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The coronavirus and NCAA sports: NCAA reopening plans, program cuts, more

College Football, Men's College Basketball, Women's College Basketball

The coronavirus pandemic continues to rattle the college sports landscape, leaving many questions unanswered.

Complex, high-stakes public health issues are being addressed as conferences decide what college sports will look like in the coming year.

Here is the latest news and updates from the college sports world.

Jump to: Latest news | What will football look like? | What about the CFP? | Program, financial cuts

Latest news: Clemson-Florida State game postponed 

Saturday, Nov. 21: Saturday's game between Florida State and Clemson was postponed after the teams' medical personnel could not mutually agree on moving forward with the game, the ACC said in a statement. Multiple sources told ESPN that a Clemson player tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday after practicing with the Tigers during the week.

Louisiana coach tests positive: Louisiana coach Billy Napier has tested positive for COVID-19, the school announced Saturday afternoon. Napier, 41, began showing symptoms on Tuesday and went into isolation. After negative tests on Tuesday and Wednesday, his Friday test came back positive.

Friday, Nov. 20: New Mexico's men's and women's basketball teams are temporarily relocating to Texas due to coronavirus restrictions in their home state.

Tennessee AD Fulmer tests positive: Tennessee athletic director Phillip Fulmer has tested positive for the coronavirus and is self-isolating, he announced in a tweet Friday. Fulmer, 70, said he is "feeling fine" and is asymptomatic.

Canes coach Diaz tests positive: Miami coach Manny Diaz announced on Twitter on Friday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus and will continue to work with his team virtually. Diaz said he was self-isolating and "feeling good overall."

Washington State-Stanford canceled: The Washington State-Stanford game set for Saturday has been canceled, the Pac-12 announced Friday. Morning testing for COVID-19 took the Cougars below the 53-scholarship player threshold to play.

Cincinnati-Tulsa moved again: No. 7 Cincinnati's game against No. 25 Tulsa has been moved for the second time in a shuffling of the American Athletic Conference football schedule. The Bearcats and Golden Hurricane are now set to play Dec. 12.

Thursday, Nov. 19: The Pac-12 has loosened its scheduling restrictions for the 2020 season and will allow nonconference football games to be played if they meet a certain criteria. The Pac-12 listed three stipulations that must be met for one of its teams to play a nonconference game.

Michigan State-Maryland canceled: The Michigan State-Maryland football game has been canceled because of COVID-19 concerns with the Terrapins. The game will be declared a no contest. 

DePaul men's hoops cancels 3 games: DePaul is pausing all men's basketball activities due to positive COVID-19 tests and will cancel its first three games of the season, the school announced Thursday.

San Jose State-Fresno State canceled: Saturday's rivalry game between San Jose State and Fresno State has been canceled due to contract tracing protocols at Fresno State. The game will be declared a no contest and will not be made up.

Wednesday, Nov. 18: The NCAA Division I Council announced Wednesday it was extending the recruiting dead period for all sports through April 15. There has been a dead period in place since the coronavirus pandemic hit in March, meaning there will have been no official campus visits or in-person evaluations in more than a year by the time it potentially ends in April.

Football cancellations, postponements: Several college football games scheduled for this week were either postponed or canceled on Wednesday. The list: Kansas-Texas (postponed, Dec. 12) Colorado State-UNLV (postponed, TBD), Houston-SMU (postponed, TBD), Louisiana Central-Arkansas (canceled). 

No family, fans at Buckeyes events: Family members of Ohio State coaches and student-athletes are no longer permitted to attend sporting events this fall due to a stay-at-home order in Columbus, Ohio. The decision will be reevaluated prior to Ohio State's football game against Michigan on Dec. 12.

WSU men's hoops coach tests positive: Washington State men's basketball head coach Kyle Smith tested positive for COVID-19 this week, the school announced Wednesday.

Tuesday, Nov. 17: Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence is fit, confident and most importantly for the Tigers, virus-free.

Wake Forest-Duke game off: Wake Forest's game at Duke scheduled for Saturday will not be played as a result of coronavirus issues with the Demon Deacons, the second ACC game this week to be pushed off.

Coastal Carolina-Troy rescheduled: Coastal Carolina's postponed road game against Troy will be played Dec. 12, the Sun Belt Conference announced Tuesday.

New Mexico State men's basketball moving: The New Mexico State men's basketball team will temporarily move to Phoenix due to coronavirus restrictions in its home state.

Texas A&M opts out of Crossover Classic: The Texas A&M men's basketball team won't open the season at the Crossover Classic tournament in South Dakota because of concerns about the coronavirus.

Ole Miss basketball coach tests positive: Ole Miss head basketball coach Kermit Davis tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, the school announced.

Monday, Nov. 16: Due to challenges associated with the coronavirus pandemic, the entire 2021 NCAA men's basketball tournament will be played in one location, the NCAA announced Monday. The NCAA said it is in talks with Indianapolis and the surrounding metro area to be that location.

