As coronavirus cases continue to surge across the country, Surgeon General Jerome Adams had a piece of advice for college football fans while talking to reporters on Tuesday.
If you want college football this year, wear a mask.
Public health expert after public health expert has stressed the importance of face coverings to prevent further coronavirus cases and the subsequent deaths and economic harm they bring. And yet, the idea of losing college football might be what’s needed to put the situation in perspective for some.
College football, perhaps more than any other sport, needs a downturn in coronavirus cases. Rosters are larger compared to pro leagues, which increases the number of ways the virus can reach locker rooms. Seasons also can’t be played in a secluded area like the NBA is attempting to do. And while college-age athletes might face fewer health risks if they contract the virus, there is still a risk to both the players and the people around them.
As several professional sports leagues creep back to action, which may not even be an advisable decision, the fate of the college football season continues to be unclear. NCAA president Mark Emmert has said he does not see college sports happening if a school doesn’t have its students on campus, which could lead to massive inconsistencies.
Some schools, that have brought their athletes back on campus, are seeing a dramatic amount of cases on their football teams. Clemson alone has 37 cases as of its latest update, while Texas Tech has 23. Other schools, like Arizona, have halted the return of athletes to campus.
And even if schools are able to get everyone back on the field for the fall, just one outbreak would wreak havoc with a team’s season, as well as every team on its schedule.
Already, two colleges have announced that they will not be playing football this fall football --- Morehouse College and Bowdoin College.
So, basically, the only way we see a college football season even close to normal is a dramatic fall in coronavirus cases. The widespread wearing of masks would go a long way to facilitating that.