Adam Schefter: ‘Strong Conviction’ There Will be College Football This Season

College football — and the rest of the sports world for that matter — remains halted in the U.S. as the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect the everyday lives of how we operate as a society. But there’s optimism that normalcy, at least in some form, could return in the coming months.

On Thursday afternoon, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that there’s a “strong conviction” among people in and around the college football world he spoke to this week that believe there will be a college football season. As he notes here, there’s moving pieces and different scenarios that would need to be played out — like if fans will be allowed, if there is enough testing, if it’s safe, etc. — but people in the college football world “sound certain” the season will go on.

Speaking to people in and around college football this week, there is “strong conviction” there will be college football this season. Uncertainty about when – multiple scenarios being debated – but they sound certain there still will be college football this season.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 9, 2020

This is far more optimistic than the tenor we’ve heard surrounding college football and sports as a whole over the last month. Across the country, most states are sheltered in place, with businesses shuttered and gatherings of any sort banned due to how quickly the coronavirus can spread and how lethal it can be. Right now even the NBA season is suspended with no definitive return date in sight.

That Schefter has found people in college football to be generally optimistic could be just that: optimism. People in college football should be optimistic, after all, since it’s a billion dollar business that employs people across the U.S. Perhaps the optimism is all they can cling to.

Perhaps, though, there’s reason to believe it’s more. Maybe testing will be more widespread and available. Maybe it will be more advanced, producing quicker results and allowing people the opportunity to operate in a more functioning society. I hope so.

Right now everything seems to be uncertain though, even football season, and guessing about something five months from now is like guessing Leonard Hamilton’s age. Complete dart throw.

Either way, it’s encouraging at the very least that right now football season is being considered. We need it. Maybe by the fall it can take place, even if it’s under different circumstances.