ACC reshuffles schedule: Miami had its next three games rescheduled as a result of coronavirus issues inside the program, forcing multiple ACC games to be shuffled around as a result, the league announced Monday.

Ole Miss-Texas A&M postponed: The Ole Miss football game at Texas A&M scheduled for Nov. 21 has been postponed due to COVID-19.

Charlotte-Marshall postponed: No. 15 Marshall's game scheduled for Saturday against Charlotte has been postponed, due to issues the 49ers are having with COVID-19.

Louisiana Tech vs. Louisiana-Monroe canceled: The game between Louisiana Tech and Louisiana-Monroe that was scheduled for Saturday at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, Louisiana, has been canceled because of COVID-19 concerns at ULM.

Mississippi State basketball plans 25% capacity: Mississippi State has announced 25% seating capacity for men's and women's basketball games this season at Humphrey Coliseum in Starkville.

Sunday, Nov. 15: The Arizona State-Colorado football game scheduled for Saturday has been canceled, the Pac-12 said Sunday.

Boeheim tests positive: Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim has tested positive for COVID-19, he announced Sunday. Syracuse also announced it was pausing men's basketball activities.

Ohio-Miami canceled: Ohio University's game Tuesday at Miami (Ohio) has been canceled due to roster issues with the Bobcats related to positive COVID-19 tests and subsequent contact tracing.

Saturday, Nov. 14: The Heisman Trophy will be presented on Jan. 5 on ESPN in a virtual format, it was announced Saturday. The ceremony was pushed from December into January as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pitino calls for new start date, 'May Madness': Rick Pitino, who took over at Iona earlier this year, tweeted that college basketball should create "May Madness" and move the Nov. 25 start of the season to accommodate the multitude of delays and challenges numerous teams have faced amid COVID-19.

Friday, Nov. 13: Just hours after the Pac-12 canceled games involving California and UCLA, the conference announced the teams will play each other Sunday at the Rose Bowl. Cal was originally scheduled to play at Arizona State, and UCLA was set to host Utah. Those games were canceled due to positive cases of COVID-19 and related contact tracing for Arizona State and Utah.

SEC approves Dec. 19 makeup date: SEC presidents and chancellors approved Dec. 19, the day of the SEC championship game, as a makeup date for other games that have been postponed this season because of COVID-19.

Troy-Coastal Carolina postponed: Troy's football game against No. 15 Coastal Carolina on Saturday in Troy, Alabama, has been postponed due to a combination of positive COVID-19 tests and injuries to a specific position group within the Troy program.

Herm Edwards, ASU players test positive: Saturday's game between Arizona State and Cal was canceled because the Sun Devils do not have the minimum number of scholarship players available due to the coronavirus. Among those who tested positive for COVID-19 within the Arizona State program is head coach Herm Edwards.

Testing error kept three Stanford players out: The Pac-12 apologized to the Stanford football team Friday after an inconclusive COVID-19 test led to multiple players, including starting quarterback Davis Mills, missing the Cardinal's season-opening loss to Oregon on Saturday.

Thursday, Nov. 12: The Ivy League is canceling winter sports for the 2020-21 season, postponing spring sports until at least the end of February and won't conduct competition for fall sports during the spring semester, the conference announced Thursday. 

Pitt-Georgia Tech moved to Dec. 12: The Pittsburgh-Georgia Tech football game scheduled for Saturday has been moved to Dec. 12 because of coronavirus-related issues on both teams, the ACC announced Thursday.

No women's hoops at CS Northridge: Cal State Northridge will not compete in women's basketball during the 2020-21 season after six players elected not to participatedue to coronavirus-related concerns and a seventh was unable to enter the country due to travel restrictions.

Boise State down 14 players vs. Colorado State: Boise State was without 14 players for its home game against Colorado State on Thursday night because of protocols related to COVID-19. Nine Broncos players tested positive for the virus and another five were sidelined for contact tracing, the school announced.

Wednesday, Nov. 11: SEC commissioner Greg Sankey called this a "week unlike any other" after having to postpone four college football games because of COVID-19 testing.

Maryland-Ohio State off: Maryland's football game against No. 3 Ohio State is canceled and will not be rescheduled after the Terps paused all team-related activities on Wednesday because of an elevated number of coronavirus cases within the Terrapins' program, the school announced on Wednesday.

Georgia-Missouri postponed: Georgia's football game at Missouri on Saturday has been postponed because of a combination of positive tests, contact tracing and subsequent quarantining of individuals within the Missouri program, the SEC announced Wednesday morning.

Wisconsin's Mertz still in protocol: Wisconsin starting quarterback Graham Mertz remains "in the protocol" as he recovers from COVID-19, but could return for Saturday's game against Michigan.

California-Arizona State in jeopardy: Saturday's football game between California and Arizona State is in jeopardy of being cancelled because several Golden Bears players remain in quarantine due to contact tracing related to one positive case of COVID-19 on the Cal roster.

Miami men's basketball opener postponed: Miami's season opener against Stetson has been postponed, making it the first game of the 2020-21 season postponed or canceled due to a positive COVID-19 test.

