AAC undecided on nonconference slate
Conference in holding pattern after Big Ten drops such football games due to virus
The American Athletic Conference has not yet decided whether to call off its nonconference games after the Big Ten announced it would make the move due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The ACC and Pac-12 reportedly are expected to follow the Big Ten’s lead, dramatically shaking up college football schedules as conference and university leaders try to figure out ways to safely host games.
“We have not changed our plans at this point and we’re evaluating things and we’ll see what happens down the road and we’ll continue to monitor and we’ll make our decisions at some point,” AAC commissioner Mike Aresco told the Orlando Sentinel Thursday afternoon.
The Big Ten announced Thursday it will play just 10 conference games, making the move one day after the Ivy League said it was postponing all fall competitions in response to a spike in COVID-19 cases.
“We are facing uncertain and unprecedented times, and the health, safety and wellness of our studentathletes, coaches, game officials, and others associated with our sports programs and campuses remain our number one priority,” the Big Ten statement read.
“To that end, the Big Ten Conference announced today that if the conference is able to participate in fall sports [men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball] based on medical advice, it will move to conference-only schedules in those sports.”
The Big Ten becomes the first to Football Bowl Subdivision league to adjust its fall sports schedule.
The Pac-12 is expected to go to a conference-only schedule in the coming days, according to The Athletic. The ACC also is expected to shift to conference-only games, with independent Notre Dame joining the league for those games, according to Stadium’s Brett McMurphy.
If the ACC follows through with its plan, UCF will lose nonconference games against Georgia Tech and North Carolina. The Knights have struggled to play the Yellow Jackets and Tar Heels, with previously scheduled games called off due to hurricanes.
Temple is the only other AAC school with an ACC opponent on its schedule with the Owls set to open the season against Miami at Hard Rock Stadium on Sept. 5.
The Big Ten’s decision was also felt in the state of Florida by Miami and FAU, with the Hurricanes scheduled to play at Michigan State on Sept. 26 and FAU scheduled to play at Minnesota on Sept. 3.
Miami athletics director Blake James released a statement in response to the Big Ten’s move that read, “I am aware of the announcement made by the Big 10 today. While we are disappointed to lose the opportunity to face Michigan State during the 2020 season, we will work with the ACC to best position our program for the upcoming season.”
Four AAC teams will be impacted by the Big Ten decision — Cincinnati (Nebraska), Memphis (Purdue), Tulane (Northwestern) and Temple (Rutgers).
Big Ten schools, like many others throughout the country, have had players test positive for COVID-19 after returning to school for individual offseason workouts. Ohio State paused its voluntary workouts for seven teams on Thursday, including football, following the most recent round of COVID-19 testing of athletes. The school did not release test results.
The Big Ten also announced Thursday all summer athletic activities will continue to be voluntary in all sports and that athletes who choose not to participate at any time during the summer or 2020-21 academic year due to COVID-19 safety concerns will continue to have their scholarship honored.
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