Could There Really Be No College Football in 2020?
(AP Photo/Butch Dill)
“The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” That’s the way legendary journalist Jim McCay used to introduce ABC’s popular TV show, The Wide World of Sports. I was reminded of the phrase this week when the Sumner Olympics were postponed.
I’ve heard some friends say it’s almost agonizing to not have any sports to follow during the Coronavirus quarantine. No March Madness, no opening day of Major League Baseball, and no A-Day. Considering how horrible this pandemic is, the loss of spring sports should not be compared with agony. However, I have to admit, I am going through a bit of withdrawal with the cancellation of all sports.
Today, we should be watching the NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight with the Final Four coming up next week on April 4th and A-Day a week later on April 11th. And opening day for Major League Baseball was supposed to take place on Thursday March 26 but, the coronavirus intervened.
The situation is far more worrisome than just the cancellation of spring and summer sports. I’m not talking about the threat of the virus to our health and our economy. I’m referring to talk lately intimating the 2020 college football season may have to be shortened or not take place at all.
CBS’s Dennis Dodd wrote a lengthy article this week postulating the cancellation of the entire season. And ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreet told TMZ sports he doesn’t believe there will be a 2020 football season.
The ESPN analyst said that it will be difficult to have a season when a vaccine can not be ready for 12 to 18 months. “I don’t know how you let these guys go into locker rooms and let stadiums be filled up and how you can play ball,” Herbstreit said. “I’ll be so surprised if that happens.” This is one time I certainly hope Herbstreit’s analysis is incorrect.
Don’t get me wrong, I know that having sports return is not as important as getting this pandemic under control. I feel for all those who have lost income or gotten sick or lost love ones. I in no way seek to minimize the seriousness of the situation. However, at the same time I can’t imagine what it would be like to not have football this fall.
If that should happen, it will be devastating to the fans and even more so for the economy. But in the grand scheme of things, it would not compare to the anguish of lost jobs and loss of life. It’s uncharted territory to be sure. We’ve not come this way before.
We pray for the ones who have contracted this disease, for the health care workers who are fighting it, and for the leaders who have to make the decisions to deal with the catastrophe.
The pandemic has affected almost all of us in some way, including our coverage of Auburn Sports here at Track ‘Em Tigers. Since there are no athletic events or recruiting taking place, there’s not much we can bring our readers. So until the coronavirus is defeated, and all our lives return to some type of normalcy, stay safe and …
War Eagle!
Read Full Story →
Carolina May Rue the Day of Cam Newton’s Release
On Tuesday the Carolina Panthers released the winningest quarterback in the history of the franchise. Auburn’s 2010 national championship quarterback, Cam Newton, has been the face of the program since Carolina made him the No. 1 overall draft pick in 2011. Newton has had to deal with some health issues recently, but I’m not... Read Full Story
NCAA’s Decision to Cancel Championships Makes No Sense
This writer understands the need for caution when the CDC warns against large crowds. However, what I can’t understand is why couldn't the NCAA postpone the NCAA Tournament (and the other championships) till April or even May. If the threat is still there in a month or two, then a decision could be made at that time to cancel all championships.
Read Full StoryRegular Season Wrapup
Samir Doughty Was Deadly against the Vols War Eagle, everybody! Yesterday, Auburn wrapped up the basketball regular season with a resounding pummeling of the Tennessee Vols, 85-63, in Knoxville. The win came at a good time, breaking a 2-game losing streak, and giving the Tigers some momentum headed into the SEC Tourname... Read Full Story
Auburn Softball Looks for Answers after Struggling Mightily in Opening Weeks
The success of the Clint Myers era took Auburn softball from a mediocre SEC team to a national powerhouse almost overnight. The success led to Auburn becoming a nationally-recognized brand, earning invites to premier early season tournaments. Separated by mere days, Auburn played in Palm Springs, California and Clearwater, Flori... Read Full Story
Musings From The Plains—College Football Free Agency Edition
The NCAA inched a step closer to free agency this past week when the ACC joined the Big Ten Conference in support of allowing athletes to transfer to another school without losing a year of eligibility. Currently, football and basketball players must sit out a year before becoming eligible. The proposed change would do away with... Read Full Story
A Wild Week in Auburn Basketball!
