The Southeastern Conference (SEC) announced Friday that football teams will have more flexibility to change their schedule for the rest of the season, and December 19 will serve as an additional day for teams to make up games postponed due to COVID-19 outbreaks.
The SEC’s conference championship had previously been scheduled for December 19, and will still play on that day, meaning the two winners of the East and West divisions will not be able to make up any games on that day.
Additionally, the conference has eased rules around rescheduling games, now requiring only five days between when a game is announced and played, allowing it to be more nimble as it handles a season in flux due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“The added flexibility of a December 19 playing date for teams that do not qualify for the SEC Football Championship and the ability to adjust opponents on five-day notification provide a greater opportunity for our schools to play a full schedule of games in 2020,” remarked SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.
Previously, the SEC had set aside Saturday, December 12, as the day to make up games due to COVID-19. Recent events indicated that there might need to be a second weekend eligible for teams that have to postpone two games.
The scheduling flexibility announced Friday does create newfound flexibility outside of just the end of the season; two teams with an open weekend, who were already scheduled to play each other at some point in the season but have not played yet, can announce they will play each other with only five days notice.
Sports Illustrated broke the news of the new flexibility and has a more detailed breakdown of what it allows.
Both Alabama and Auburn had their games scheduled for Saturday, November 14, postponed.
Auburn’s game against Mississippi State was delayed to December 12 due to COVID-19 cases among the Bulldogs. If Auburn were to have a second game postponed because of the coronavirus, they could now make it up on December 19 if they do not win their division.
Even with the changes announced Friday, Alabama’s game against LSU is in jeopardy of not being played.
Currently, LSU has postponed two games, one against Florida and the second against Alabama.
If both Alabama and Florida win their division, as many observers expect they will, they would both be playing in the SEC Championship on December 19, and LSU would only be able to make up its game against one of them on December 12.
That game would appear to be LSU vs. Florida, as that matchup has already been announced for December 12.
Importantly, were either the Tide or Gators not to finish in first place in their division, the SEC now has the scheduling flexibility to make sure both games against LSU get played.
“It has been a goal of the SEC to play a complete football schedule provided we maintain a healthy environment for student-athletes and everyone around our football programs,” Sankey noted Friday.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95
