Rumors are beginning to swirl that Washington football could have a season after all! So… what’s the plan?
According to a report by 247 Sports’ Tracy Pierson, a six-game winter season is in the works for Washington football and the rest of the Pac-12. The article reports that the season is planned to start on Saturday, February 6th, and run through Saturday, March 13th. The next two weeks will be reserved in case games need to be postponed for any reason, including positive COVID-19 tests within a team.
That would probably be a divisional matchup for both sides of the conference since it makes travel easier, but there is one twist. The sixth game of the season in this scenario would be a matchup with a Big Ten opponent. So we could still get to see Washington play Michigan, and Oregon throw down with Ohio State.
Now there is one problem, this is in direct conflict with multiple reports about the Big 10 that were released on Friday. Rumors around the Big 10 were stating that the coaches in the conference are eyeing a Thanksgiving start for their shortened season. There are also rumors that the conference could start around New Year’s, which would align much better with the Pac-12’s rumored schedule.
Now, there are a lot of moving parts here, namely the NFL Draft. Most draft-eligible players, especially ones like Joe Tryon and Jaxson Kirkland, with the potential to shoot up boards will probably want to put one more season of tape out there for NFL scouts. If these seasons get approved, what’s next? The draft must take place by June 2nd, so there’s some flexibility for events like the Senior Bowl and the NFL Combine to make sure that all players get the best shot to make a name for themselves.
The more reports like this start to leak out, the better the odds are for a 2020 college football season.