: in Utah (September 3), the state of Michigan (September 12), the state of Arizona (September 19), in Minnesota (September 26) and at Stanford (November 28).
A calendar with other independents is a possibility, Holmoe acknowledged on July 20.
“Yes, that could happen, because being independent, if each conference were only conference, and did not leave a plus-one or more-two (scenario), then there would be no other games available, and we would solve some kind of agreement with others independent teams, or maybe other schools that for some reason may have a game available, ”Holmoe said.
Since becoming independent in 2011, BYU has played numerous Power Five shows: Ole Miss, Texas, Utah, Oregon State, Washington State, Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, Virginia, Wisconsin, Washington, California, Nebraska, UCLA, Michigan, Missouri , Arizona, State of Michigan, State of Mississippi, State of Louisiana, Tennessee and USC.
The ability to play against Power Five opponents is one of the reasons why BYU players sign with the Cougars. This latest hit on the schedule is tough for players like Matt Bushman and Khyiris Tonga, who returned for their seniors instead of declaring for the NFL draft.
Meanwhile, the NCAA granted BYU a waiver to start participating in sports activities related to coaches this week.
But will cougars be able to complete a schedule? Or will there be a college football season?
