About one month ago, there was some serious optimism regarding the college football season. It appeared that an on-time start to the 2020 campaign was a realistic option, along with a full 12-game schedule.

That optimism continues to dwindle among those running Power Five conferences, however.

With recent spikes in COVID-19 cases in regions of the country, as well as outbreaks among student-athletes on certain campuses, it appears more and more likely that there will be at least a delay to the 2020 season. Just how long that postponement could be, however, is still in question.

“Everyone is pessimistic,” in regards to an on-time start to the season, one Power Five administrator told Brandon Marcello of 247Sports. Another source said that a delay is “inevitable.”

In Marcello’s report, the consensus is still that pushing the college football season to the spring remains a last resort. However, that kind of action is becoming increasingly likely as spikes of the virus continue and a vaccine still has not been developed.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey recently told ESPN’s Heather Dinich that all options remain on the table. A current target date for a final decision to made will be late July.