Fox Sports national radio host Colin Cowherd said two sources have told him the season-opening matchup between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the USC Trojans will not be played. The game is scheduled for September 5 in Arlington, Texas.
Cowherd made the remarks on his radio show Wednesday afternoon.
“Yesterday, I was told by two people I trust the USC-Alabama game will not happen, it’s a pipe dream,” Cowherd reported.
The Los Angeles-based sports personality cited multiple reasons for the game likely being canceled.
“The people I talked to brought up several points,” Cowherd outlined. “Number one, college football is going to be more regional this year. It’s going to be regionalized and it should. Less travel. Don’t put student-athletes, these are not professional athletes, do not put them in the crosshairs on cross country trips. College football is going to be more regional. By the way, there was a report by Paul Finebaum that Bama has already contacted TCU if USC and Bama cannot play. TCU is scheduled to play Cal, USC-Bama, so you had two Pac-12 teams and that is drying up, and it should in my opinion.”
In a Tuesday interview on ESPN’s “Get Up,” radio host Paul Finebaum said this season could end up being “survival of the fittest” for the programs willing to field teams.
“There’s already scrambling going on,” Finebaum said. “Alabama plays Southern Cal in the first game of the season at Jerry’s World, and there’s already talk going on between Alabama and TCU about meeting instead of the other two because TCU plays at Berkeley and the California schools, they do not believe, will be available for that date.”
Cowherd believes this is another reason why USC will decline to keep its date with the Crimson Tide.
He called the inability of some schools to start practice on time “a huge disadvantage to California schools.”
Earlier this week, California State University System announced it would not hold any in-person classes during the Fall semester. This is in addition to Los Angeles County’s determination that it will remain under a stay-at-home order through the summer.
Cowherd expressed his belief that all California schools in the Pac-12 would follow suit in declining to hold classes on campus, which could tip the balance away from playing a full college football schedule.
“USC is concerned, I’m told, about not having enough practices, as Alabama could have a three-week to a month head start on practices,” said Cowherd. “No thanks facing Nick Saban who has 20 more practices than my coaching staff and my players are equipped to deal with. Also, California yesterday announced three more months stay-at-home no large gatherings. How does UCLA practice? How does USC practice? As southern states are much more willing to let it go.”
The Pac-12 is entertaining the option to play a condensed schedule and possibly in the Spring, according to Cowherd.
Meanwhile, he thinks not having to play Saban’s squad is a better scenario for USC.
“Maybe the greatest break in scheduling in the history of college football,” concluded Cowherd. “Not necessarily a bad thing for the Trojans.”
Mike Bohn, USC athletic director, took to social media on Tuesday night to say he has been in communication with Crimson Tide athletic director Greg Byrne, adding that the school had “every intention” of playing its game against Alabama.
I enjoy regular conversations with @Greg_Byrne. We have every intention of playing our game against Alabama.
I’d like to remind all our fans that this is an uncertain time and there will be much disinformation. We continue to explore every model for the 2020 football season.
— Mike Bohn (@USC_mikebohn) May 13, 2020
Tim Howe is an owner of Yellowhammer Multimedia
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