Seton Hall men's basketball pauses activities: Seton Hall's men's basketball program has paused all team activities due to positive COVID-19 test results, the school announced Wednesday.

Tuesday, Nov. 10: The SEC on Tuesday called off Saturday's Alabama-LSU and Texas A&M-Tennessee games as a result of COVID-19 testing depleting the Tigers and Aggies available rosters.

Auburn pauses activities: Auburn paused team activities on Tuesday after nine players and three staff members tested positive for COVID-19 during the team's open week.

Memphis-Navy postponed: The Memphis-Navy game scheduled for Saturday has been postponed because of COVID-19 issues with Navy, the American Athletic Conference announced Tuesday.

Louisiana-Monroe-Arkansas State postponed: Louisiana-Monroe's game at Arkansas State scheduled for Saturday has been postponed because of COVID-19 concerns with ULM.

No fans for Duke hoops: Duke announced Tuesday that it will not have fans at Cameron Indoor Stadium for men's and women's basketball home games, silencing one of the game's most historic and frenzied venues.

Minnesota men's basketball pauses activities: The Minnesota men's basketball team has paused all team activities following a positive coronavirus case, the program announced on Tuesday.

UTEP-UAB to play a day earlier: UTEP has changed the date of its upcoming football game against UAB and relocated it to a high school stadium 300 miles away from campus due to conditions related to the coronavirus pandemic in El Paso, Texas.

MWC schedules based around two-game series: The Mountain West Conference is announcing changes to its men's and women's basketball seasons that greatly reduce travel because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Monday, Nov. 9: Saturday's game between Auburn and Mississippi State has been postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the Bulldogs' program.

Alabama-LSU in jeopardy: LSU's showdown against Alabama on Saturday is in jeopardy as the Tigers deal with multiple players in quarantine as a result of COVID-19 testing.

Notre Dame mandates COVID testing: Notre Dame has implemented mandatory coronavirus testing for students and strict penalties for those who don't comply after students rushed the school's football field to celebrate a double-overtime upset over Clemson and held numerous weekend parties.

Texas A&M pauses activities: Texas A&M will not practice Monday because of multiple positive COVID-19 tests within the program, coach Jimbo Fisher said on Monday.

Wisconsin expects to play Saturday: Wisconsin expects to resume play this week at Michigan after the number of active COVID-19 cases in the football program dropped to five.

Arkansas coach Sam Pittman tests positive: Arkansas head football coach Sam Pittman has tested positive for COVID-19, the school announced on Monday.

Michigan State coach Tom Izzo tests positive: Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, the school announced.

Sunday, Nov. 8: This week's football game between UCLA and Utah at the Rose Bowl has been pushed back a day, and will now be played Saturday night, the Pac-12 announced Sunday.

Air Force-Wyoming canceled: The football game between Wyoming and Air Force scheduled for Saturday at Falcon Stadium has been canceled and will not be rescheduled, the Mountain West announced Sunday.

Friday, Nov. 6: The season-opening football game between Utah and Arizona, scheduled for Saturday, was canceled after multiple Utes players tested positive for COVID-19, leaving the team without enough available scholarship players due to isolation and quarantine protocols for contact tracing.

Thursday, Nov. 5: Saturday's football season opener between the California Golden Bears and Washington Huskies has been canceled after a Cal player tested positive for COVID-19 and several teammates were placed into quarantine as possible close contacts, the school announced Thursday.

Wednesday, Nov. 4: Louisville has paused all football-related activities, and its game at Virginia set for Saturday is being moved to Nov. 14 after a coronavirus outbreak has impacted the Cardinals, the ACC announced Wednesday night.

C-USA rebooks seven games: Conference USA has rescheduled seven football games that were postponed earlier this season because of COVID-19 issues. All will be played the first two weeks of December.

Tulane making tickets available: Tulane says a limited number of tickets will be made available to the public for the Green Wave's final two home games, against Army and Memphis.

Tuesday, Nov. 3: Wisconsin announced Tuesday that its football game this weekend against Purdue has been canceled and team activities remain paused indefinitely because of the number of positive coronavirus cases within the program.

Lawrence to be on sideline: Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence will be with the top-ranked Tigers for Saturday's showdown against No. 4 Notre Dame, but he won't see any action, head coach Dabo Swinney confirmed Tuesday.

South Carolina women's hoops to allow 3,500 fans: South Carolina, the national attendance leader in each of the past six seasons in women's basketball, will be allowed to have approximately 3,500 fans at home games to begin this season.

Butler assistant retiring, citing COVID concerns: Longtime college basketball coach Jeff Meyer is retiring after 41 seasons on the sideline, most recently at Butler, citing family considerations and COVID-19 concerns.

Saturday, Oct. 31: Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence will not be able to play next week against Notre Dame, coach Dabo Swinney said Saturday. Lawrence was tested for COVID-19 on Wednesday and the school announced he tested positive on Thursday, meaning he must isolate for a minimum of 10 days per ACC medical advisory group protocols.

Friday, Oct. 30: ESPN college football analyst Desmond Howard announced he has tested positive for COVID-19. "I'm under strict quarantine right now, because yesterday I tested positive for COVID," Howard said in a video posted to Twitter.

LSU athletics could lose $80 million: LSU's athletic department says it expects to lose $80 million in revenue due to the impact of COVID-19 and is laying off employees and reducing salaries of others.

Thursday, Oct. 29: Clemson Tigers quarterback Trevor Lawrence has tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss Saturday's game against Boston College. Lawrence is a front-runner for the Heisman Trophy and he had not missed a game in three seasons at Clemson.

Wisconsin football has 16 test positive: The Wisconsin football program now has 16 active cases of COVID-19 after two additional staff members and one student-athlete tested positive since late Wednesday. The school had announced on Wednesday it was pausing activities and cancelling Saturday's game against Nebraska. 

Wednesday, Oct. 28: Wisconsin's football team has paused all team-related activities for at least seven days because of an increased number of COVID-19 cases, causing the No. 9 Badgers' game against Nebraska on Saturday to be canceled. The game will not be rescheduled.

Gavitt Games canceled due to coronavirus: The 2020 Gavitt Tipoff Games between the Big East Conference and Big Ten Conference has been canceled, Big East commissioner Val Ackerman announced Wednesday.

Tuesday, Oct. 27: Wisconsin quarterback Graham Mertz had his COVID-19 positive test confirmed and will be out a minimum of 21 days, a source has confirmed to ESPN.

Bethune-Cookman opts for no sports in 2020-21: Bethune-Cookman, a historically Black college in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, will not play sports during the 2020-21 school year, a move that impacts men's and women's basketball and football.

Cal pauses men's basketball: California's men's basketball team is pausing workouts after an unidentified player tested positive for COVID-19.

Monday, Oct. 26: Florida returned to practice Monday for the first time in nearly two weeks, though coach Dan Mullen would not say how many players he would have available when the Gators play Saturday against Missouri. 

ESPN nixes plans to host hoops events at Disney: ESPN is canceling plans to host eight of its men's college basketball events at one location in Orlando, Florida.

UNLV will be 1st to have fans at Raiders' stadium: Fans of UNLV football will be the first to attend a game at the home of the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders after the university's plan to allow a limited number of spectators was approved by the Southern Nevada Health District and Nevada's department of Business & Industry.

Holiday Bowl canceled: The Holiday Bowl will not be played this season, bowl organizers announced Thursday, citing the coronavirus pandemic.

Women's basketball tournament canceled: The Women's Cancun Challenge has been canceled, eliminating one of the more familiar recurring Thanksgiving-week tournaments on the women's college basketball calendar.

Wednesday, Oct. 21: Former Florida State Seminoles coach Bobby Bowden thanked his doctors, family and fans for their support and prayers through his "tough" bout with COVID-19.

Big West maps out 20-game, league-only plan: The Big West Conference will play 20 league games in men's and women's basketball under a modified format that will reduce travel during the coming season because of the coronavirus.

Tuesday, Oct. 20: The Washtenaw County Health Department issued a stay-in-place order Tuesday for University of Michigan undergraduate students beginning immediately because of a rise in COVID-19 cases, but the order will not impact athletic activity at this time.

Southern Miss coach tests positive: Southern Miss interim coach Scott Walden tested positive for COVID-19, the school announced Tuesday.

Pac-12 details plan for cancellations: The Pac-12 on Monday announced its policies for game cancellations and updated tiebreakers for its season, which begins on Nov. 7 and features a seven-game, conference-only schedule and conference championship game.

Saturday, Oct. 17: Florida coach Dan Mullen announced Saturday he has tested positive for COVID-19, the latest hit to a football program that has been severely impacted by the coronavirus spread.

Friday, Oct. 16: A subsequent test of Alabama coach Nick Saban on Thursday showed that he is negative for COVID-19, the university announced Friday afternoon. The news comes 48 hours after Saban's initial positive test and opens up the possibility that Saban could return to coach Saturday night's home game against No. 3 Georgia.

SEC school fines could reach $1 million: SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said Friday that conference schools can face a cumulative penalty of $1 million as the league continues to enforce COVID-19 sideline protocols and hold head coaches accountable for wearing masks during games.

Thursday, Oct. 15: Less than 24 hours after the school announced that both Nick Saban and athletic director Greg Byrne had both tested positive for COVID-19, Alabama men's basketball coach Nate Oats told reporters that he tested positive for COVID-19 in July.

NCAA: Bowl teams won't require .500 records: All winter athletes in NCAA Division I sports will be given an additional year of eligibility and all football programs will be allowed to compete in bowl games -- regardless of their win-loss record -- as part of one-time rules changes in response to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

C-USA pushes back title game: Conference USA has pushed its football championship game back two weeks to Dec. 18, giving the league additional time to make up games postponed because of the coronavirus.

Pac-12 to allow families where permitted by health officials: In the wake of a petition that began circulating this week aimed at allowing parents of Pac-12 football players to be able to watch their sons play in person this year, the conference clarified it will permit such attendance where permitted by health officials.

