🏀 KuBuckets Archive

I'm just making this as a catch all for college football news even if it doesn't directly involve KU.

In the last 24 hours, UConn became the first FBS program to cancel their 2020 season. Because of UConn's transition to back to the Big East, 2019 was their last season in the AAC as a football member so they were going to be an independent this season. Not being in a conference or having a TV deal like Notre Dame or BYU means they were going to take a big financial hit this season regardless so this saves the school quite a bit of money.

The Big 10 has announced their 10 game schedule for this upcoming season that will begin Labor Day weekend. The most notable thing about their schedules this season is that Ohio State-Michigan is not the final game for either team. Instead, they will play on October 24.

This last piece is potentially relevant to KU because it gives KU some more scheduling flexibility. The Sun Belt has announced that they intend to play an 8 game conference schedule with up to 4 non conference games. This is relevant to KU because one of KU's originally scheduled games this season was a road game at Coastal Carolina. The Sun Belt's decision now means that game could still potentially happen if KU's game against SIU doesn't happen since the MVFC has yet to officially announce anything about their football plans for 2020. Should the MVFC opt out of playing in 2020, Coastal Carolina remains a viable option for the Jayhawks. In order for that game to happen to potentially happen though, it would have to be moved to Lawrence because the Big 12 announced all non-conference games must be a home game for the Big 12 team. This may not be a big issue for KU and CCU as this is a 3 game series with 2 in Lawrence and 1 in SC. KU and CCU could probably switch home dates of the remaining two games in the series of needed. We'll see what happens with the MVFC though and if KU needs to look towards CCU as their +1 this season.

I've also seen the AAC is supposed to announce their plans for football in 2020 sometime today as well so we'll see what happens there. As of now, the popular opinion is the AAC will copy the Sun Belt with an 8 game conference schedule and up to 4 non-conference games. As I was in the middle of typing this, the AAC officially announced they will have an 8+4 schedule same as the Sun Belt.

The Mountain West is also expected to announce their plans for 2020 sometime in the near future. Their expected plan is an 8+2 model to accommodate Air Force's rivalry games against Army and Navy.

BYU is going to be an interesting case this year as well. As of now, they have 5 games with the potential to lose their game against FCS opponent North Alabama pending the Big South's football plans for 2020. With needing to fill out anywhere from 5 to 8 more games, I would expect BYU to pop up some more MWC, AAC, and even Big 12 schedules as long as there is flexibility in when a non conference game happens.

The MAC and C-USA haven't announced anything and I haven't seen much about either league and their rumored plans for 2020.

That leaves Army, Liberty, New Mexico St., and UMass.

Army so far has lost 4 of it's 12 games as they were scheduled to play a pair of FCS teams that have cancelled, UConn who cancelled today, and OU who was scheduled to play at West Point this year. As said above about a potential KU-CCU game, the Big 12 is not allowing non-conference road games this season. I would expect Army to look towards the MAC, AAC, and C-USA primarily to round out their schedule this season.

Liberty as of now, is still attempting to out together a 12 game season. They've officially lost 2 games and have 3 more against ACC teams in limbo the school is trying to solidify. If Liberty can end up keeping those 3 ACC games, I could see them trying to play a full schedule this year with a combination of mostly AAC, C-USA, and Sun Belt schools. Liberty does have two other games in jeopardy as they still have another FCS opponent and UMass on the schedule.

NMSU has officially lost 3 games to this point. They're a school that could manage to cobble something together based on their proximity to Big 12, Mountain West, and C-USA schools.

Last of the independents is UMass. UMass has currently lost 3 games and has 3 others against the other independent schools. If they get a full schedule, regional G5 schools will probably be the way.

There was talk a few weeks back of the independents playing a round robin or possibly double round robin schedule if the P5's went conference only. With the ACC and Big 12 being the only P5's doing a +1 model this year, there's only 25 available P5 non-conference games this season. Out of those 25 available games, the schools that will most likely have have a need are FSU, UNC, OU, WVU, TCU, Tech, KU. The schools without an asterisk all currently have an FCS school scheduled, but I'm still pretty skeptical of there being an FCS season so those schools are probably making back up plans, or at least should be. TCU and Tech both have in state opponents as a road non-conference game so we'll see if the B12 switches course and goes the ACC route with the +1 and allows in state road games.

