Can someone explain the reasoning behind the BIG10 & PAC-12 moving to conference-only games? Why can an in-conference team go play at Ohio State, but can't play Bowling Green? Why can they play Michigan but not Central Michigan? Northern Illinois? Ball State? UCLA can go play Utah but can't play San Diego State? The only logical conclusion I can make is that it should be all or nothing if it's really about public health and safety.

they said, "By limiting competition to other Big Ten institutions, the Conference will have the greatest flexibility to adjust its own operations throughout the season and make quick decisions in real-time based on the most current evolving medical advice and the fluid nature of the pandemic."
so they can control rescheduling or doing things if a team tests positive, etc.
thats my guess.

It's not about public health and safety and it's not about travel. This is about them thinking that there is no way to have an entire season. With basketball we got to the end and had to cancel the most important part. Conference play is what's important, it's what crowns champions. They are trying to eliminate anything that could risk them being able to crown a champ...doesn't mean we'll get one but they're trying.

ProvoAggie wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 3:57 pm

It's not about public health and safety and it's not about travel. This is about them thinking that there is no way to have an entire season. With basketball we got to the end and had to cancel the most important part. Conference play is what's important, it's what crowns champions. They are trying to eliminate anything that could risk them being able to crown a champ...doesn't mean we'll get one but they're trying.

Yep, push all the games back, then just play conference games. This will happen (if FB happens at all). Man I'd hate to be an indy right now, that would sucks

ViAggie wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 5:40 pm

ProvoAggie wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 3:57 pm

It's not about public health and safety and it's not about travel. This is about them thinking that there is no way to have an entire season. With basketball we got to the end and had to cancel the most important part. Conference play is what's important, it's what crowns champions. They are trying to eliminate anything that could risk them being able to crown a champ...doesn't mean we'll get one but they're trying.

Yep, push all the games back, then just play conference games. This will happen (if FB happens at all). Man I'd hate to be an indy right now, that would sucks

Push all the games back until when? The peak of flu season? If we didn't see a let-up in cases in the heat of the summer, I don't think we are going to see numbers decline in the cold/flu season of winter/spring. Social distancing, masks, and limiting large gatherings will be the order for the foreseeable future.

Yossarian wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 5:45 pm

ViAggie wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 5:40 pm

ProvoAggie wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 3:57 pm

It's not about public health and safety and it's not about travel. This is about them thinking that there is no way to have an entire season. With basketball we got to the end and had to cancel the most important part. Conference play is what's important, it's what crowns champions. They are trying to eliminate anything that could risk them being able to crown a champ...doesn't mean we'll get one but they're trying.

Yep, push all the games back, then just play conference games. This will happen (if FB happens at all). Man I'd hate to be an indy right now, that would sucks

Push all the games back until when? The peak of flu season? If we didn't see a let-up in cases in the heat of the summer, I don't think we are going to see numbers decline in the cold/flu season of winter/spring. Social distancing, masks, and limiting large gatherings will be the order for the foreseeable future.

Push the season in hope we can flatten the curve I guess. Yea, I don't see it happening

ViAggie wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 5:49 pm

Yossarian wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 5:45 pm

ViAggie wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 5:40 pm

ProvoAggie wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 3:57 pm

It's not about public health and safety and it's not about travel. This is about them thinking that there is no way to have an entire season. With basketball we got to the end and had to cancel the most important part. Conference play is what's important, it's what crowns champions. They are trying to eliminate anything that could risk them being able to crown a champ...doesn't mean we'll get one but they're trying.

Yep, push all the games back, then just play conference games. This will happen (if FB happens at all). Man I'd hate to be an indy right now, that would sucks

Push all the games back until when? The peak of flu season? If we didn't see a let-up in cases in the heat of the summer, I don't think we are going to see numbers decline in the cold/flu season of winter/spring. Social distancing, masks, and limiting large gatherings will be the order for the foreseeable future.

Push the season in hope we can flatten the curve I guess. Yea, I don't see it happening

Yeah - I'm thinking they have gone "all in" on keeping things shut down or extremely limited until there is no sign of the virus or an effective, wide-spread vaccination is universally available. I don't see that happening for a long time. The powers that be will use the uptick in cases (not hospitalizations or deaths) as justification to keep things clamped down. I think this is our "new normal" for the forseeable future. There will be events and ball games - but they will be limited in attendance and what not. I just can't picture the NCAA, the MW or Utah State University wanting to stick their neck out and be the first to say "we're open for business" and then face the fallout from lawsuits when people trace a sickness back to one of their events. The liability will be too much to bear.

Yossarian wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 5:55 pm

ViAggie wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 5:49 pm

Yossarian wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 5:45 pm

ViAggie wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 5:40 pm

ProvoAggie wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 3:57 pm

It's not about public health and safety and it's not about travel. This is about them thinking that there is no way to have an entire season. With basketball we got to the end and had to cancel the most important part. Conference play is what's important, it's what crowns champions. They are trying to eliminate anything that could risk them being able to crown a champ...doesn't mean we'll get one but they're trying.

Yep, push all the games back, then just play conference games. This will happen (if FB happens at all). Man I'd hate to be an indy right now, that would sucks

Push all the games back until when? The peak of flu season? If we didn't see a let-up in cases in the heat of the summer, I don't think we are going to see numbers decline in the cold/flu season of winter/spring. Social distancing, masks, and limiting large gatherings will be the order for the foreseeable future.

Push the season in hope we can flatten the curve I guess. Yea, I don't see it happening

Yeah - I'm thinking they have gone "all in" on keeping things shut down or extremely limited until there is no sign of the virus or an effective, wide-spread vaccination is universally available. I don't see that happening for a long time. The powers that be will use the uptick in cases (not hospitalizations or deaths) as justification to keep things clamped down. I think this is our "new normal" for the forseeable future. There will be events and ball games - but they will be limited in attendance and what not. I just can't picture the NCAA, the MW or Utah State University wanting to stick their neck out and be the first to say "we're open for business" and then face the fallout from lawsuits when people trace a sickness back to one of their events. The liability will be too much to bear.

Sad

It makes sense for the P5 conferences to maintain flexibility and they are able to absorb the financial hit but for the G5 schools it is a huge hit and for independent schools like BYU it is a serious blow.

Fewer games means fewer contact points of infection. Keeping everything in-house allows the conference to make its own decisions and not be subject the decisions of other conferences. Flexibility in scheduling, delays, moving games around, etc. Less travel. Maximizes the possibility of having a season at all and determining a conference champion. I don't like it, but I understand it. In fact, it might get to the point of just having each side of a conference play it's own side, no cross-over, which means only 4-6 games, and then have a title game, allowing the entire season and championship game to be completed in 6-8 weeks. However, do you gamble, wait until spring so you can play an entire schedule and make more money? Maybe, but not unless you had at least two conferences do it so that they could have enough games to fill out a NC and C schedule.

I’m predicting that these conferences are going to move the season to the Spring. If you only have 8-9 conference games, you can go middle of March to Middle of May.

The benefits include would skipping flu season, allowing more time for a potential vaccine (assuming the late December/early January) and more treatments. Which then leads to fans in the stands. You can also have spring football be in the fall this year.

That’s my prediction though

Yossarian wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 5:45 pm

ViAggie wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 5:40 pm

ProvoAggie wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 3:57 pm

It's not about public health and safety and it's not about travel. This is about them thinking that there is no way to have an entire season. With basketball we got to the end and had to cancel the most important part. Conference play is what's important, it's what crowns champions. They are trying to eliminate anything that could risk them being able to crown a champ...doesn't mean we'll get one but they're trying.

Yep, push all the games back, then just play conference games. This will happen (if FB happens at all). Man I'd hate to be an indy right now, that would sucks

Push all the games back until when? The peak of flu season? If we didn't see a let-up in cases in the heat of the summer, I don't think we are going to see numbers decline in the cold/flu season of winter/spring. Social distancing, masks, and limiting large gatherings will be the order for the foreseeable future.

Well, most other advanced countries in the world have done a terrific job of "flattening the curve" so if Americans would quit being ignorant and selfish and start being responsible with their LiBeRtY we might be able to have nice things again sometime in the future.

This move is all about being flexible and nimble. Much easier to move or cancel the season if you’re just talking about conference schools.

I think the season needs to start on time in September with conference games rescheduled earlier or be moved to spring. Gotta schedule around the impending “second wave” so the season is either done before it happens or starts after it happens. I selfishly hope they start the season on time, but the safer approach is probably just to wait til spring.

I think you’ll see the same “conference only” thing with basketball. A pushed up early condensed season, or a condensed season starting in the spring.

Most conferences are 12 or more teams these days so it wouldn’t be hard to have an 11 game conference schedule.

rAggie wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 9:20 pm

Yossarian wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 5:45 pm

ViAggie wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 5:40 pm

ProvoAggie wrote: ↑

July 9th, 2020, 3:57 pm

It's not about public health and safety and it's not about travel. This is about them thinking that there is no way to have an entire season. With basketball we got to the end and had to cancel the most important part. Conference play is what's important, it's what crowns champions. They are trying to eliminate anything that could risk them being able to crown a champ...doesn't mean we'll get one but they're trying.

Yep, push all the games back, then just play conference games. This will happen (if FB happens at all). Man I'd hate to be an indy right now, that would sucks

Push all the games back until when? The peak of flu season? If we didn't see a let-up in cases in the heat of the summer, I don't think we are going to see numbers decline in the cold/flu season of winter/spring. Social distancing, masks, and limiting large gatherings will be the order for the foreseeable future.

Well, most other advanced countries in the world have done a terrific job of "flattening the curve" so if Americans would quit being ignorant and selfish and start being responsible with their LiBeRtY we might be able to have nice things again sometime in the future.

Well don't look at me. I've been trying to do my part. My office went to remote work stations 4 months ago. I have been working from home since then. I have made two trips for work, one to a water treatment plant in Reno (about 120 miles away), and one to a wastewater treatment plant in Calaveras County (about 75 miles away). Besides those two trips, I haven't been more than about 6 miles from my home in 4 months.

I wear my mask when I go out. I have canceled a family vacation. I have missed the wedding and reception of my niece and the funeral of my good friend's father. There have been several times that I have gone over a week without leaving my property except to walk my dog which I do religiously every night (but i don't leave until 9:30 or 10:00 p.m. to avoid running into people - and it's a remote nature trail in a greenbelt and not on the sidewalk in a neighborhood).

I have not been inside a restuarant for 4 months. The Mexican restaurant my wife and I would go to almost every Friday has been put out of business. My wife cuts my hair. The most public place I have been in is Costco.

I'm trying to do my part so you can have nice things.

I understand the thinking here.

It allows you to start 1 month later. So you can wait until Oct 1st before you play a game .
You still finish the season at a normal time and only mess up one season not 2.
Spring football is a awful idea. You cant have athletes play a full spring the summer and fall camp the another full season in 1 year. To hard on players. Your best players would not play. If you were going to be 1st round pick it would be foolish to play that many games in 1 year.

It buys you time. That is what this is about.

Actually, it seems possible that the Big 10 and others recognize that with the current surge in the country, including several teams, there is now way the season will start on time. Perhaps they want time to get school started, protocols in place and perfected, and players sufficiently "quarantined" for a time so that they can start playing with some confidence in October.