CAA releases limited-travel basketball schedules: The Colonial Athletic Association on Wednesday released its men's and women's basketball schedules for the 2020-21 season using a format designed to limit travel and exposure to COVID-19.

Monday, Oct. 12: Barring a postseason meeting, UConn and Notre Dame will not play each other in women's basketball for the first time in 25 years after this season's expected encounter was postponed until the 2021-22 season because of coronavirus pandemic-related Notre Dame scheduling issues, UConn announced Monday.

Saturday, Oct. 10: Virginia Tech was without 15 players against North Carolina in Saturday's 56-45 loss to the Tar Heels, including starting safeties Divine Deablo and Keonta Jenkins.

Wednesday, Oct. 7: The Mid-American Conference on Wednesday released a six-game, league-only football schedule that will feature only midweek games for the first three weeks.

Georgia Southern-Appalachian State moved: Georgia Southern's football game against Appalachian State, originally scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 14 at Allen E. Paulson Stadium, has been postponed and rescheduled for Dec. 12, the schools announced Wednesday.

Two bowls canceled due to pandemic: Both the Hawaii Bowl and the Bahamas Bowl have been canceled this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Thursday, Oct. 1: The Mountain West Conference released its 2020 schedule Thursday, which includes abbreviated conference slates for Boise State, Air Force and San Diego State.

Patriot League to nix games in 2020: Coaches in the Patriot League have been informed of plans to begin the basketball season in 2021 with an 18-game conference schedule, sources told ESPN.

Wednesday, Sept. 30: Missouri football coach Eli Drinkwitz said there's no uniform SEC policy for public reporting of COVID-19 test results, and no sharing of that information among the 14 member programs.

CAA spring football slate includes plus-2 option: The Colonial Athletic Association will play a six-game conference schedule that includes the option for schools to add up to two nonconference games during a 2021 spring season, the league announced on Wednesday.

Monday, Sept. 28: Thirteen Purdue athletes have been suspended for violating the "Protect Purdue Pledge" by holding a party in a campus residence hall Saturday, the university announced Monday.

FSU's Norvell returning: Florida State will have its head coach back on the sideline for Tuesday's practice, Mike Norvell confirmed Monday. Norvell missed last weekend's loss to Miami after testing positive for the coronavirus. 

Memphis-Houston rescheduled: The Memphis Tigers will host Houston on Dec. 5 in a game rescheduled by the AAC because of COVID-19 testing results. The teams originally were scheduled to play Sept. 18.

North Carolina adds game: North Carolina has added a Dec. 11 game against Western Carolina, which replaces a Sept. 19 contest against Charlotte that was canceled because of COVID-19 issues.

Friday, Sept. 25: The Mid-American Conference will begin its football season on Nov. 4 and play a six-game, conference-only schedule, with a championship game on Dec. 18 or 19, the league announced Friday.

SEC sets conference basketball dates: The SEC announced Friday it would start its men's basketball conference season on Dec. 29-30, while its women's conference season would start Dec. 31.

Thursday, Sept. 24: The Pac-12 will play a seven-game conference football season beginning Nov. 6, representing an official reversal after the conference announced in early August that it would postpone all sports until at least Jan. 1, citing health concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Pac-12 hoops to start Nov. 25: The Pac-12 Conference announced Thursday that men's and women's basketball can begin their seasons on Nov. 25, the same day as the rest of the country.

Notre Dame-Wake Forest football rescheduled for Dec. 12: The makeup date for Wake Forest and Notre Dame's rescheduled football game will be Dec. 12, the ACC announced Wednesday.

Spring, 16-team playoff bracket approved for FCS football: The NCAA Division I board of directors on Tuesday approved a 16-team, spring playoff for FCS football, shrinking its usual championship bracket from 24 teams because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

SEC football to utilize devices used by NFL for contact tracing, distancing: Every football player in the SEC will wear the small, lightweight device also used in the NFL to help with COVID-19 contact tracing efforts, the conference announced Tuesday.

Monday, Sept. 21: Louisville is planning a nonconference bubble between Nov. 25 and Dec. 5, coach Chris Mack tweeted on Friday. According to Mack's tweet, the Cardinals are looking for eight to 12 teams to play three to five games during that time span.

Maui Invitational moving to NC: The 2020 Maui Invitational is moving to North Carolina, the tournament announced Friday. It will be held in Asheville, North Carolina, with sources saying it will take place from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2.

MAAC announces its basketball schedule model: The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference announced its schedule model for the 2020-21 college basketball season.

NCAA basketball can start Nov. 25: The 2020-21 men's and women's college basketball seasons can start on Nov. 25, the NCAA Division I Council said Wednesday.

NCAA panel eyes spring for canceled D-I sports: A month after canceling fall championships in non-football sports in response to the coronavirus pandemic, the NCAA Division I Council on Wednesday outlined the structure and timing of potential replacement spring seasons and championships for those displaced sports.

