Alabama Football: SEC looking smart with contingent schedule options

Alabama Football: SEC has other fall, schedule options if the current plan proves impossible.

Until Saturday, many Alabama football fans were relieved the SEC had a viable 10-game, fall season plan. Suddenly it began to look more possible the Big Ten will not play football this fall. That decision has not been announced but the B1G did push back preseason contact work for its teams.

More than a couple of national, college football journalists believe, within the days, the B1G will be the first Power Five to shut-down fall football. Some of those journalists also believe the Pac 12 will quickly follow the Big Ten. While not confirmed, USA Today Sports said it has multiple inside sources who confirm Big Ten Commissioner, Kevin Warren, prefers a spring season.

Alabama football fans (including this one) hate these reports. Bama Hammer is not willing to label them as eyeball-grabbing fabrications. But no one has an on-the-record official source. Until there is a conference announcement or a school or conference representative providing confirmation – all of us must wait. But credible sources appear close to getting such a confirmation.

In a somewhat counter-belief, there is speculation the SEC and Big 12 may play, even if no other conferences do. Games are not expected between Big 12 and SEC teams. Rather, each conference would do everything possible to have a season and a conference champion.

Earlier in the summer, the SEC and some school officials disclosed multiple, season options were under consideration. A fair guess is those alternatives to a 10-game all-conference schedule have not been discarded. It is not a bad guess that the majority of SEC schools believe any fall option is better than a spring option.

So here we are (or may be) Alabama football fans. A claim can be made. If the SEC was sure its 10-game plan will work, there would already be a published schedule, rather than just a list of opponents.

There is no clarity in the situation, but there is a strong sense the SEC was smart pushing back a start to Sept. 26. Smarter than any other Power Five, for sure. That does not mean the SEC will actually begin play in late September – there are other options.

Any delayed start date into October would mean the SEC will back off a 10-game plan. A revised plan with more open dates for potential cancellations could begin in October. One spinning rumor is the SEC would only play within each division, plus the conference championship. With the likelihood of tied records in division-only play, there might be a division championship before the conference championship. In that scenario, schools would play six to eight games. Afterward, there might be a Playoff and there might be bowl games since many bowls are television events, more than anything else. Heavy attendance restrictions would not seriously harm bowl games.

Or maybe, just maybe, all involved in SEC football can successfully stage a 10-game season. Ten games, followed by a conference championship and a CFB Playoff. Many Alabama football fans will not mind if the SEC is the only conference to be so bold.

A couple of weeks ago, Bama Hammer Contributor, Zachary Mangum shared his opinion that it is time to cancel football season. His contention was not unsound. Hopefully, it will not happen.