Clemson Football: What CFB Analysts are saying about the 2020 season’s fate

Will Clemson football fans see a 2020 season? CFB Analysts have been weighing in

Clemson football fans, along with the rest of the country, are patiently waiting to see what will happen to the 2020 College Football season.

Amidst a nationwide pandemic, we have seen an increase of cases in many states around the country and several College Football programs have been victims of players testing positive since they returned to campus.

No program has been more prominently featured than Clemson football, who has been open and honest about its testing results. The Tigers have revealed that 37 players have tested positive since returning to campus earlier in June.

While positive cases were to be expected and there are some other positive developments when looking at nationwide statistics so far, many are beginning to doubt that the season will start on time or if we’ll even have a season altogether.

Here’s a look at what some of the most prominent College Football Analysts with inside sources have most recently said about the start of the 2020 season.

Kirk Herbstreit

Kirk Herbstreit was more than pessimistic about the start of the College Football season a few months ago and while he has come around, it’s clear he still has plenty of doubts.

Herbstreit made an appearance on the Jeff Rimer Show last week and discussed the 2020 season. Here’s what he had to say:

"“I’m very optimistic that we are going to see… some effort to have a season. It’s really changed… if you would have asked me that three weeks ago, I would have said man I feel I great. This thing is going in a great direction. But as you watch the news and follow this thing, you see spikes all over the place,” Herbstreit said via 247 Sports. “I don’t know if protests contributed to this or people not necessarily fearing the virus, but I think a laissez-faire attitude has really affected things. We don’t have a Roger Goodell in college football. You have the NCAA, which is not really even a governing body over college football, so you have rely on the Power Five commissioners. “I’m near Clemson right now at a lake, and whatever the rules are in this area are different than what they are for citizens in Columbus, Tallahassee, Eugene, Austin… it’s just very different than just a czar commissioner saying July 31, here’s what we are doing— you can’t do that. And because of that, it creates a lot of doubt. Maybe some teams don’t field teams this year. I’m still trying to stay optimistic, but there are red flags.”"

Rece Davis

Just a few days ago, ESPN College GameDay Host Rece Davis appeared on SportsCenter to talk about the upcoming season and said his confidence level was still high that the season will be played, in one way, shape or form.

"“In some form, it’s still really high. I think they’re going to play,” Davis answered. “There certainly might be some alterations to the schedule as you and I were talking earlier, particularly among teams outside the Power 5, potentially their schedules could be impacted. But I think that there’s still a great deal of optimism and reason to think the game will be played.”"

While Davis does feel pretty confident about the prospect of a season being played, he does have some concerns, as well.

"“I think there’s still so much to learn over the next couple of months,” Davis continued. “What all of these positive tests at a variety of schools across the country mean? What does it mean by virtue of the fact that, at least based on what’s been reported up to this point, it seems that not many players thankfully have not gotten seriously ill? So all of those things I think will unfold over the next several weeks, and then once to practices start, does that impact testing and sickness and that type of thing? So many things could change but I still have a great deal of optimism that there will be a season.”"

Paul Finebaum

Like him or not, Paul Finebaum certainly has a finger on the pulse of the SEC.

The SEC Network Host has been all over the place in terms of what he thinks about the 2020 College Football season, but is certainly less confident as of late.

Finebaum appeared on Gainesville radio station AM850 and said it would be a fair statement to say that there may not be a 2020 College Football season.

"“It doesn’t matter what we thought a month ago. The football season is in peril right now. I wish everyone would get on the same page and quit trying to sell a false hope. What I mean by that … you have athletic directors and people like that saying ‘we expect a full stadium on Labor Day weekend’. No they don’t. And if you look at the numbers, it’s going very badly. “I understand that we don’t know the answers yet, but let’s not con the buying public. That’s what I’ve tried to do. None of us have the answers at the moment. I think it’s time to get a reality check. Anyone that thinks this is a normal season is completely delusional. Right now I’m hoping for anything as you are, but the way the country is going from a COVID standpoint is a very dangerous sign.”"

Finebaum said he is still hopeful for a season to be played, but that the month of July will be crucial in determining what things look like and how it all plays out.

"“We all want the same thing,” Finebaum said. “I don’t know anyone that doesn’t want college football. But I do think university presidents and athletic directors are going to be careful. “And by the way, up until now, nobody’s said anything that’s incorrect. Everyone’s planning for the same thing and as I say that I’m saying that I’m looking up at my screen and Anthony Fauci is saying this thing could get a lot worse and it’s going to. So let’s try to look at it realistically. If you’re looking at it objectively and realistically, the next month is critical.”"

Will we see Clemson football games played in the fall?

Ultimately, this is the question all Clemson football fans want to know the answer to, but will have to wait a little longer.

Other CFB Analysts such as Bruce Feldman and Stewart Mandel have expressed their doubts. Many conference commissioners have remained optimistic about the prospect of having a season, but no one has made any concrete plans as of yet as to how we’ll address many of the issues that will arise with playing.

Just for reference, here’s a look at a poll we ran last week with Clemson football fans to get their thoughts on the upcoming season.

The Clemson football team, along with programs across the nation, is going to continue to prepare for the season to start on time. Clemson Athletic Director Dan Radakovich has said as much.

But the logistics are going to begin to be ironed out this month and it will be interesting to see what happens when it’s all said and done.

CFB Analysts can change their opinion on a whim and things can progress and change rapidly. But there’s no question that as we step into the month of July that this will likely determine the fate of the season and what it looks like when we *hopefully* begin play in September.