Wednesday, Sept. 9: Defending national champion LSU will have fans this season at 25% capacity of Tiger Stadium but no tailgating on campus, the school announced Wednesday.

Tuesday, Sept. 8: Oklahoma test results for the coronavirus will no longer be shared publicly, with the Sooners set to begin the regular season this week, coach Lincoln Riley announced Tuesday.

Friday, Sept. 4: In order to account for student-athletes who will have to miss games because of positive coronavirus tests, contact tracing and regular injuries, the Big 12 determined on Friday that teams with at least 53 players available -- including seven offensive linemen, four interior defensive linemen and one quarterback -- must play or it will be considered a forfeit.

Thursday, Sept. 3: Following a series of questions from ESPN, it was revealed that almost half of the 65 Power 5 schools have declined to disclose positive testing data from their respective programs. Of the Power 5 schools playing football this fall, 21 have declined to release positive tests.  

ACC testing plan: The ACC unveiled its testing plan for the upcoming season. The conference will conduct three tests a week during the regular season for all fall sports, including football.

Masks mandatory at Oklahoma: Masks will be required on Oklahoma's campus on football game days, and tailgating will be prohibited during the football season in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

AAC moves non-football fall sports to spring: The American Athletic Conference will postpone the majority of its fall sports until the spring but plans to move forward with football in the fall, it announced Tuesday. The decision affects men's and women's soccer and women's volleyball, and could include cross country, "pending further NCAA clarification."

Tuesday, Aug. 18: The SEC will require face coverings for all fans and workers attending football games this fall.

SWAC details spring football plan: The SWAC became the first conference to announce plans for a spring football season Monday. The plan is for each team to play six conference and one nonconference game beginning February 27.

Friday, Aug. 14: The ASUN Conference says it is postponing all fall sports because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Thursday, Aug. 13: NCAA president Mark Emmert said on Thursday there won't be fall NCAA championships because there's not enough schools participating because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic -- a decision that impacts 22 championships, including FCS football.

Emmert says using bubbles for championships in 2021 'perfectly viable': NCAA president Mark Emmert endorsed the idea of potentially using bubbles for NCAA championships -- including basketball -- in the first half of 2021, saying Thursday night that it's "perfectly viable in many sports."

WAC suspends competition through end of 2020: The Western Athletic Conference joined a growing number of its peers and has suspended fall sports competition until at least the end of the calendar year.

Big Sky scuttles rest of fall sports: The Big Sky Conference has voted to postpone all fall sports competition until the spring because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

Southland opts for spring college football: The Southland Conference has postponed football until the spring but will allow its members to play nonconference games this fall if they wish.

Wednesday, Aug. 12: The NCAA Division I Council recommended Wednesday that the Division I board of directors give student-athletes impacted by the coronavirus pandemic an extension of their five-year period of eligibility and an additional season of competition if they participate in 50% or less of the maximum number of competitions allowed in each sport under NCAA rules.

Big South postpones fall sports: The Big South Conference became the latest FCS football league to postpone its fall sports seasons on Wednesday, with the intent of playing in the spring, leaving three of the 13 FCS conferences with plans to play football and other sports this fall.

Big East fall sports postponed: The Big East announced that its fall sports -- men's and women's soccer, men's and women's cross country, volleyball and field hockey -- won't be contested because of coronavirus concerns.

Horizon League postpones fall sports due to virus: The Horizon League has joined the list of conferences postponing all fall sports competition due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Monday, Aug. 10: The Mountain West is postponing its fall sports season because of concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic, the conference announced on Monday.

Saturday, Aug. 8: The Missouri Valley Conference opted to move its football season to the spring due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The news came on the heels of the FCS postponement of the playoffs this fall.

Wednesday, Aug. 5: UConn, which last month officially left the American Athletic Conference, announced Wednesday that it's suspending its football program for the 2020 season because of the coronavirus pandemic.

NCAA Division III fall championships canceled: The NCAA Division III fall sports championships have been canceled for the 2020-21 season, the NCAA announced Wednesday, citing "the COVID-19 pandemic and related administrative and financial challenges."

Wednesday, July 29: The Big West Conference is postponing all fall sports through the end of the calendar year. The conference will determine later if conducting fall sports in the spring would be feasible.

A-10 postpones fall sports:  The Atlantic 10 announced the postponement of all fall sports due to the coronavirus pandemic. The conference is yet to make an announcement on winter sports. 

Colonial Athletic cancels season: The Colonial Athletic Association has canceled its football season. The 12 teams in the conference will be allowed to pursue independent schedules, however. 

MEAC suspends all fall sports for indefinite period: The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference has suspended all fall sports indefinitely because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic but hasn't determined whether the fall schedules will be moved to the 2021 spring semester, the league announced on Thursday.

Monday, July 13: The Patriot League will not play sports in the fall because of the coronavirus pandemic. The U.S. Military Academy and Naval Academy are exempt from the cancellation, and any decisions on their participation in competitive sports will be made by their superintendents.

