Alabama football fans are encouraged by a building Power Three alliance for fall football.
Alabama football and other SEC teams are gaining support for fall football. The as-expected, Tuesday actions by the Big Ten and the Pac 12 do not mean, fall football is out for other conferences. The two conferences prefer delaying a season until spring. Some schools in both leagues disagree. It is too soon to know how feasible (or even possible) it might be for one-season B1G and PAC defectors to schedule seasons.
More importantly for Alabama football fans is whether the ACC and the Big 12 will stick to a fall plan. The ACC appears locked in to fall football. The Big 12 picture is less clear. There are Big 12 teams who want to play, most frequently mentioned is Texas. UPDATE: Tuesday night, multiple credible sources saying Big 12 going forward with a fall season.
If all three conferences play, it would likely mean the CFB Playoff can be staged at the end of a fall, 2020 season. The Playoff Selection Committee will have a hard decision if only the SEC and ACC play.
Other teams and conferences had already acted to drop fall football. Neither the MAC nor the Mountain West will play. Connecticut, Massachusetts and Old Dominion from Conference USA will not play.
The rest of CUSA favors a fall season. So does the AAC and the Sun Belt. All those ‘other’ conferences, opting-in means little for Alabama football. Unless some accommodation is later made to include some ACC and Big 12 teams, the Crimson Tide schedule will be solely SEC foes.
Debate will rage on about the decisions of every conference. The B1G and the PAC contend they are making the best choice to protect the health of players, coaches and staff.
Alabama football coach, Nick Saban argues,
"… our guys aren’t going to catch [the virus] on the football field. They’re going to catch it on campus. The argument then should probably be, ‘We shouldn’t be having school.’ That’s the argument. Why is it, ‘We shouldn’t be playing football?’ Why has that become the argument?"
Previously Saban made a valid point the student-athletes would be better protected inside athletic facilities than returning home. Of course, providing that protection is not automatically tied to playing games. The controls and protection can be maintained without fall football games.
The majority of players want a fall season. To the extent, they are concerned about risks, they are asking for leadership to find a safe way to play. The Power Three may provide the answer.
There are recruiting advantages for the Power Three playing this fall. Also targeting players for transferring away from the B1G and Big 12 will happen.