Tracker: 2020 Fall Sports
Last Updated on August 12, 2020
We are tracking decisions being made by each conference within the FBS regarding fall sports in 2020.
Last updated August 12, 2020
The Status of Fall Sports in 2020
The American
The American will proceed with some fall sports.
The American will have regular-season intraconference competition in football, men’s soccer, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, men’s cross country and women’s cross country.
Football: Conference competition will begin September 19 for The American’s football teams. Each team will play eight conference games on their originally scheduled dates. Non-conference games may be played at the discretion of individual schools. The American Football Championship will be played either December 5, 12 or 19 at the stadium of the regular season champion. The decision on that date won’t be made earlier than November 1.
Cross Country: Regular season cross country competitions can be scheduled at the discretion of institutions on or after September 1. The American Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships are scheduled for October 31 at 4 Mile Creek Resort in Augusta, Kansas.
Men’s Soccer: The American’s six men’s soccer teams will play an intraconference 10-match double-round robin schedule. Conference matches will be scheduled on Saturdays beginning September 5, but may be moved if there are conflicts with home football games. On or after September 1, midweek matches against nonconference opponents may be scheduled. However, those midweek matches will not be allowed if they require air travel and/or an overnight hotel stay. The four-team 2020 American Men’s Soccer Championship will be held sometime between November 12-15 at the site of the No. 1 seed based on regular-season standings.
Women’s Soccer: The American’s nine women’s soccer teams will be play intraconference eight-match single-round-robin schedule. Beginning September 6, these matches will be played on Sundays. Same rules as the men regarding midweek matches. The four-teem 2020 American Women’s Soccer Championship will be held November 6 and 8 at the site of the No. 1 seed based on regular-season standings.
Women’s Volleyball: In a two-division format, each team will play the other teams in the division twice at the same site. The East Division will consist of UCF, Cincinnati, East Carolina, Temple and USF. The West Division will include Houston, Memphis, SMU, Tulane, Tulsa and Wichita State. Conference play will begin September 24-27 and conclude November 12-15. Conference matches may be scheduled between Thursday and Sunday, and three weekends will be available for nonconference play on or after September 1. The 2020 American Women’s Volleyball Championship will be held November 21-22 at the Fifth Third Arena at University of Cincinnati and will feature the top two teams from each division based on regular-season standings.
Other Sports: Competition in some fall sports has been canceled for The American: baseball, softball, women’s lacrosse, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis and rowing. However, those teams may hold on-campus practices in the fall. Golf and tennis student athletes may compete within NCAA guidelines unattached as individuals during the fall season.
ACC
The Atlantic Coast Conference plans to proceed with all seven of its fall sports beginning the week of September 7-12, if public health guidance allows.
Football: ACC football teams will play an 11-game schedule, which will include 10 conference and one non-conference opponent beginning with play the week of September 7-12. There will be only one division, and non-conference games must be played in the home state of the ACC institution.
Notre Dame will play a 10-game conference schedule and will be eligible for the 2020 ACC Football Championship Game. If Notre Dame wins the ACC Football Championship Game, they would be eligible for the Orange Bowl, if not selected as a College Football Playoff semifinal team. In addition, all television revenue for 2020, including Notre Dame’s home games broadcast by NBC, will be shared equally by all 15 institutions.
The ACC Football Championship will be played on either December 12 or 19 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina and will feature the top two teams based on highest conference-game winning percentage.
Field Hockey, Women’s Soccer, Men’s Soccer and Volleyball: Teams will play a conference schedule that meets NCAA minimum amount of games: field hockey (6), women’s soccer (6), men’s soccer (6) and volleyball (10). For cross country, schools can continue to schedule regular season cross country competitions at their discretion.
Schools also have the discretion to schedule additional games against conference or non-conference opponents, but anything beyond the conference-mandated schedule would not count in the ACC standings.
The schedule for ACC Fall Championships is as follows:
- The cross country championships will be held at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. on October 30, and include all fifteen member schools
- The field hockey championship will be held at Duke University on November 5, 6 and 8
- The women’s soccer championship will include the top four teams and be held at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. on November 6 and 8, as previously announced
- The men’s soccer championship will include the top four teams and be held at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C. on November 13 and 15
Other Sports: Competition in the following sports is postponed until at least September 10: swimming and diving, indoor track and field and fencing.
Competition in men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, rowing, men’s and women’s lacrosse, softball and baseball have been canceled. Student athletes in golf and tennis can compete unattached, and teams in all sports may practice at their institutions discretion.
Big 12
The Big 12 has only announced plans to proceed with football to date.
