The leadershi of the best-known conference in college football has a lot to consider. Bryan Lynn-USA TODAY Sports

SEC commish: Time 'slipping away' for college football season amid pandemic

By Zac Wassink | Last updated 7/13/20

Less than a week after SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said "I’ve been optimistic, but I’m prepared that optimism is not reality" regarding a 2020 college football season, he offered a bleak outlook on football and fall sports.

As noted by The Athletic's Stewart Mandel, Sankey appeared on Monday's edition of "The Paul Finebaum Show" and said, "time is an asset that's rapidly slipping away."

Sankey: "Time is an asset that's rapidly slipping away. ... The fact we've seen increasing cases over the last few weeks across our region is not a positive indicator."
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) July 13, 2020

Sankey: "We have see a change in public health trends" to feel comfortable playing sports this fall.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) July 13, 2020

The Ivy League and Patriot League canceled all fall sports due to the uncontrolled virus outbreak. Meanwhile, the Big 10 and Pac-12 adopted conference-only schedules.

Sankey told Finebaum he hasn't yet arrived at either of those destinations:

Sankey on conference-only scheduling: "We are not at at that destination. A number of our colleague conferences are not at that destination."
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) July 13, 2020

Sankey: "I talk to you today not knowing what will happen in the fall, but I also feel a responsibility not to say, OK, we're done ... I've been very consistent that to the extent we can use time to make decisions, I'm going to heed that guidance."
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) July 13, 2020

Sankey plans to follow in the footsteps of the ACC and Big 12 and wait to make a decision until late this month:

In summation (Sankey interview on @finebaum)

-- SEC won't be making any decisions about the season until late July.

-- They will be watching closely to see whether COVID-19 cases/hospitalization trends improve.

-- Big Ten/Pac-12 scheduling decisions won't impact theirs.
— Stewart Mandel (@slmandel) July 13, 2020

Want college football? Sankey recommends you wear masks when out in public and keep adhering to strict social-distancing guidelines:

#SEC commish Greg Sankey on @finebaum: "There has to be more intent on heeding the guidance provided.”

And then goes on to list them: social distancing, face masks, etc.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 13, 2020

Earlier in the day, Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard wrote that it's estimated the school's athletic program could lose roughly $40 million if no fall sports are played amid the pandemic.

More must-reads: