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12 Power 5 teams have already opted out of bowl season, more expected
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Every college football season is a grind for its players and coaches, but 2020, with its invasive Covid-19 protocols and bottomless spending put against the severe depletion of revenue returns, has taken the struggle to another level.
Because of that onerous nature, the difficulty of keeping players and coaches from testing positive on an every day basis, and the loss of normal social and fan interactions that make the sport fun, programs are opting out of the opportunity to compete in bowl games in unprecedented numbers, faster even than bowls are cancelling their own events.
Despite the relaxed restrictions for qualifying, already 12 Power Five teams have announced they would not accept a bowl invitation of any kind, effectively ending their seasons last weekend or, in some cases, tomorrow.
More announcements are expected in the coming days and weeks.
Team that have opted out of the postseason
— Ralph D. Russo (@ralphDrussoAP) December 18, 2020
Virginia
Pitt
BC
Georgia Tech
Virginia Tech
Louisville
Florida State
Kansas State
Stanford
San Diego State
UCLA
Washington State
Utah
Boston College coach Jeff Hafley told media that losing their reward for the bowl, “a week away with your friends,” without restrictions was one reason to let players wrap up the year and head home to spend the holidays with their families.
BC coach Jeff Hafley says the biggest reward of a bowl week is "a week away with your friends." Since that won't be the bowl experience this year, a better reward will be letting the kids spend the holidays with their families.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) December 10, 2020
The University of Virginia’s athletic director, Carla Williams, offered further justification in a press release to the media, citing the overall toll taken on athletes who submitted to the heavy-handed process to stay Covid-free and and compete this season.
“Unless you live it each and every day, it is impossible to understand the mental, emotional and physical sacrifice these young men have made since their return in July,” Williams said. “I am proud of their commitment and their incredible maturity. Our students did everything we asked them to do and they were rewarded with the opportunity to compete in the sport they love when many doubted it could be done. The life lessons gained over the last nine months will serve them well.”
The only invitations this season that are a certainty are the New Years Six bowl games and the bigger competitions around New Years Day. Everything is at this point is a flip of the coin.
Mark Schipper is a reporter, sportswriter, and aspiring novelist living in Chicago, Illinois.