SEC unveils game cancellation thresholds. Mizzou is already struggling in one area
With the Southeastern Conference opening its 2020 football season next week, the league on Friday introduced game-cancellation thresholds similar to those announced by the Big 12 a few weeks ago.
The SEC, which is playing a conference-only 10-game schedule this year, unveiled its policies and parameters for game cancellations, rescheduling and no-contest declarations.
Each team will need a minimum threshold of at least 53 healthy scholarship players available in order to participate in a game, similar to the Big 12. There are also specific positional needs that must be met by each team: seven offensive linemen (and at least one center), one quarterback and four defensive linemen.
If a team doesn’t meet those requirements, it can choose to play anyway, or it can seek to reschedule the game. If no suitable makeup date can be found, the game would be declared a no-contest.
In a scenario in which a team meets those requirements but still finds “compelling reasons” for why it can’t play, that team can present data (including total number of players unavailable to participate) outlining why the game should not be played as scheduled. Then SEC commissioner Greg Sankey will determine if the game is rescheduled or declared a no-contest.
The SEC kicks off Sept. 26, with the Missouri Tigers facing the Alabama Crimson Tide at 6 p.m. on ESPN. The SEC championship game is scheduled for Dec. 19, meaning each team will have one mid-season off-week and a second open date Dec. 12 in case any alterations to the schedule need to be made.
Those thresholds could prove burdensome for the Tigers, who are already struggling with COVID-19.
MU coach Eliah Drinkwitz said Wednesday that Mizzou is down a dozen players because of the novel coronavirus. The first-year coach revealed during preseason camp that his offensive linemen were battling COVID-19 and injuries — and offensive line is one of the key positions outlined by the SEC.
The Big 12’s game cancellation threshold has already came into effect, with Baylor postponing its game vs. Houston a day before it was set to kick off. The Bears weren’t able to meet the Big 12’s minimums.