How the SEC’s scheduling choice impacts the ACC, Massive 12, Faculty Soccer Playoff and extra

4 Energy 5 conferences have introduced their most well-liked scheduling fashions, because the SEC joined the Massive Ten and Pac-12 in going with conference-only video games. The SEC is now planning on taking part in a 10-game season beginning on Sept. 26. The Massive 12 is predicted to resolve subsequent week. What do all these choices imply for the school soccer season? Listed below are essentially the most urgent questions answered.

What does this imply for ACC-SEC rivalry video games?

The SEC’s choice to play solely convention video games caught the ACC abruptly, a day after that league introduced it could play 10 league foes plus one nonconference opponent.

Syracuse athletic director John Wildhack, on the ACC subcommittee that checked out scheduling fashions, mentioned the league determined to play one nonconference recreation as a nod to the 4 ACC groups with SEC rivals. “These video games are essential to Clemson and Florida State and Louisville and Georgia Tech,” he mentioned. “I believe in an surroundings like this the place it might not frankly be immediately useful to Syracuse, but when you are able to do issues as a collective physique and group that may profit faculties the place it’s important, I am inclined to attempt to be a superb companion and assist that.”

Wildhack added that the ACC wouldn’t change its format as a result of the SEC opted to go convention solely.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey mentioned the shift to late September will permit faculties to reintegrate their complete scholar our bodies on campus amid the brand new challenges introduced by the pandemic.

“This new plan for a soccer schedule is according to the tutorial objectives of our universities to permit for the secure and orderly return to campus of their scholar populations and to offer a wholesome studying surroundings throughout these distinctive circumstances introduced by the COVID-19 virus,” Sankey mentioned in an announcement. “This new schedule helps the protection measures which are being taken by every of our establishments to make sure the well being of our campus communities.”

The 4 ACC-SEC matchups are in-state rivalries that imply so much to followers of these faculties and decide in-state bragging rights for the subsequent 365 days.

“Clemson aggressively lobbied the ACC to incorporate a further non-conference recreation for the first objective of sustaining our long-standing rivalry recreation with South Carolina,” Clemson AD Dan Radakovich mentioned in an announcement. “We’re disillusioned to listen to of the scheduling choice introduced by the SEC, as we all know the significance of The Palmetto Bowl to the State of South Carolina. We are going to work to fill the opening on our schedule instantly.”

“It is unlucky that we are going to not be taking part in Clemson this season however that wasn’t our alternative, it was a league choice,” South Carolina coach Will Muschamp mentioned. “That is a recreation that’s essential to our program, our establishment and our state and one which President [Robert] Caslen and Coach [Ray] Tanner pushed laborious to make occur. I look ahead to renewing the rivalry in 2021.”

Clemson and South Carolina have performed yearly since 1909, making it the second-longest steady rivalry within the FBS, behind solely Minnesota-Wisconsin, which began taking part in one another two years earlier. Georgia and Georgia Tech, which have performed 114 occasions, have met in every season since 1925. Florida and Florida State began taking part in one another in 1958, and Louisville and Kentucky have performed 32 occasions as a result of the collection wasn’t performed for 70 years between 1924 and 1994.

How will the SEC increase its schedule from eight convention video games to 10?

One of the vital mentioned proposals in find out how to go about including the 2 convention video games this season can be to make use of the rotating cross-divisional opponents for the 2021 and 2022 seasons and easily add these two foes to the present 2020 eight-game convention slates for every faculty.

Every SEC faculty usually performs eight league video games, which incorporates six video games towards all divisional opponents, one recreation towards a everlasting cross-divisional opponent and one recreation towards a rotating cross-divisional opponent. Below this proposal, Alabama, for instance, would add Florida and Vanderbilt from the SEC’s Jap Division this season, and Georgia, for instance, would add Arkansas and Mississippi State from the SEC’s Western Division.

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Of notice, this proposal would additionally imply Alabama would face each Florida and Georgia in the course of the common season in 2020. Florida would face Alabama, Georgia and LSU.

One other proposal that has robust assist is for the league to plan a rating system utilizing power of schedule and add the 2 further league video games primarily based on that system.

The league athletic administrators would nonetheless need to approve any scheduling format.

“I am certain it will be truthful and equitable,” Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin mentioned. “I am assured we’ll be capable to provide you with one thing everyone feels good about.”

What does this imply for the Faculty Soccer Playoff?

The Faculty Soccer Playoff is evaluating a brand new timetable for its choice committee conferences, and it’ll rethink its protocols for the 2020 season, CFP govt director Invoice Hancock advised ESPN on Thursday.

“Since there will not be as many nonconference video games as regular, sure instruments utilized by the committee, resembling head-to-head outcomes and outcomes towards widespread opponents, can have limitations this 12 months,” Hancock mentioned. “Evaluating power of schedule may also be completely different.

“I do not see the potential distinction within the variety of video games groups play as a major issue,” he added. “Truth is, the committee has dealt efficiently with that just about each season.”

