Report: One Group of Five conference trudging forward with 12-game football schedule

At least one FBS conference is planning to move forward with a 12-game schedule for the 2020 college football season.

Keff Ciardello of Austin Statesman reported on Monday that the Sun Belt Conference is still planning on having a 12-game schedule for the upcoming season, as well as pushing forward with competition in the fall. That includes an eight-game conference schedule this fall.

A few teams have already agreed to start the season earlier, moving the opener from Sept. 5 to Aug. 29.

Last month, the NCAA allowed a blanket waiver for FBS teams to move competitions to Aug. 29 (Week 0) due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Breaking: #TXST and #SMU have agreed to move up the season opener in San Marcos from Sept. 5 to Aug. 29. Sun Belt keeping nonconference and eight-game conference schedule. Official announcement coming later today. #TXST will begin fall camp this morning.

— Keff Ciardello (@Keff_C) August 3, 2020

The news out of the Sun Belt is interesting, especially as some major conferences have already trimmed their schedules for the upcoming season. The B1G was the first to announce that it was shifting to a conference-only schedule this season, and the Pac-12 and SEC followed suit.

The ACC implemented a “plus-one” model, playing conference-only games and adding just one non-league game. The Big 12 has not yet made an announcement on the upcoming season.

An announcement is expected out of the Sun Belt some time Monday.