ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum thinks the possibility of college football this season is below 50 percent. Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN's Paul Finebaum: College football season 'is in peril right now'

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 7/3/20

While professional sports across the country are set to get underway in the coming weeks and months, colleges around the nation are still trying to figure out whether it'll be safe to begin their seasons in the fall.

Many colleges and universities already have informed students of online platforms for classes, and it's only a matter of time before fall athletics are postponed or canceled.

The college football season is the cause of most concern among analysts and sports fans, and while many originally thought there was a strong possibility of having a season, ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum says the chance of playing this season is now below 50 percent.

"It's below 50% right now [on whether a college football season is played]. ... College football is in peril right now."

—@finebaum pic.twitter.com/js3XhmaPSL
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) July 3, 2020

Morehouse College in Atlanta likely paved the way for many schools to cancel their fall athletic seasons after announcing last week that their college football team will not be playing games this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Bowdoin College in Maine also canceled its fall athletic season due to the pandemic, so it's only a matter of time before larger schools make the decision.

Many Division I colleges across the nation have reported double-digit coronavirus cases, including Clemson, which has seen 37 football players test positive for COVID-19. South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said in a Thursday news conference that if cases in his state continue to rise, then he won't be allowing college or high school football to be played this fall — putting Clemson at risk of not having a season after winning two of the past four national titles.

Schools in Arizona and California also are in jeopardy due to a spike in coronavirus cases in each state. The outbreak has even forced the Pac-12 Conference to consider options for the fall season, including a delayed start or postponing of the season until the spring.

Ultimately, Finebaum says college football "is in peril right now," and many are becoming more nervous as the weeks roll on and the college football season approaches.

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