With the news, the SEC will play a 10-game college football schedule just for the conference this time, conference athletic directors reacted to the news.
The plan eliminates all opponents without a conference, and the schedule is scheduled to start on September 26. The SEC championship game, originally scheduled for December 5, will be delayed to December 19.
Greg Byrne from Alabama
“We continue to be optimistic about having a fall season, and today’s decision to move to a 10-game, conference-only schedule provides us with the opportunity to compete and advance our program in the safest manner possible. Health and the well-being of our student athletes, coaches, staff and fans have always been at the forefront of our decision-making, and we are grateful to now have plans in place to move us forward. We appreciate the hard work of Commissioner Sankey and the SEC staff, as well as everyone involved on our 14 campuses to make these collective decisions together. ”
Allen Greene of Auburn
“The health and safety of our student athletes, staff, and fans remains our top priority.
“In that spirit, we deeply appreciate the leadership of Commissioner Sankey and the tireless efforts of conference staff during the ongoing discussion related to the fall competition.
“The decision by presidents and chancellors to implement a 10-game, conference-only schedule for the 2020 soccer season is prudent and the Tigers are totally supportive.
“While the format of the soccer calendar is confirmed, there are many other elements related to soccer and other fall sports that warrant strong discussion, and the leaders of the Southeast Conference are committed to working on these discussions in a meaningful way. thoughtful. ”
Phil Fulmer from Tennessee
“A lot of thought and discussion was done to make what we believe to be a responsible decision on the programming format, and it is exciting to move towards competition.
“Our student athletes and coaches are working hard to prepare while prioritizing health and safety. There are still several logistical unknowns, but we appreciate Vol Nation being patient and staying with us as we continue to work in these unique circumstances.
“Our next important benchmark is a decision on capacity at Neyland Stadium. We plan to coordinate match day attendance with state and local officials, understanding that possible limitations could change from week to week once the season begins. This underscores the importance of the public practicing healthy habits across the state. We have been working through plans for different capacity scenarios and ticketing strategies and our goal is to communicate details once the details are finalized.
“The talks continue at the NCAA level and the conference on fall plans for Olympic sports.
Scott Strickland from Florida
“The safety of our student athletes, staff, and fans will continue to be a top priority as we navigate the return to college athletic competition. “We will continue to lean on the board of the SEC Medical Task Force, UF Health, CDC, Campus and state health officials as we develop stadium safety protocols and capacity guidelines.
“Once we have an idea of what our attendance capacity might be, we will publish our ticket and seating plan and communicate it to our ticket holders for the 2020 season,” added Stricklin. “That plan will include multiple flexible options for 2020 and whatever option they choose, their season tickets will be available for renewal in the 2021 season.”
John Cohen of the State of Mississippi
“The health and safety of our student athletes, coaches, and staff remain the top priority of the SEC and the state of Mississippi. While we are disappointed that we will not be able to participate in a traditional off-conference schedule for our fall sports, we fully support the SEC’s decision and plan today, which is an important step in providing our student athletes with the opportunity to resume competition this fall. We appreciate the leadership of Commissioner Sankey, SEC member institutions, public health and safety officials, and many others during this process. We will provide additional details about our adjusted schedule as they become available. Although no fan attendance decisions have been made at this time, we will provide that information once those details are determined. We appreciate the maturity, flexibility, and perseverance of our student athletes, coaches, staff, and the entire MSU Family over the past five months and as we move forward. “
Keith Carter from Ole Miss
“We appreciate the leadership of Commissioner Sankey and our league’s chancellors, presidents, and fellow athletic directors for taking this first big step toward a 2020 soccer season for our institutions. Above all, we are grateful that our athlete soccer athletes have the opportunity to resume competition. We will continue to allow the health and safety of all involved to drive our decisions as we move forward in the process. Upcoming announcements will include details on the capacity limits set by state leaders and the assistance plan for season ticket holders, students and fans as we welcome the Ole Miss family to Baught-Hemingway this fall. ”
Ross Bjork of Texas A&M
“This is the right decision for the SEC, our athletic program, and, most importantly, the well-being of our student athletes. Given the changing nature of the current health challenge and the potential variables facing our university when thousands of students return to College Station, we believe that a start in late September for college football provides our students, student-athletes, staff, coaches, and the college community with the safest possible environment. A ‘SEC only’ timeline gives us clarity, hope and optimism as we get closer to the weeks and months to come.
“In the short term, we will post specific details of our Kyle Field capacity plan that follows Governor Abbott’s executive orders, and provide options for season ticket holders, students, and fans so they can experience Texas A&M football and SEC in 2020. We will also be working with the University of Arkansas and AT&T Stadium officials to officially move our game to Kyle Field as we are the designated home team for this season. “
The president of the UGA, Jere. W. Morehead
“At our meeting today it was clear that this delay would be beneficial to our student-athletes and would promote a safe and orderly return to campus for our student body in August. Having some separation between the earlier reopening of our campuses and the later start of the football season should be helpful. ”
Mitch Barnhart of Kentucky
“Our tight schedule puts us in the best possible position to play the 2020 soccer season. We are excited to focus as a soccer program and athletics department on preparing to start the season on September 26th.
“I support the decision to move to conference-only games, although we are disappointed that we don’t have a chance to compete for the Governor’s Cup. The series means a lot to this state and we look forward to working with Louisville to continue the series for years to come. ”
Mark Heim is a sports reporter for The Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @Mark_Heim.
