University of Alabama running back Najee Harris is a leader in the #WeWantToPlay movement to save the 2020 college football season.
On Monday, the Big 10 canceled its fall football season, according to reports, and the Pac-12 is expected to follow their lead.
That leaves the SEC, ACC and Big 12 as the remaining Power 5 conferences yet to make a decision on playing their fall schedules.
While some of the national (and in-state) sports media world continues to cheer the death of the season, key players from Power 5 schools on Sunday jumped on a conference call to try and rescue the situation.
ESPN reported that the Crimson Tide’s Harris was one of the players on the call, along with the likes of Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
During that call, the players came up with a list of key takeaways to share with the college football universe. That list has been turned into a graphic and shared widely on social media by players since the call.
#WeWantToPlay pic.twitter.com/6kTPmMTR8s
— Najee Harris (@ohthatsNajee22) August 10, 2020
Former Bama quarterback Greg McElroy reacted to the players’ efforts in a tweet on Monday.
“All weekend, it felt like the 2020 College Football Season was doomed,” he said. “But, the #WeWanttoPlay movement has given it new life. Ultimately, I don’t know if it will make a difference, but it feels like the players are the only people that can make a season happen.”
Kristen Saban Setas, daughter of head coach Nick Saban, also advocated for the season to occur in a tweet of her own.
#LetThemPlay pic.twitter.com/NteTK2PheG
— Kristen Saban Setas (@KristenSabanS) August 10, 2020
If the SEC ultimately forges ahead with a season (with or without the ACC and Big 12), there could also be the question of further conference alignment changes — at least for this fall.
One Ohio State player has suggested the Buckeyes bail on the Big 10 and play in the SEC this year, and Notre Dame has already signed up with the ACC in an effort to preserve their season.
Even more movement is expected this week in the college football world, with the SEC, ACC and Big 12 each set to hold regularly scheduled meetings of their directors of athletics.
Reports on Monday morning said that Texas and Oklahoma are the Big 12 schools trying to save their fall season, however the SEC could be looking to scoop up those schools if the Big 12 as a whole decides not to play this year.
Right now, the SEC has adopted a conference-only, 10-game schedule for this season.
Alabama is scheduled to play homes games versus Auburn, Georgia, Mississippi State, Kentucky and Texas A&M, along with contests at Arkansas, LSU, Ole Miss, Missouri and Tennessee.
Auburn has home games against Arkansas, Kentucky, LSU, Tennessee and Texas A&M, as well as games at Alabama, Georgia, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and South Carolina.
Sean Ross is the editor of Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on Twitter @sean_yhn
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