American Athletic Conference Teams Can Play Up To 12-Game Football Schedules
Aug 5, 2020, 4:59 PM
PROVO, UT - SEPTEMBER 11: Quarterback John O'Korn #5 of the Houston Cougars returns to the sideline during a against the BYU Cougars on September 11, 2014 at LaVell Edwards Stadium in Provo, Utah. (Photo by Jay Drowns/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jay Drowns/Getty Images)
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The American Athletic Conference has announced its plans for the fall sports season. Football for the league that brands itself as the sixth league in a “Power 6” can schedule up to 12 games this season.
We have announced the conference's plan and timeline for the start of athletics competition for the Fall 2020 season.https://t.co/59CTngWr9P
— The American (@American_Conf) August 5, 2020
From the AAC’s official press release announcing their plans for the upcoming football season.
In football, the plan calls for conference competition to begin Sept. 19 and for each of The American’s teams to play eight conference games on their originally scheduled dates. Nonconference games may be played at the discretion of the individual schools, with the understanding that the opponents will strictly adhere to protocols and standards for testing, pregame, in-game and postgame operations set by The American’s Medical Advisory Group.
Depending on the need to potentially reschedule regular-season games, The American Football Championship will be played on either Dec. 5, 12 or 19 at the stadium of the regular-season champion. A decision regarding the date of the championship game will be made no earlier than Nov. 1.
The AAC is the second conference from the Group of 5 to announce an intention to play a 12-game schedule that features four non-conference games. Sun Belt Conference was the other.
AAC’s impact on BYU
With BYU being an FBS Independent, the Cougars are keeping a close eye on decisions from all conferences in the Football Bowl Subdivision. BYU currently has one game scheduled against a program from the AAC in the Houston Cougars on Friday, October 16th in Provo.
Since BYU became an Independent in 2011, the Cougars have played 11 games against current members of the AAC. If AAC programs are looking to fill an entire 12-game schedule, BYU could make a lot of sense for those programs within the top Group of 5 conference.
Mitch Harper is a BYU Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Cougar Tracks Podcast (SUBSCRIBE) and Cougar Sports Saturday (Saturday from 12-3 pm) on KSL Newsradio. Follow him on Twitter: @Mitch_Harper.