@Texas-Hawk-10 thank you for the update

The ACC has released their schedule for 2020. The only two teams still looking for a non-conference game are Clemson and North Carolina. We should have all answers about teams final schedules in a little over two weeks as the NCAA set an August 21 deadline for different levels to decide if they will have an NCAA championship this fall. If more than half of the school's at a specific level have less than half their schools playing this season, then there will be no NCAA championship for this year.

For example, if less than 50% of FCS level schools don't compete this season, then there would be no FCS football championship this season.

The FBS picture is complete in regards to who is playing football this year and how many games each conference is attempting to play.

The Mountain West on Wednesday announced they will go with an 8+2 schedule. Mountain West member Colorado St. has suspended all football operations stemming from reports of lying about Covid-19 results, and accusations of racism and abuse within the program. I would not be surprised if CSU suspended football for the 2020 season as a result of these allegations.

C-USA on Friday announced they will attempt to play an 8+4 schedule like the AAC and Sun Belt.

The biggest new from the Group of 5 conferences is from the MAC. This morning, the MAC announced they are cancelling all fall sports and will attempt to hold their 2020-21 football season in the spring.

I'm not going to go over how the MAC's decision affects the other G5 schools because that would be a long list and none of the conferences have announced schedules yet.

The ACC has announced their schedules already and there are several teams affected by the MAC's decision. Boston College, Notre Dame, and Pitt all had a MAC school as their non-conference so they will need to find new opponents for their +1 game.

In the Big 12, KSU is losing their presumed +1 game against Buffalo and Iowa St. is losing their presumed +1 game against Ball St.

At the FCS level, there was a lot of announcements yesterday that will likely push all FCS conferences into a spring season as the Big Sky, Missouri Valley, Pioneer joined the Ivy, Patriot, Colonial, NEC, SWAC, and MEAC conferences that had already postponed football until the spring. That current leaves the Big South, Ohio Valley, Southern, and Southland conferences that are still planning on playing this fall. Without an opportunity to play for a national title this fall, I would expect those four conferences to follow the other 10 FCS conferences in postponing fall football and attempt to play this spring.

The Missouri Valley did say that their change only affects conference games so in theory Mo. St. and SIU could still play their scheduled non-conference games which include games against OU and KU respectively, but I can't see that making much sense logistically.

KU still has a decent option to fill their non-conference slot by swapping home dates with Coastal Carolina should SIU opt out of the KU game, but we'll see what happens there.

TL:DR version: MWC 8+2, Colorado St. suspending football due to various allegations related to Covid and racism, C-USA 8+4, MAC postponed until spring. A few of ACC and Big 12 teams need new +1 game because of MAC.

FCS will not have fall championship because more than 50% of teams/conferences have postponed until spring. KU and OU potentially need new +1 game with MVFC decision.

Looks like P5 Presidents are just waiting to pull the plug. 🐦 View Tweet?s=21

@FarmerJayhawk said in 2020 CFB Updates:

Looks like P5 Presidents are just waiting to pull the plug. 🐦 View Tweet?s=21

Just heard that the Big 10 by the end of the day - - if not in the next couple of hours will Cancel their fall football - I think till Spring

Pat Forde reported - - Nation wide Conference meetings this week with like result of Canceling football and all fall sports

I've been saying postponing to the spring will happen before outright cancellation.

Gonna make for a crappy fall, if people would get in and say in there own separate bubble the risk would be at minimum.

I think we are all smart enough to know that this is just the beginning. - - Watch when all said and done , NO basketball either, you think crappy fall - - lets slop through the winter months too. - This COVID SUCKS. - - SOOOO what's everyones plans with no college sports this fall and winter - -it's insane

@jayballer67 I’m still pissed they canceled March Madness for a fraction of the current cases. Heck they want my kids back at school even tho we only had 2 cases in my county when it changed to online. Now I think there is 20 or so..

