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Recent statement from Oregon governor will have major ramifications for Ducks-Buckeyes matchup in September
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One of the premier matchups on the schedule in 2020 in all of college football is a September 12 showdown between Ohio State and Oregon in Eugene. Both teams are expected to be players on the national stage and compete for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
But that game may not even be played.
Thursday, Oregon Governor Kate Brown said that large gatherings, including large sporting events, will have to be canceled, delayed or modified for the foreseeable future. She stated that it wouldn’t be until October that things could return to normal.
“There is some difficult news to share. Large gatherings, including live sporting events with audiences, concerts, festivals, and conventions will not be able to return until we have a reliable treatment or prevention like a vaccine,” Brown said, according to 247Sports.
“The Oregon Health Authority is advising that any large gathering, at least through September, should be canceled or significantly modified.”
Oregon’s 2020 season is scheduled to begin on Sept. 5 against North Dakota State. But if these restrictions remain in place, the Ducks would either be forced to cancel all fall sporting events (at least through September), play in front of an empty stadium or smaller crowd, or play games away from Autzen Stadium.
It’s unclear what move the University of Oregon and its athletic teams will make in the coming days, weeks and months, but Brown’s recent comments do not suggest much promise in the world of sports for the state or its universities.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB