ESPN college football analyst Paul Finebaum says athletic departments across the country could find themselves "under water" without college football. Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN analyst says coaches, ADs expect to play college football this year

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 5/12/20

One day after ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum likened NCAA president Mark Emmert to Bozo the Clown after Emmert said fall sports such as college football won't occur if students can't return to campuses amid the coronavirus pandemic, Finebaum spoke about a potential football season during a Tuesday morning appearance on "Get Up."

"This is going to be survival of the fittest. This is a brutal game. And if you can play, you play. If you don't, you get run over and left behind."@finebaum on the roller coaster that will be the upcoming CFB season. pic.twitter.com/oG2KSGkyJA
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) May 12, 2020

Finebaum explained that "almost every coach, athletic director and commissioner we've spoken to has the same feeling: We are going to play" college football this year.

The SEC insider said athletic departments around the country could find themselves "under water" without college football, and that the Power 5 conference commissioners will make final decisions about the upcoming season.

Later on Tuesday morning, Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, hinted to a Senate committee that he doesn't envision a treatment or vaccine protecting students by the start of fall terms:

Dr. Anthony Fauci says the idea of having treatments or a vaccine as students begin school is “a bit of a bridge too far.”

“Even at the top speed we’re going, we don’t see a vaccine playing in the ability of individuals going back to school this term.” https://t.co/jKdLnMqXFJ pic.twitter.com/NIiDxFreyL
— ABC News (@ABC) May 12, 2020

Finebaum also reported that the Alabama-USC game scheduled for Sept. 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, could be scrapped because of the pandemic, and that the Crimson Tide had already reached out to TCU regarding replacing USC.

According to Alabama football insider Cecil Hurt, that may not be the case:

Received a text from Alabama AD @Greg_Byrne a few minutes ago in response to asking about possibility of an Alabama-TCU opener.

His response: “Our plan is to play USC.”
— Cecil Hurt (@CecilHurt) May 12, 2020

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