Football: Big 12 football teams will play a nine-game intraconference schedule, with each team playing a non-conference home opponent. The anticipated start date is mid- to late-September, and it’s expected that non-conference games will be played prior to intraconference games.
The 2020 Dr Pepper Big 12 Championship would be played December 12 or 19.
Big Ten
UPDATE: The Big Ten has announced it is cancelling fall sports. However, it’s statement left open the possibility that this is only a postponement and sports may be rescheduled to the spring.
The Big Ten has announced its plans for its fall sports.
Football: Big Ten football teams will play a 10-game conference-only schedule beginning as early as the weekend of September 5 (but with flexibility to move later) and ending on November 21. Cross-division games are currently scheduled for Week 1 (September 5) and Week 12 (November 21).
The 2020 Big Ten Football Championship Game is scheduled for December 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana but could be moved as late as December 19.
Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, Field Hockey, Men’s and Women’s Soccer and Women’s Volleyball: competition start dates for these sports have been postponed through at least September 5. Conference-only schedules for these sports are expected to be released later.
Conference USA
Conference USA has announced its plans for football.
Football: Conference USA football teams will play eight conference games on their originally scheduled dates, with a beginning date of September 12. Up to four non-conference games can be played at the discretion of the individual schools.
The C-USA Championship is scheduled for December 5, with the flexibility of moving it later.
Mid-American
The Mid-American Conference has announced it will postpone all of its fall contests and championships, including football.
Mountain West
UPDATE as of 5:48 p.m. 8/10/20: The Mountain West has canceled all fall sports.
The Mountain West has decided on an adjusted 2020 fall sports structure for football, women’s soccer, women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s cross country.
Football: Mountain West football teams will play an eight-game conference schedule with an option for each member to play two non-conference opponents.
The 2020 Mountain West Football Championship Game will be played on December 5, 12 or 19.
Women’s Soccer, Women’s Volleyball, Men’s and Women’s Cross Country: these fall Olympic sports will engage in conference-only play. Women’s soccer and women’s volleyball champions will be determined by regular-season competition, while men’s and women’s cross country are still being decided.
Other Sports: fall competition for men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, swimming and diving, indoor track and field, softball and baseball has been canceled. Student athletes in golf and tennis can compete unattached, and teams in all sports may practice at their institutions discretion.
Pac-12
UPDATE: The Pac-12 has announced the cancellation of its fall sports season. However, the conference’s statement left open the door that this is only a postponement and that fall sports may be moved to a date after January 1, 2021.
The Pac-12 has announced its plans for fall sports.
Football: Pac-12 football teams will play a 10-game conference-only schedule to begin on September 26, with the flexibility to start later. The Pac-12 has also updated its tie-breaking procedures for determining division champions and Football Championship Game participants.
The Pac-12 Football Game Championship Game, presented by 76® is slated for December 18 or 19 and will be held in a home-hosted model. The game was originally scheduled to be played at the new Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas for a two-year run but will be rescheduled to begin in 2021.
Men’s and Women’s Soccer, Women’s Volleyball and Men’s and Women’s Cross Country: conference-only schedules have been approved for men’s and women’s soccer, women’s volleyball, and men’s and women’s cross country. These sports will begin competition no earlier than the weekend of September 26.
SEC
The SEC has announced a decision on football and postponed other fall sports.
Football: SEC football teams will play a 10-game conference-only schedule to kickoff on September 26. The conference has released the two additional non-divisional opponents each school will play as part of the new schedule.
The 2020 SEC Football Championship Game will be played December 19 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Volleyball, Soccer and Cross Country: these sports have been postponed through at least August 31.
Sun Belt
The Sun Belt has announced plans for football and a postponement of other fall sports.
Football: Sun Belt football teams will play an 8-game conference schedule with an option for each member to add as many as four non-conference opponents. The conference schedule will begin Labor Day weekend, but non-conference games can be scheduled for Week Zero.
The Sun Belt Football Championship Game will be played on December 5 between the divisional champions, which can be adjusted to a later date.
Other Sports: the Sun Belt has delayed the first permissible date of competition for all sports to September 3. Rescheduling for any contests impacted will be determined by each member institution.
Independents (Football)
Army: So far, Army has lost games against Oklahoma and UConn.
BYU: The Cougars are down to six opponents after losing games against Utah, Michigan State, Arizona State, Minnesota, Missouri, Northern Illinois and Stanford.
Liberty: The Flames have only lost one game so far (UConn).
New Mexico State: the Aggies have lost games at UCLA, Florida, Texas Southern and Akron.
Notre Dame: see ACC information above.
UConn: UConn has announced it will cancel its football season.
UMass: after losing games against UConn, Akron, Albany and Auburn, UMass has announced it is canceling fall football and will explore playing in the spring, if possible.