Colin Cowherd: USC vs. Alabama Football Game 'Isn't Happening' Amid Pandemic

Megan ArmstrongSenior Analyst IIMay 13, 2020

Alabama helmets lay with confetti after overtime of the NCAA college football playoff championship game against Georgia Monday, Jan. 8, 2018, in Atlanta. Alabama won 26-23. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Fox Sports 1's Colin Cowherd doesn't expect the Alabama Crimson Tide to play the USC Trojans as scheduled on Sept. 5 because of the ramifications from the COVID-19 pandemic:

Colin Cowherd @ColinCowherd
Told by two people I trust — USC v Alabama isn’t happening. Trojans can’t even practice in LA potentially for several months. This is why Bama already talking to other possible opponents. Not official but understood. Feeling now that Pac 12 football in spring — much more likely.

Alabama and USC's matchup is scheduled to be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, but the Trojans' inability to properly train could prevent the game from happening.

There is uncertainty surrounding when stay-at-home orders will be eased, with Los Angeles County public health director Barbara Ferrer stating the orders will last another three months and county supervisor Kathryn Barger somewhat contradicting that:

Los Angeles Times @latimes
On Tuesday afternoon, Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger offered a clarification to county Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer’s comments, saying it was still possible stay-at-home rules could be eased in the coming weeks and months. https://t.co/jswRcZ5FkS

Los Angeles Times @latimes
Breaking: Los Angeles County’s stay-at-home orders will “with all certainty” be extended for the next three months, Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer acknowledged during a Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday https://t.co/jswRcZ5FkS

USC head coach Clay Helton and Stanford head coach David Shaw disclosed what the Pac-12 is considering for the upcoming season earlier Tuesday:

Josh Furlong @JFurKSL
In a press call with media, USC HC Clay Helton said the conference has talked about potentially having the league play only conference games — 11 games where all teams from the conference play each other.

Josh Furlong @JFurKSL
David Shaw said if it just goes to conference play, how do you compare conference for a CFP Playoff — says you'd likely have to expand just to get teams in. But nobody knows how this will look.

According to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN), "Helton repeatedly emphasized that the Pac-12 doesn't expect to finalize a plan for at least six weeks while gathering information and observing the progress of the pandemic."

As for Alabama, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey chimed in on the situation during an interview on ESPN's The Paul Finebaum Show on Tuesday:

Paul Finebaum @finebaum
We asked @SEC Commissioner @GregSankey about reports insinuating that the SEC would consider playing football without the other conferences, and he cleared up those comments with this response: https://t.co/B8dU0H6TO3

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Paul Finebaum @finebaum
SEC Commissioner @GregSankey tells us that the communication between college commissioners has never been stronger than it is now. "The notion that one thinks one conference is going to go off and doing something independently isn’t attached to reality."

The 2020 college football season is scheduled to kick off Aug. 29.