Auburn Freshmen, Including Devan Cambridge, Really Stepped Up!(AP photo Julie Bennett) War Eagle, everybody! What a strange week in Auburn basketball. A week ago, a trip to the snow in Missouri, and a double digit loss, had us reeling with a huge headache. Then Auburn really stunk up the joint in Athens, Georgia at midwe... Read Full Story
Tigers On the Road at Missouri Today
Can the Tigers Win without Isaac Okoro? War Eagle, everybody! Today the Auburn Tigers leave the soggy south and head to Missouri Arena for a battle of Tigers. It has been a harrowing week of close Auburn wins, but it has not been without cost. The Tigers weathered a couple of hits at the forward positions, with Danjel Pu... Read Full Story
Auburn Baseball is Back – Tigers Win Opening Game in Front of Sellout Crowd
With chilly mornings and frost still on the ground, it’s hard to believe it's that time of year again. Yes, it’s time for America’s sport, at least on the college level. Baseball is back on the Plains. Auburn opened the 2020 season Saturday with a 5–3 win over Illinois-Chicago in front of a full house. Tanner Burns and... Read Full Story
After Buzzer Beater Comeback against LSU, Auburn Looks for Payback against Tide
There was a different feeling from Auburn basketball’s showdown versus LSU than last week’s take down of the Kentucky Wildcats. The showdown with Kentucky brought fanfare that accompanies blueblood teams and with it came College Gameday, a first for Auburn. The Kentucky game was the prime-time event, and though it was a hard... Read Full Story
A Football Look Ahead
What Will Auburn's Playing Rotation Look Like in 2020? War Eagle, everybody! National signing day has come and gone once again, and Auburn's roster for the season is now close to being set. In addition, this morning Auburn announced the hiring of Al Pogue as a defensive backs coach, so we now have a good idea who the on-... Read Full Story
Auburn Looks to Cap Off Strong Class on National Signing Day
Today is National Signing Day (NSD). Before 2017 it was a day of anticipation and even excitement for college football fans hungry for some football news in the offseason. That was before the NCAA instituted an early signing period. There is little doubt the drama has all but disappeared with the majority of top players on the b... Read Full Story
Tigers Put the Brakes on Kentucky!
Danjel Purifoy on the Defensive End(John Reed, USA TODAY Sports) War Eagle, everybody! The Auburn Tigers' mens basketball team got their first win over a top-25-ranked opponent yesterday, defeating the 13th-ranked Wildcats, 75–66. The win moved Auburn to 19–2 on the season, and the Tigers picked up a big signature wi... Read Full Story
Monday Musings From The Plains
From ESPN's College GameDay first ever visit to campus to Auburn's fifth consecutive year to be represented in the Super Bowl to Auburn Football's chances at a championship in 2020 and more in this edition of Monday Musings.
Read Full StoryTigers Drop Two, South Carolina Comes to Auburn Arena
Auburn was soaring to the top of college basketball when it traveled to Coleman Coliseum to take on the Crimson Tide. The Tigers were ranked in the top five and were one of two unbeaten teams in America. There is nothing that Auburn fans love more than to beat Alabama, which Auburn has done fairly regularly since Bruce Pearl cam... Read Full Story
Malzahn Ready to Turn Chad Morris Loose With Offense
Many see the rise of Dabo Sweeney at Clemson being directly related to Morris’ ability to coach record-setting QB Tajh Boyd, recruiting Deshaun Watson and installing an offense that is still, for the most part, run by the Purple Tigers today.
Read Full StoryA Look Back, and Ahead
There is some apprehension about the year ahead(Photo by Acid Reign) War Eagle, everybody! As the bleak midwinter settles in with frost and northern winds, it is time to assess recent events in football and beyond. A year of excitement and disappointment in football has passed. Despite a loss last Wednesday at Tuscaloosa... Read Full Story
Midweek Ramblings From The Plains—Coaching Changes Edition
In 2018 Auburn hired former Auburn great and MLB star Gabe Gross to be its hitting coach, and the move has paid dividends. In two seasons with Gross as the hitting coach, the Tigers have had back-to-back years with the highest run totals in 10 years. The Auburn legend helped the Tigers make it to the College World Series in 1997... Read Full Story
SEC’s Coaching Carousel May Prove “Who Auburn Could Have Hired”
A few days ago, we discussed whether the current average losses per year under head coach Gus Malzahn were acceptable. Auburn has historically been an 8-win-per-season team with a sprinkling of a few great years. This has been the case under every great Auburn coach, and is one of the reasons that so many Auburn fans cling to Gu... Read Full StoryFew Things in Life Feel Better Than Beating Georgia … Auburn 82–UGA 60
There was thunder in Auburn Saturday, but it didn’t come from the strong storms that swept through the Plains. It was the roar of the sellout crowd inside Auburn Arena as the Tigers dominated their oldest rival in a a 82–60 blowout victory over Georgia.After the Bulldogs (10–4) scored a big road victory against Memphis las... Read Full Story
Auburn Basketball at 13–0 Is One of Only Two Undefeated Teams in the Nation
Auburn basketball went into Mississippi State’s basketball arena Saturday and defeated the Bulldogs 80–68. It was no small victory because wins in Humphrey Coliseum are hard to come by. In fact, the Tigers only have two other road wins in Starkville since 2001.To be sure it was a strong test for the No. 8 Tigers. With Guard ... Read Full Story
Track ‘Em Tigers Store
Featured In
