TCU’s season football opener at Cal is still on — for now
TCU is expecting to open its football season at Cal on Sept. 5, TCU athletic director Jeremiah Donati said Wednesday night.
Donati and Cal athletic director Jim Knowlton spoke earlier Wednesday about the latest circumstances amid the coronavirus pandemic, and nothing’s changed as far as the football game being played as scheduled.
“He and I spoke again today and he remained confident that we could play the game Sept. 5 at Cal,” Donati said. “So, unless we hear otherwise, our plan is to be there for Week 1.”
There’s been much speculation as to whether this game can happen with most campuses in California saying this week they are not planning to reopen fully this fall. Rumors started circulating that TCU and Alabama could potentially meet on Sept. 5 at AT&T Stadium as both schools are scheduled to face California-based schools that day.
Alabama and USC are scheduled to play in the Advocare Classic at AT&T Stadium on Sept. 5. A spokesman for the game declined to comment when asked about the status of it and possible contingency plans.
The California State University system, which has 23 schools in the state, announced plans to cancel nearly all in-person classes through the fall semester to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. The University of California system, which has 10 campuses including Cal and UCLA, said Wednesday that it’s likely none of its campuses will fully reopen in the fall.
USC is a private school, but is located in Los Angeles County, which is expected to extend its stay-at-home orders through July.
The general belief is that campuses must be open in the fall in order for college football to be played. But those within college athletics believe there could still be an avenue where sports are played even if classes are online only.
There would be a number of challenges doing so, but university leaders could be open to that possibility during this unprecedented time and given the financial impact that football has on universities.
TCU and Cal are scheduled to start a home-and-home series in 2020. Cal would return to Fort Worth for the 2021 season.
TCU and Cal played each other in football for the first time at the 2018 Cheez-It Bowl. The Horned Frogs won the game, 10-7, in overtime.
