As expected, the coronavirus is changing the look of the 2020 football schedule.
On Friday, the Pac-12 announced its decision to move to a conference-only schedule for 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Texas A&M was scheduled to host Colorado on Sept. 19, but that game has been removed from the schedule.
The Big Ten Conference made the same decision on Thursday. A&M’s soccer team was scheduled to play Ohio State on Aug. 20 and Illinois on Aug. 23, but those games have been canceled as well.
A&M Athletic Director Ross Bjork released a statement on Twitter following the announcement.
“I appreciate the advanced phone call from my friend and fellow AD, Rick George at Colorado, for sharing the news about the Pac 12’s decision,” Bjork wrote. “We understand these decisions are not easy and fully appreciate the changing environment around us. This is yet another example of the fluidity around college sports and we remain diligent as we gather accurate information about what lies ahead.”
Bjork said the health and safety of student-athletes is a focus in decision-making going forward.
“Finding available opponents for Texas A&M to play football in 2020 is not the biggest challenge,” Bjork wrote. “Playing in the safest environment possible remains the obstacle and we are focused on the health and safety of our student-athletes. As we learn more, we will communicate accordingly.”
SEC athletic directors will meet with SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey in Birmingham on Monday to discuss options for the conference, with the decision to come by the end of the month.