NJCAA OKs move to spring football season: The National Junior College Athletic Association on Monday approved a proposal to move its football season to the spring, according to Dr. Christopher Parker, the NJCAA president and CEO.

Wednesday, July 8: The Ivy League has ruled out playing all sports this fall, executive director Robin Harris told ESPN on Wednesday, marking the first major college decision about the status of fall sports amid the coronavirus pandemic.

COVID-19 impact: How do schools plan, test, recruit and stay afloat?

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How COVID-19 has changed college football and basketball recruiting landscapes: The NCAA has enacted and extended a recruiting dead period amid COVID-19. What does it mean for college sports going forward? Read

Inside the first college football head-coaching hire during coronavirus: Scotty Walden was on the verge of landing the Austin Peay job when he tested positive for the coronavirus, forcing his potential new boss to quarantine. He worried it would cost him the gig, but it didn't -- and now he's ready to get to work. Read

Will any fans be allowed in college basketball arenas in 2020-21? Less than a month from the start of the 2020-21 college basketball season, many schools do not have firm plans in place to accommodate spectators in arenas. Read

COVID-19 and the financial impact on businesses closely associated with college football: Fewer fans, less spending. It's hardly a recipe for financial stability as so many businesses with ties to college football are finding out. Read

How college football is handling its COVID-19 protocols one month into the season: The coronavirus pandemic forced college football to reimagine everything about how the sport is conducted. Here's how things are going a month into the season. Read

After coronavirus diagnosis, Stephen F. Austin coach calls on Dad to ditch farm for football field: When SFA football coach Colby Carthel couldn't be on the sideline for his team's upcoming game, he turned to his father, Don, who left his tractor to return to the gridiron and lead the Lumberjacks to a win. Read

UC Riverside and the terms of Division I survival in the season of COVID-19: UC Riverside has a proposal on the table to eliminate Division I athletics due to the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic. Could other troubled programs be next? Read

With Big Ten returning, college football still faces more of the unknown: College football is a sport governed by tradition and coached by the anal retentive. But in 2020, it is operating on the fly, and all of us -- coaches, players, officials and fans -- are living at the mercy of a long nasal swab. Read

An insider's guide to the Big Ten season: Top players, teams and storylines: From Ohio State's high expectations to the conference's COVID-19 protocols, there is plenty to pay attention to when the Big Ten kicks off this week. Read

Have team, will travel: Central Arkansas and college football's strangest schedule ever: After their conference postponed the fall season, the Bears put together a schedule that involves playing two teams twice and being the only opponent on North Dakota State's slate. Here's how they did it, and what the players think of it. Read

Pac-12 football schedule takeaways: Biggest games, top matchups, predictions: We break down the biggest games and matchups from the Pac-12's schedule release and pick our champion. Read

'Can we play just one game?' Inside Houston football's lost month of September: So much for September football for the Houston Cougars. Not one, not two, but all five of their games this month were canceled. Read

Pac-12 football FAQ -- Return date, schedule plans, hurdles and more: The Pac-12 was the lone remaining Power 5 holdout when it came to the 2020 fall season but that all changed Thursday night when the conference announced a seven-game season beginning Nov. 7. Read

Inside the meeting that saved the Big Ten football season: The Big Ten is playing football this fall. What changed? It all came down to updated medical reports. Those who provided that report take ESPN inside the meeting with Big Ten presidents that changed everything. Read

Big Ten football is back: What you need to know: After initially cancelling its fall college football season, the Big Ten announced the conference will resume play starting the weekend of Oct. 24. Read

Inside the frenzy to save college basketball's nonconference season: Last week's announcement that college basketball will start on Nov. 25 brought a sense of relief to the sport. We are going to have a 2020-21 season, it won't be delayed too long and it will include all the usual staples of a season: nonconference games and holiday tournaments, conference play and conference tournaments and then an NCAA tournament. Read

Timeline: The events leading up to the Big Ten's decision to play football this fall: After declaring the conference would sit out this fall in football, the Big Ten had a change of heart. Here's how it all unfolded. Read

Same as it ever was? Look closely, and 2020-21 college basketball season has plenty of precedent: Afraid of the altered look of the upcoming college basketball season? Relax. Even in our brave new world, much of what's to come is not new. Read

Coaches confidential: Which teams can best handle the pandemic, plus who could make their CFP debut? In a season unlike any other, we asked FBS head coaches and assistants which teams are best prepared -- and which will succeed -- despite the COVID-19 pandemic. Read

How to remake an entire college football schedule in just one month: If ever you wanted insight into college football scheduling complications during a pandemic, look no further than the "wild and woolly" process it took BYU to get to its first game. Read

Electronic whistles, sanitized footballs and, yes, masks: Inside college football's new look: Players, coaches and fans knew this college football season was going to be different. But how different will it actually be? Officials, equipment managers and coaches tell us what to expect on the field. Read

Mapping college football crowds and COVID risk: As college football returns amid the coronavirus pandemic, some schools will still allow fans in a limited capacity. What does cellphone data from three big games last year tell us about how fans spread out across a region following a game? Read

