The fate of Power-5 college football in 2020 remains a mixed bag, and the Big 12 is no exception
While the Big Ten has reportedly opted against having a 2020 college football season out of fear of the long-term effects of COVID-19, and the possible liability issues that could come with that for Universities and their Presidents, other Power-5 conferences aren’t so sure.
The ACC and Big 12 remains on the fence, and the SEC is determined to have some form of a conference slate. Such decisions from conference leadership opens up the possibility of individual programs joining other conferences, albeit for just one season, in hopes of keeping their players happy and adding some sort of revenue to the athletic department in 2020.
For now, hope remains for a 2020 Big 12 slate
Per Yahoo’s Pete Thamel, the Big 12 is divided on how to proceed, as they’re being pulled in both directions, even when one considers their proximity to both the Big Ten and SEC. Sitting squarely in the middle of those territories, surely the Big 12 can see both perspectives, which makes it understandable that they’d let the decisions of the Pac-12 and even ACC sway them further.
The Big 12 also runs the risk of losing further revenue and influence to the SEC, as several schools which lie in close proximity to the southeastern United States could very well opt to join a larger conference, if only for one season.
With players of influence, such as Oklahoma Sooners QB Spencer Rattler, tweeting out their intent on playing the 2020 season, the Big 12 is stuck between a rock and a hard place. While they want to keep their players safe and cover themselves from future suits due to possible long-term effects of COVID-19, every vote to opt out of a 2020 campaign is another step towards angering the very student-athletes who line their pockets with money.
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