@kjayhawks said in 2020 CFB Updates:

@jayballer67 I’m still pissed they canceled March Madness for a fraction of the current cases. Heck they want my kids back at school even tho we only had 2 cases in my county when it changed to online. Now I think there is 20 or so..

ya this crap is getting old . - -Read where there are a lot of Athletes banning together an saying they want to play, saying in a way in the end they want to form a College players Association - -not sure that's gonna happen - -Also heard they now think there will be a THIRD WAVE of the COVID-19

Dan Patrick is reporting that the Big 10 and PAC 12 will formally announce the cancellation of their football seasons in 2020. I can't find anything on if they plan to play in the spring, but I know Big 10 Commissioner Jim Delaney has talked a lot about a spring season in recent weeks so I would guess that's the direction he's going to go. Supposedly the Big 10 vote was 12-2 in favor of cancellation with Iowa and Nebraska being to two schools opposed to cancellation.

Patrick also said the Big 12 and ACC are each on the fence at this time and that the SEC is still pushing forward to try and have a season and has even discussed adding programs for the year if other conferences cancel with Oklahoma and Texas specifically name dropped.

Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby also indicated that the finalized Big 12 football schedule should be released sometime this week assuming the season isn't cancelled/postponed by that time.

Listening to the Local sports program out of Topeka and he brings up a good point about the so called logic of Canceling football this Season.

He says OK - - -So if your saying you can't trust putting 100 kids from one team against another 100 kids with THIS virus so your going to cancel the Season. So if your going to Cancel the Season because the chance of the close contact of these players, then there is NO WAY you can justify having on campus classes - there is no way Students should be allowed to come back to School.

They said your canceling because of the closeness of thes e100 players BUT yet you want kids to come back to campus. - -They said what you have like 25,000 kids enrolled at KU ? - -yet you want them to come back - -BUT not 90-100 kids on a football roster allowed to play football ?

He said true not all students are in class for their studies but even if you say 50 % that's still 12,500 kids - -and look at all those kids crowding Anderson Hall etc.. Like he said there is no way you are going to get these kids to follow instruction and wear masks all the time they are on Campus - -brings up valid point.

So your wanting to Cancel the Football Season because of the players in close contact ? - How is there anyway in hell you can look someone in the eye and justify having 25,00 kids on Campus but yet Cancel a football Season because of the Players - - this isn't over QUITE YET. -- -ROCK CHALK ALL DAY LONG BABY

I just don't see how these Athletic Dept's can take a year of no College football - - Huge money maker a lot of these Schools can not absorb the financial loss of no Season.

Scott Frost has said that they will lose between 80-120 Million if no ball. - -How many Schools can take that kind of hit ? - - They said Football is the big revenue maker generates right around 100 Million a year - -

There has just got to be some way they can get this done - -even if it is SPRING they have got to find some way for a football Season

Like they are saying on this Sports program we have had 4 months to get this figured out - - FOUR MONTHS and got nothing done , Guess the Cancellation of the College NCAA wasn't enough of a wake up call they say - -got to say I agree - these Presidents of the Schools , the AD's get your S- - - together , what the hell ya doing ?

@jayballer67 When conferences say cancel football in 2020, they're not referring to the entire 2020-21 academic year, just the fall 2020 semester. Barry Alvarez did an interview either last week or a couple of weeks ago talking about the financial impact would be on Wisconsin. He said Wisconsin has a budget of about $140 million this year for the entire athletic department. Cancelling football outright was going to cost the school well over $100 million in lost revenue. Playing a 10 game season in empty stadiums was going to cost the school about $70 million.

This is why the MAC, and FCS level schools have already said that their goal is to try and play a full football season this spring so they can attempt to recoup as much money as possible and avoid dipping into their athletic department reserve funds as much as possible.

This is why I've said all along that TV contracts are too valuable to these schools to outright cancel football this academic year without at least attempting to put together a spring season. The issue raised with a spring season is that in order to have all games completed in a timely manner, games would have start in early to mid February to get a full season in. That's just to give teams a couple of bye weeks during a 12 game season. Weather then becomes a huge factor as well because there's a lot more that goes into travel with football than for basketball and other winter sports.

