The 2020 Football Season, Dates To Know

[LSUDad]

LSU's 2020 Season: Dates to Know

BySHEA DIXON Aug 6, 9:30 AM 

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The Southeastern Conference decided last week that its' member teams would play 10 total regular season games in 2020, with all of them coming against other SEC teams.

LSU and the rest of the SEC currently each have eight conference games on the schedule, which is made up of six divisional games and two cross-divisional games.

For the Tigers, that means facing off against Florida and South Carolina from the SEC East, with two more schools to be added. 

It's unknown when the SEC plans to release a final schedule, but numerous officials from the conference have hinted that the 10-game schedule for each conference team is expected to be released by the end of the week. 

The SEC also determined when teams could begin fall practice given the start of the season has been pushed back to the end of September, and on Wednesday, the College Football Playoffs committee revealed the new dates for the selection of teams, the semifinals games and the CFB Playoffs National Championship.

Here's the rundown on everything LSU fans need to know about the 2020 calendar for the football program.

FALL CAMP BEGINS: AUGUST 17

On Tuesday, the Southeastern Conference announced adjusted dates for preseason football activities for SEC schools with the first allowable practice now scheduled for Aug. 17.  

The new SEC calendar provides student-athletes with more days off than required by the NCAA and fewer practices than permitted by current NCAA rules.

In the revised SEC preseason football calendar, from Aug. 7-16 schools are permitted to conduct up to 14 hours per week of strength and conditioning, meetings and walkthroughs.  

Beginning Aug. 17 and until the opening game, schools are allowed 25 practices with a limit of 20 hours per week of practice time.  A five-day acclimatization period is required, with two days in helmets only, two days in shells and the fifth day in full pads.

The new preseason calendar was developed based on recommendations of the SEC's Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force.

 

 

 

LSU’S SEASON BEGINS: SEP. 26

The SEC has moved to a 10-game, conference-only schedule. All non-conference games will be wiped off the schedule, which is likely to see some shuffling in terms of dates of games given the conference will now add two more conference games to each team's schedule.

The SEC also announced that the first date for play will be September 26, which is the date LSU is set (for the moment) to host Ole Piss in Tiger Stadium.

That means the Tigers won't face off against the Texas Longhorns in Tiger Stadium, a game that was originally slated for the second week of the season.

LSU had previously announced non-conference games for 2020 that, beyond a home matchup with Texas, including UT-San Antonio on Sept. 5 in Tiger Stadium and a neutral-site contest against Rice in NRG Stadium in Houston on Sept. 19.

LSU was set to face Nicholls State for the first time in school history for its final non-conference game of the regular season on Oct. 3 in Tiger Stadium.

 

 

 

LSU’S CURRENT SCHEDULE

With the shuffling of the schedule with 14 SEC teams, the dates are certainly set to change in some games for the Tigers this season. But the goal from the SEC is to keep the current eight conference opponents on the schedule, then add two more teams from the SEC East. 

That means LSU could face off against Georgia, Vanderbilt, Missouri, Kentucky or Tennessee, with reports surfacing that the Wildcats and Volunteers - the two SEC East teams that rotate onto the schedule in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, would be LSU's likely opponents. If it matches the future schedule, Tennessee would travel to Tiger Stadium, while Kentucky would host LSU in Lexington.

 

2020 LSU Football Schedule

Sept. 26 Ole Piss

Oct. 3: Open Date

Oct. 10 at Florida

Oct. 17 at Arkansas

Oct. 24 MISSISSIPPI STATE

Oct. 31 Open Date

Nov. 7 ALABAMA

Nov. 14 SOUTH CAROLINA

Nov. 21 at Auburn

Nov. 28 at Texas A&M

 

 

LSU’S AD ON THE 2020 SCHEDULE

LSU Athletics Director Scott Woodward weighed in this week with his thoughts on the SEC's decision to move to a 10-game, conference only slate.

"Today is an exciting day for all of us who love college football in the SEC. The toughest conference in college football is going to battle it out in historic fashion. Tiger Stadium and our National Championship Football team will play host to five SEC opponents in a 10-game, all-SEC regular-season schedule.

"As a conference we have been aligned in this process from the beginning and I want to thank Commissioner (Greg) Sankey for his leadership during this unprecedented time.

 

 

"There is still a great deal of work to be done and many important decisions to be made, but this is a big step in the right direction for our conference, our school and our student-athletes.

"Our top priority remains the safety and well-being of our student-athletes. We, as SEC member institutions, are continuing to engage in deliberate and informed discussions on planning for the safety of student-athletes, coaches and staff. We will continue to follow the guidance of medical professionals in our decision making, including the SEC's Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force. Together, and with the direction of state public health officials, we are focused on a safe return to competition."

