Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
CFP sets a plan if virus hits teams
Keeping an eye on the world of sports during the pandemic:
There is a plan in place in case any of the teams in the College Football Playoff can’t play due to COVID-19. According to ESPN, CFP executive director Bill Hancock said January makeup dates have been set for both the semifinal games and the national championship.
No. 1 Alabama is set to play No. 4 Notre Dame on Friday in the Rose Bowl. No. 2 Clemson and No. 3 Ohio State will follow in the Sugar Bowl.
The Rose Bowl would move to Jan. 11 and the Sugar Bowl would move to Jan. 12 if both games had issues involving COVID-19 and needed to be postponed. If these changes were to take place, the national championship game would move from Jan. 11 to Jan. 18
If both teams in one semifinal were available to play, that game would go on as scheduled, while the other game would move to Jan. 11 if problems arose. The championship would be Jan. 18 in that case.
“Everyone is planning to play the games as scheduled,” Hancock told ESPN. “The teams, schools’ staffs and bowl staffs have been working really hard to provide an opportunity for the players. COVID procedures are in place at hotels and stadiums. We have prepared thoroughly, and we are ready. But it always makes sense to be prepared, even for circumstances we don’t believe will happen.”
Locations will not change if rescheduling takes place. The Rose Bowl between Alabama and Notre Dame has already been moved from Pasadena to Arlington, Texas, because of local restrictions on gatherings at sporting events. Clemson and Ohio State are still scheduled to play in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The national championship is set for Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
“It’s irrelevant. It can do nothing to add to what we have to focus on. It only has a potential negative effect in our view.”
— Colts coach Frank Reich on scoreboard watching.
The Colts do not plan to post scores on the scoreboard of Lucas Oil Stadium of games involving teams they need to lose in order to make the playoffs on Sunday.