Because of the amount of money involved, schools will exhaust every option possible on order to have football sometime during the 2020-21 academic year in order to lose a little money as possible.

MWC moving to spring (they hope).

Another thing to think on is people can get this anywhere. People already are just by going to stores and working. It seems inevitable that most of us will get this thing. If these teams practice and stay in bubbles, it could very well be safer than what they would be doing otherwise.

Welp Big 10 cancelled their Season - - - and here we go

I’d be shocked if most conferences don’t follow suit. The SEC is about only claiming they don’t real care about anyone else and are rolling.

@kjayhawks said in 2020 CFB Updates:

I’d be shocked if most conferences don’t follow suit. The SEC is about only claiming they don’t real care about anyone else and are rolling.

If any conference sticks with it, it's gonna be the SEC lol.

Just heard and I didn't catch who it was but a couple of SEC officials tweeted out and I find this interesting - -but they tweeted we ( SEC ) says we need to stay committed/strong. - - - hmmm

Hmmmm who would of thunk it ? - - Sounds like these Conferences hoping the Big 12 stands firm and continues to want to play. Klieman from K-State says their President from KSU is still in favor of the Big 12 playing this Season.

This thing is going to be very interesting. - - Nebraska Still wanting to play ,

ACC and SEC are going full steam ahead. Big 12 is the lynchpin.

furiously starts refreshing the transfer portal

@FarmerJayhawk said in 2020 CFB Updates:

furiously starts refreshing the transfer portal

I think any transfers right now would be immediately eligible right? - -If I heard right

@jayballer67 said in 2020 CFB Updates:

@FarmerJayhawk said in 2020 CFB Updates:

furiously starts refreshing the transfer portal

I think any transfers right now would be immediately eligible right? - -If I heard right

That's the NCAA's call, so ¯_(ツ)_/¯

PAC 12 just canceled basketball and all sports for the rest of the calendar year. Uh oh

there will not be any games -- -watch

UMass can also be added to the list of cancellations as they have postponed football until the fall. C-USA member Old Dominion has also cancelled football this fall.

We're now up to 4 of 10 conferences that have cancelled. C-USA AD's of course have voted their support and intentions to play football this fall, but it's ultimately up to university presidents to make the call as they have final say in all leagues.

Sun Belt sounds like they're going to do whatever the SEC does.

AAC AD's also voiced their intentions to play this fall.

Big 10 and former Big 12 member Nebraska still wants to play football and is exploring options to play including playing in another conference this fall, Big 12 being the most likely since they are a former member.

Kc schools have cancelled all fall sports.

Big 12 is FULL SPEED AHEAD 🎉🎉

Wear your masks and social distance! Let's all do our part!

@FarmerJayhawk you feel safe at school?

@Crimsonorblue22 said in 2020 CFB Updates:

@FarmerJayhawk you feel safe at school?

Yes. But only because I pulled the plug on my in person sections 😂. But honestly, UNC is doing pretty ok. They gave everyone a couple masks, a thermometer, and other PPE. Classrooms are at about 20% capacity at most. Buses are at less than 25%.

@FarmerJayhawk said in 2020 CFB Updates:

Big 12 is FULL SPEED AHEAD 🎉🎉

Is Nebraska gonna return home for a year?

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in 2020 CFB Updates:

@FarmerJayhawk said in 2020 CFB Updates:

Big 12 is FULL SPEED AHEAD 🎉🎉

Is Nebraska gonna return home for a year?

The BIG said if they leave for a year it’s permanent. I’m not sure how that would all work but they’re not happy. I think it makes a ton of sense to play 10+1 with everyone’s +1 being Nubs, but we’ll see. I think there’s actually a chance we could beat them. They lost their best 2 offensive players over the offseason and defense has never been good under Frost.

