Photo from Google Images
With so much going on off the field in the world of college sports, we are just praying to the sports gods that COVID stays away from football season. College football really starts when my teams take the field. Thursday night games between the University of Tennessee and Bowling Green under the lights at Neyland. And #18 Coastal Carolina University and the Citadel play on the best-looking surf turf in the country; my weekend will start early!
NIL is in full effect and Tennessee players are legally getting paid without needing a McDonald’s bag. The NCAA is losing all control and the SEC added the University of Texas and the University Oklahoma. This starts the 2025 season while the other power conferences are creating mergers left and right. Welcome to the Wild, Wild West of college sports.
COVID-19
Finally, the NCAA should take notes from the SEC. The SEC understands that vaccinated players will not have to be COVID tested and that eliminates contract tracing drama. I hope the NCAA learned their lesson from their College World Series disaster of mistakes. Players that are not vaccinated and test positive could punish the whole dang team. The rule now states that if an SEC team cannot play a game this season because of COVID infections or contact tracing, the team will have to forfeit and that team will add an L to the loss column. If both teams can’t play due to COVID or other issues, both teams get a loss. If 85% of the team is vaccinated, then teams will not have to undergo COVID protocol.
SEC Commissioner, Greg Sankey, also said that “any direct financial loss on the part of the school that was able to play a cancelled event may be submitted for consideration for reimbursement subject to approval from the SEC Executive Committee.” What happens if the network can’t air the game? CBS pay $55-ish million dollars a year to air weekly SEC games. Can they get a refund if games are cancelled? Seems like an important detail that has not been addressed or it’s just not public information.
Want the push for fans to support vaccinations? Just add in a no rescheduling policy! The games will not be moved or replayed. Last year’s re-scheduled game between Tennessee and Vanderbilt (with the girl soccer player/goal keeper turned football kicker hype) must have been the last straw for the SEC.
As of now, LSU is the only SEC team who is mandating vaccinations or a negative test for all game attendees over the age of 12-years old. I’m not sure how this will be managed on game day. Most* SEC stadium entrances are packed, again I say most because no one attends Vandy games. How close can they really be checking vaccine cards? Matching the card to an ID and to the person all while being surrounded by a herd of people in a timely fashion? Stadium employees do not get paid enough to be the COVID police too.
It’s Football Time in Tennessee!
The ninth-oldest stadium in the FBS, Neyland Stadium first opened as Shield-Watkins Field in 1921. And if math wasn’t your strong subject in school, that makes this year the100th season of Tennessee football at Neyland Stadium. The administration has made some changes and upgrades that include a dope LED lighting system and fireworks for pregame and touchdown celebrations. The team tradition of players touching the “I Will Give My All” sign above the locker room door, will now be a tradition for fans. “I Will Give My All” signs have been added above the portals entering each section of Neyland Stadium. Fans are encouraged to give it some love. I, personally, will pledge that if I cannot reach the sign, my liver will give it’s all instead.
The Vol Walk and Running through the T were not allowed last season, you know why. Both Tennessee traditions will return with the Pride of the Southland Band and the cutest Bluetick Coonhoud, Smokey X, will be back on the field too.
But the biggest change is finally a QB1 who isn’t named Jarrett Guarantano! Can I get an AMEN! New head coach, Josh Heuple announced that Michigan transfer, Joe Milton, has been named the starting QB for the Vols. This is a huge, HUGE, upgrade for the program and the fan base. Heupel wasn’t the most exciting hire, but he’s already smarter than the last two turds that were hired. JG is GONE (transferred to Washington State) and just like every season, we Tennessee fans hope to see a lot of fireworks in Neyland. College Football is back, baby!