What Should College Football Look Like In 2020?

This season could provide the fans with a radically different looking season — if the conferences were willing to step out of the box.

By now it has become clear that the 2020 season may look different from it ever has before. 

Whether it is a 10-game schedule, a split fall-spring season, a spring season or no season at all, one thing is certain: there is a ton of uncertainty surrounding the 2020 football season.

As deputy editor of AllClemson.com Brad Senkiw wrote, there are differing opinions on what will happen.

Nine of the 14 ACC schools, including Clemson, have said they are looking to bring students back on campus for the fall semester, which would meet Emmert's requirement for some. The rest haven't made that decision. Would the ACC go on without all of its members ready to start in September or October? No one knows, and if they say they do, well they don't.

The SEC plans on having a season, come hell or high water. That league hasn't backed down at all yet, and maybe that's not a bad approach. The NFL is planning on opening its season as previously scheduled. However, the pro league has built enough contingency plans, even though it won't publicly discuss them, to adjust. 

While the decision of whether or not to play the 2020 football season will ultimately be decided by the administrators, commissioners and doctors, this season could provide the fans with a radically different looking season — if the conferences were willing to step out of the box.

First on the list of things that should happen for the 2020 season is get Notre Dame in a conference. If the conferences go to a 10-game schedule, this is the perfect opportunity for Notre Dame to step up and join a league. If they want to have a chance at a playoff berth, with a shortened schedule, they need to get in a league.

Second, shorten the game. There is no reason for games to take three-plus hours, especially when the length of those games puts people at greater risk of being around someone that may be infected with COVID-19. 

This is where the "experimenting" would need to take place. The clock should not stop for any reason, including incomplete passes and out-of-bounds, outside of the final two minutes of each half. Halftime should be cut to 10 minutes and the elimination of all booth initiated reviews — the only review that can be initiated comes from the coach.

The third, and final, thing that should happen for the 2020 season is an expanded playoff. We are already seeing this happen in the MLB and NFL this season, so why not expand the playoffs for one year to 16 teams. If the teams are limited to 10 games, the additional two games that would come from a 16 team playoff are ultimately a wash. It also gives those teams who may have to cancel a marquee game on their schedule — see Clemson and Notre Dame — the chance to still state their case on the field.

No one knows what the future holds for the 2020 football season, but, if the season is played, these were a few of the ways that the NCAA could make the best of a bad situation. 

“We’re doing all sorts of modeling on what the football season may look like, from a delayed start to no fans to pushing the entire season into the winter or spring,” Oklahoma athletic director Joe Castiglione said to Sports Illustrated. “We could end up throwing it all away, and that would be great, but we can’t afford to wait until the last minute to think about it. We’re trying to think of any way to keep the season alive, because of the economic engine it is for so many other sports. This year, it could be an economic engine on steroids.”