Ole Miss Football: Pendulum Swings For 2020 College Football Season

Ole Miss football fans are ready to see the Rebels in action but may become the victims of the complete cancellation of the 2020 college football season.

As part of the Ole Miss football family, we have all been deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The impact on a personal level has been traumatic for most of us. It’s been the same for fans, players, and coaches all over the nation.  Now we await the final blow of what could be the cancellation of the entire 2020 college football season. Many pundits are saying it will happen this week.

OHT has been saying this was a possibility for months now and we’ve watched as the dominoes have started to fall one by one. It began immediately after the pandemic struck with the sudden cancellation of all spring sports and lingered into the summer. Now fall sports are in jeopardy of seeing the same effects. We have to consider what is most important so let’s take a look at what the balance is on the scale.

How It Measures

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Of course, this scale measures the two sides being the NCAA and college athletes across the country. Everybody who loves sports and especially college football wants to see a 2020 college football season. The fans, every football program, and all the players and coaches want to see a football season.

Naturally, the NCAA and the major conferences, the Power 5 conferences wanted a 2020 college football season as well. The NCAA has developed a huge money-making industry off of college sports and especially college football. And it has mainly come from the members of the Power 5 conferences.

Is this where lays the problem? Most definitely! For years the NCAA and major conferences have grown fat off the backs of college athletics and even more so off the backs of college athletes. There is a firm reason why the NCAA needs college football to happen. Revenue or loss thereof.

The Other Side

Then there are the college athletes. There is a huge reason why fans buy tickets to games on a regular basis. The athletes. They are the reason we go to see games. They are the reason why there is a major positive economic impact for the NCAA and the communities in which they play. They are also the reason why the NCAA and communities they played in have milked them for years. Why do you really think you see so many retired or former players jerseys sold each year with an NCAA logo sewn on the breast?

Over the years yourself have been a college football fan and followed your favorite team, how many times did you follow a favorite athlete? Did you ever see a favorite athlete stricken with an injury that ended his career or even his life? Ole Miss football fans have seen it. We watched it happen with Chucky Mullins. Just think about the countless other numbers of other athletes who gave everything.

Now, with everything that is happening with COVID, are they expected to truly give their all? We’ve already witnessed a group of PAC12 players speak out about the potential effects of playing in 2020. Now it has been announced the Big10 will cancel their 2020 college football season because of player safety and also to cover their butt from potential lawsuits. The PAC12 is expected to follow suit.

Players are the number one reason why no season should be considered. However, the potential loss of 4+ billion dollars of NCAA money also matters. So, should we even attempt to have a 2020 college football season? A good question to ask yourself.

And So It Swings

And so here we are again waiting. Now, we will see who the real conference powers are who are left for the NCAA, the football programs and their members, and the fans. Out of all who need college football and fall sports the most are those of us who thrive on it. Does our selfishness matter most? For any of us?

So Ole Miss football fans, just hang in there and we may actually see some form of football in 2020. It may be in the backyard on Thanksgiving with masks but there will be football. Be safe and as always Hotty Toddy!