The inside story of college football's wildest week ever: As two Power 5 conferences postponed their fall seasons, chaos reigned. Players and coaches pleaded their cases. Health experts delivered dissenting advice. Politicians weighed in. In the end, we got a week we'll never forget. Read

College Football Playoff

CFP officials have said they are moving forward with a plan to still have a playoff as scheduled. Here is the latest news:

  • Hancock: College Football Playoff still on schedule

  • Proposal to expand CFP to eight teams shelved

  • CFP committee moves final ranking release to Dec. 20

  • Hancock: Method of choosing CFP top 4 unchanged

  • No change to CFP format or selection protocols

  • Mike Pence, CFP committee discuss college sports' differing dynamics

  • CFP director Hancock: We're planning on playoff

Schools that have cut pay, programs, staff

A day after the University of Cincinnati announced it would permanently cut its men's soccer program, a letter from five conference commissioners to NCAA president Emmert asked, in part, for the NCAA to lift rules that require Division I schools to sponsor at least 16 varsity sports.

Here are other programs that have disbanded, plus schools that have made staffing changes and pay cuts:

  • Minnesota, Wisconsin thrown for losses in sports budget crunch

  • Cincinnati drops men's soccer program amid "widespread uncertainty"

  • Old Dominion cuts wrestling, citing financial impact of coronavirus

  • Louisville furloughs 45 athletic department staffers, others take 4% pay cut

  • Boise State coaches, athletics staff to be furloughed

  • Colorado athletic director, three head coaches to take 10% pay cuts

  • Minnesota's P.J. Fleck confirms taking unpaid week

  • Syracuse coaches Jim Boeheim, Dino Babers take voluntary pay cuts

  • Rutgers athletic director, three highest-paid coaches taking pay cuts

  • Kansas' Les Miles, Bill Self, Jeff Long take salary cuts

  • Texas Tech to trim $7 million from athletic budget

  • Kansas State football, men's hoops coaches agree to salary reduction

  • Arizona's Sean Miller, Kevin Sumlin among coaches taking 20% pay cut

  • Report: Florida International AD defers year's salary amid furloughs

  • Akron to eliminate three sports in cost-cutting move

  • Furman eliminates baseball, men's lacrosse

  • Central Michigan stops track amid coronavirus pandemic

  • South Carolina football, basketball coaches among those taking 10% pay cut

  • East Carolina eliminates swimming and diving, tennis programs

  • Kansas athletic department to impose furloughs, pay cuts

  • Bowling Green reinstates baseball program after donors pledge $1.5M

  • Wright State drops softball and tennis programs

  • Central Michigan gets 2-year waiver to have just five men's teams

  • Winthrop cuts men's and women's tennis programs 

  • Div. III Bowdoin, UMass Boston cancel fall sports during pandemic

  • UConn Huskies eliminate four teams to reduce sports to 18

  • Nebraska cutting 10% of 2021 athletic budget because of coronavirus

  • Northern Colorado discontinuing men's, women's tennis

  • Washington cuts athletic budget by 15% for 2020-21

  • Iowa athletic department reduces budget by $15 million

  • Division III Grinnell cancels football, fall sports

  • Boise State cutting baseball, swimming and diving

  • Division III's Centennial Conference suspends fall sports

  • Houston cutting budgets of all 17 of its teams by 5 percent

  • Dartmouth cuts five sports effective immediately

  • CIAA, SIAC suspend fall sports, may move some to spring

  • Florida State to cut athletics budget by 20%, both coaches and AD taking salary reductions

  • Michigan coaches Jim Harbaugh, Juwan Howard to take 10% pay cut amid revenue losses

  • Stanford to cut 11 varsity sports, cites pandemic as breaking point

  • Alabama cutting costs in all sports with pandemic threatening fall season

  • George Washington to drop 7 sports in cost-cutting measure

  • Purdue coaches, AD taking pay cuts as athletic department faces shortfall

  • Texas Tech cutting jobs, pay amid coronavirus pandemic

  • Michigan, Texas eliminate jobs, cut salaries

  • NCAA to furlough staff for 3-8 weeks to cut costs, memo says

  • Utah to issue furloughs for entire athletic department

  • Washington State to cut 10 jobs, reduce coaches' pay

  • La Salle cuts 7 sports, citing conference, coronavirus

  • Maryland AD, coaches volunteer for 10% pay cut

  • Fresno State to drop lacrosse, men's tennis, wrestling after end of season

  • Michigan State dropping swimming, diving programs after 2020-21 season

  • Arizona athletics eliminating 21 jobs as part of $30M cut

MORE:

  • Pandemic hasn't kept some HBCU bands off the field

  • How two college sports programs, cut due to coronavirus impact, are trying to save each other

  • The college coaches who have -- and have not -- taken salary cuts amid the pandemic

  • Putting safety first leads to cancellation of HBCU fall sports

  • Ripple effect of the coronavirus: College baseball programs canceled

  • Coronavirus testing a stress threat for athletic budgets

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