No matter what the season seems like, Hancock says he thinks his committee will probably be prepared.

“The elemental mission has not modified — that’s, rank the perfect 4 groups primarily based on the schedules that the conferences play. And that’s the reason the committee includes these 13 soccer consultants.”

What does the Massive 12 do now?

For now, the Massive 12 continues to hope for a 12-game schedule, however the faculty presidents will have a look at alternate options throughout their Monday assembly. One convention supply advised ESPN a nine-plus-one mannequin (9 convention video games, one nonconference) has gained vital assist from the athletic administrators.

Massive 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby advised ESPN his athletic administrators will current about 4 or 5 completely different scheduling fashions for the convention presidents to contemplate.

“We will arm them with all the data they should decide if that’s their want,” Bowlsby mentioned.

So when does the season truly begin?

As of now, there will probably be no uniform begin date to the school soccer season. There are 5 video games at the moment scheduled for “Week 0” on Aug. 29, together with Missouri State at Oklahoma. The ACC will start the weekend of Sept. 12, whereas the SEC will begin Sept. 26. The Pac-12 is predicted to announce its begin date and schedule on Friday. Sources advised ESPN.com that the Pac-12 will go along with a 10-game convention schedule set to start Sept. 19. In fact, this all stays tentative.

Which marquee video games does this get rid of from the schedule?

One of many SEC’s most-anticipated nonconference video games, Alabama vs. USC within the AdvoCare Traditional at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, was canceled when the Pac-12 opted to play solely convention video games. The Tide have been in search of a possible substitute, however it grew to become a moot level with the SEC’s vote.

Along with the normal rivalry video games, two different ACC-SEC video games — Georgia vs. Virginia and Auburn vs. North Carolina at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta — are gone.

Different intriguing video games that will not be performed: Texas at LSU, Arkansas at Notre Dame, Tennessee at Oklahoma, Missouri at BYU, Vanderbilt at Kansas State and Mississippi State at NC State.

These be a part of an inventory that already included Oregon-Ohio State, Oregon-North Dakota State, USC-Notre Dame, Michigan-Washington and plenty of extra.

What does Nick Saban take into consideration all this?

Glad you requested. Alabama launched an announcement from the top coach that mentioned, partly, “We’re happy to have a plan in place for the Southeastern Convention this season. We imagine it’s the most suitable choice to maintain gamers and workers secure and nonetheless keep the integrity of the season. The security of our group will probably be our highest precedence all through the season, however we’re additionally excited that our gamers can have the chance to compete and play this season.”

What’s subsequent for the SEC and the remainder of the Energy 5?

Reasonably than setting a date to take a look at whether or not the season must be pushed again, commissioners, directors and medical advisory teams will proceed to watch coronavirus outbreaks and tendencies throughout areas as a place to begin in figuring out whether or not it’s secure to play. There is no such thing as a query August will probably be essential for a number of causes.

First, groups will start bodily contact apply subsequent week — a key indicator on whether or not it will likely be secure to play. Second, the coed physique at most campuses will probably be returning to campus as nicely, and directors nonetheless do not know whether or not this may affect an infection charges throughout their athletics groups. Athletic administrators and coaches stay adamant they’re stressing training about masks sporting, hand washing, social distancing and staying away from massive gatherings to their gamers every day. It’s unimaginable to maintain gamers in a bubble, however attempting to emphasize the significance of following all security protocols is a method they will attempt to restrict infections. There have been outbreaks inside athletics departments throughout the nation, however there’s additionally hope these can be utilized as teachable moments. As a result of if there are infections and unfold in the course of the season, video games will probably be put into jeopardy.

What does this imply for the Group of 5?

The Group of 5 has been ready for the Energy 5 conferences to announce their plans, so now these conferences need to resolve whether or not they need to go conference-only too, or scramble to fill holes left within the overwhelming majority of their schedules with different Group of 5 or FCS groups.

UCF, for instance, had one recreation canceled outright (Florida A&M) and will be unable to play each North Carolina (house) and Georgia Tech (away). Because the SEC is not going to play nonconference video games, this opens the door for UCF to maintain the Georgia Tech recreation however that call will probably be within the fingers of the Yellow Jackets.

There are many different scheduling losses for Group of 5 faculties that in a typical 12 months want Energy 5 video games. Boise State will not play Florida State. Memphis will not play at Purdue; Cincinnati loses Nebraska. Houston loses Washington State. Navy’s recreation towards Notre Dame is up within the air. It is secure to say that any slim hopes for busting into the Faculty Soccer Playoff can be nonexistent with out Energy 5 video games on the schedule for 2020. However the highest-ranked Group of 5 group is assured a New 12 months’s Six recreation it doesn’t matter what, so finally general document and convention power can be the figuring out issue within the rankings.

ESPN senior writers Heather Dinich, Chris Low and Mark Schlabach contributed to this report.

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