BYU interested too

The Big 12 released their conference schedule this morning. Games will begin on Sept. 26 and conclude on Dec. 5. I did not see any non-conference games on any schedules yet. @FarmerJayhawk any word on what KU is looking to do to fill their +1 game? Are they trying to swap home dates with Coastal Carolina or are they looking at a different opponent?

FCS level conference Big South has postponed until spring which leaves the FCS at 3 conferences that have yet to cancel/postpone (Ohio Valley, Southern, and Southland conferences).

@Texas-Hawk-10 said in 2020 CFB Updates:

The Big 12 released their conference schedule this morning. Games will begin on Sept. 26 and conclude on Dec. 5. I did not see any non-conference games on any schedules yet. @FarmerJayhawk any word on what KU is looking to do to fill their +1 game? Are they trying to swap home dates with Coastal Carolina or are they looking at a different opponent?

I believe SIU is still the plan, just the date is in flux. It doesn’t make sense, to me at least, to play week 0 and not again until 9/26.

Looks like SIU is off. We’ve got a deal with a mystery team to play 9/12.

I would bet the September 12th game is Coastal Carolina.

@kjayhawks said in 2020 CFB Updates:

I would bet the September 12th game is Coastal Carolina.

Concur

Whether it's the fancy dogs of Southern Illinois or the mean chickens of Coastal Carolina, I just hope KU plays football this fall. Test all the athletes in the days leading up to the game and on game day. The risk of exposure during the outdoor games seems less than going into a restaurant or store where only half of the visitors are wearing masks and none have been tested. For the college athletes who want to play, as long as reasonable precautions are taken, I don't see how the risk of contracting the virus during practices and games is higher than what everyone is choosing to do every day. I certainly encourage athletes and their parents to make the best choices on an individual basis about whether to play or not. I won't criticize any athlete for making their own choice. Athletes and their families are already making the far more difficult choice of whether to even play football, given the risk of brain injury.

Southern and Southland conferences each announced today they will not play conference games this fall which leaves the OVC as the only FCS conference that has not pushed football back to the spring. I'm guessing that announcement will happen in the coming days at this point.

KU has officially announced they have swapped home dates with Coastal Carolina and now CCU will come to Lawrence on Sept. 12 and KU will make the trek to South Carolina in 2021 for now.

Official update from KJ: Kansas has a better shot of winning the CFP than both Michigan and Ohio State.

Ohio Valley has become the final FCS conference to postpone conference play until the spring. Like several other FCS leagues, the OVC is leaving the door open for their teams to play 4 non-conference games this fall.

This means that all 14 FCS conferences have now postponed their conference games until the fall. Because most FCS leagues are allowing non-conference games, we'll likely see a few FCS teams get non-conference games against Group of 5 conference teams.

@Texas-Hawk-10 How much more money will the teams that do play this fall make from television broadcasts? I don't know if this is all good, but KU's games will be on all the prime stations playing in all the sports bars and homes in America. I assume most Big 10, PAC 12, etc. fans will still watch the games that are being broadcast. That's going to be a lot of viewers who otherwise would have been watching only their conference's games now watching SEC and Big 12 games because that's all that's on.

@stoptheflop TV revenue may drop this season because teams are playing fewer games year so I wouldn't be surprised if conferences get a pro-rated amount of TV money this season.

@stoptheflop said in 2020 CFB Updates:

@Texas-Hawk-10 How much more money will the teams that do play this fall make from television broadcasts? I don't know if this is all good, but KU's games will be on all the prime stations playing in all the sports bars and homes in America. I assume most Big 10, PAC 12, etc. fans will still watch the games that are being broadcast. That's going to be a lot of viewers who otherwise would have been watching only their conference's games now watching SEC and Big 12 games because that's all that's on.

When you ask how much money the conferences/schools make this year, are you looking for the amount they have immediately after the season concludes or are you looking for how much they made after deducting the health care and legal costs deducted from profits over the next few years. I suspect conferences will be paying for this decision for quite some time.

@bskeet My comment was limited to my very narrow consideration of all the sports broadcast time devoted to fall college football and the vastly fewer number of teams/games that will be available to be shown. When KU plays its 10 games (glass half full), the many sports stations that will still broadcast college football will have to show us all across the country, instead of regionally. Instead of Korean baseball and corn hole tournaments, I hope those many TV hours will show winning KU football. I wasn't trying to predict the additonal costs associated with virus protection. Really, I was just imagining that with many fewer college football games being played and the nation's vast appetite for college football, KU games should be broadcast many more hours across the entire country. Big 12 games should be shown on all the prime networks every Saturday afternoon and night.

@stoptheflop There's not going to be any change as to what time and what channel KU plays on this year. The only game in the air is probably the Coastal game and that's going to largely depend on how many other games are happening that day and if any of them are any good. ESPN and Fox still have the right to Big 12 games so they will still use the same process as normal to decide which games are broadcast on which channel.

KU/Coastal isn't an attractive game so expect it on ESPN+ at 6pm or FSN at 11am and not in a prime TV spot. The B12/ACC have 15 total games scheduled for 9/12 and that number will probably go up when Baylor gets their non-conference game scheduled and if there are still any ACC teams that need a non-conference game, so don't expect KU/Coastal to be a very attractive game. KU will get their one contractually obligated prime time game probably against OU or Texas since those are schools that will still pull ratings regardless of opponents.

I will say this, 0-10 is a very likely possibility with a lot of uncompetitive games. The defense is going to struggle this year and without a QB, teams are going to stack up to stop the running game so it's going to be a long season on offense as well.

@Texas-Hawk-10 I agree about the 0-10 part. Coastal Carolina returns just about everyone from last season, Stanley gave them that game. Which was on of the worst he had all year. Hard to see us hanging with anyone but Tech and WV but those both are road games this season.

@kjayhawks I've read some people think Baylor could struggle a lot this year too. New coach, lost most of their defense, and obviously no spring practice with KU playing them early could be a recipe for an upset. I don't think it'll happen, but the ingredients on Baylor's end are there to be upset.

I'm going with 2-8. I think we beat Coastal. They brought a lot back, but we almost won that game with maybe the worst offensive playcalling I've seen in quite awhile. The noticeable uptick in performance under Dearmon was encouraging. Then I think we get a Big 12 game. I don't know which one, but given we hung with teams we really shouldn't have at points last year tells me we could spring an upset on the bottom half of the league, WVU, Tech, ISU, or Baylor. KSU if things go perfect. They only return 2 career starts on the OL and just a shade over half of their tackling production from last year.

@FarmerJayhawk the play calling was some of the worst I’ve seen at this level.

No fans for Coastal. Woooof.

Probably trying to keep Covid numbers down and kids in Lawrence. Save sports! Money!

After seeing how the COVID is spiking here in Kansas this surprises no one. - & with the Frat & Sor having such issues - -it just gonna go up or at least still cause more problems at Ku & K-State and other Universitites, I'm sure other Schools are having the same problem in their schools also

Espn 2 again?

I'm looking forward to what Coach Miles can put on the field against CC. I enjoyed watching highschool football on the teli last Friday, so I'll find a way to endure no fans in the stands against Coastal. But, we had better win.

Sounds like even when they do allow fans, it's only going to be students and season ticket holders based on Jeff Long's official statement this afternoon.

I'm kinda surprised this isn't going to be a big 12 rule. Something consistent.

@Crimsonorblue22 A blanket policy doesn't make sense in this situation though because not every school is located in the same type of area. Schools like OSU and ISU are probably more likely to get some fans into their stadiums sooner because they're in small towns that are already pretty isolated. Compare that to Texas, TCU, and OU that are all located in major metropolitan areas and their local Covid situations are going to look far different than schools on the middle of nowhere essentially.

Long said in his explanation about no fans for September that it's up to each county to decide when it's relatively safe for fans to return to games and at whatever capacity.

@Texas-Hawk-10 https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/01/politics/iowa-task-force-report-coronavirus/index.html ↗
This is what I worry more about. The more our opponents mix with students, anywhere, the bigger chance it stops our season. I think Long is trying to teach, although I think it's impossible, our students to be responsible.