SEC CHAMPIONSHIP: DECEMBER 19

The SEC Football Championship Game will be played December 19 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, rescheduled from the original date of December 5. The schedule will include one mid-season open date for each school and an open date on December 12 for all schools.

This pushes the SEC title game to less than three weeks from the first game of the College Football Playoffs.

A year ago, LSU took down Georgia to capture the school's first SEC Championship since the 2011 season. The Tigers went on to beat Oklahoma and Clemson in the College Football Playoffs to finish 15-0 as National Champions.

 

 

SEC COMMISSIONER WEIGHS IN

SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey shared his take on the decision for a conference only-slate.

"This new plan for a football schedule is consistent with the educational goals of our universities to allow for the safe and orderly return to campus of their student populations and to provide a healthy learning environment during these unique circumstances presented by the COVID-19 virus," Sankey said. "This new schedule supports the safety measures that are being taken by each of our institutions to ensure the health of our campus communities."

 

 

 

This action was taken following extensive discussions and thorough deliberation among the SEC's Presidents and Chancellors, Athletics Directors, Conference Office staff, and medical advisors, led by the SEC's Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force.

"After careful consideration of the public health indicators in our region and following advice of our medical advisors, we have determined that this is the best course of action to prepare for a safe and healthy return to competition for SEC student-athletes, coaches and others associated with our sports programs," said Sankey.

 

 

 

The decision to limit competition to Conference-only opponents and rescheduling the SEC Championship Game is based on the need for maximum flexibility in making any necessary scheduling adjustments while reacting to developments around the pandemic and continued advice from medical professionals.

"We believe these schedule adjustments offer the best opportunity to complete a full season by giving us the ability to adapt to the fluid nature of the virus and the flexibility to adjust schedules as necessary if disruptions occur," Sankey said. "It is regrettable that some of our traditional non-conference rivalries cannot take place in 2020 under this plan, but these are unique, and hopefully temporary, circumstances that call for unconventional measures."

 

 

 

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS: JANUARY 1 AND JANUARY 11

The College Football Playoff selection committee announced on Wednesday that it will reveal its four teams for the playoffs the day after the SEC Championship Game is played.

Previously, the final rankings were going to be released on Dec. 6th, but that has been changed to Dec. 20th.

“With recent schedule changes for the regular season, it makes sense for the committee to make its final rankings after the conference championship games, when it can get a complete picture of the season,” said Bill Hancock, the committee’s executive director.

 

 

“The selection committee members understand the need to be flexible as we all navigate uncharted waters this season, and this move will allow them to evaluate all the available information,” Hancock added.

The committee’s final meeting of the season will be Dec. 18-20 at Grapevine, Tex.

The top four ranked teams will participate in the playoff semifinals on Friday, January 1st at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., and the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The national championship game is scheduled to be played Monday, Jan. 11th at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.

[LSUDad]

Enjoy

 

 

Edited August 8, 2020 by LSUDad

[LSUDad]

Update:

 

SEC to release complete football schedules Monday night

 

By TigerBait Staff

August 16, 2020

 

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BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (August 16, 2020) – The Southeastern Conference will announce its 2020 football schedule on Monday at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT on a special show on the SEC Network.

SEC Now: Football Schedule Release Show Presented by Regions will air live on SEC Network at 7 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. CT on Monday. Hosted by Dari Nowkhah with analysis by Greg McElroy, Roman Harper, Laura Rutledge, Kirk Herbstreit, Rece Davis and more, the show will break down the 2020 SEC football schedule in its entirety. Week 1 of the 2020 SEC football schedule will be revealed at 3 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. CT on The Paul Finebaum Show. 

Last month, the SEC established September 26 as the new kickoff for its 2020 football season to allow its universities to focus on the healthy return of their campus communities and the gradual re-introduction of athletics, as the 14 members of the SEC continue to monitor developments related to COVID-19.

The 2020 SEC football season will be comprised of a 10-game Conference-only schedule and the SEC Football Championship Game is scheduled to be played December 19 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, rescheduled from the original date of December 5. The schedule will include one mid-season open date for each school and an open date on December 12 for all schools.

The decision to limit competition to Conference-only opponents and rescheduling the SEC Championship Game is based on the need for maximum flexibility in making any necessary scheduling adjustments while reacting to developments around the pandemic and continued advice from medical professionals.

[Hatchertiger]

9/26 LSU v. Moo State in BR.