NCAA FBS schools, TV networks agree to push schedule deadline

The Sun Belt Conference, along with the other eight Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) conferences, announced a joint statement with CBS Sports, ESPN, FOX Sports and their affiliated networks on Monday.

The two sides agreed to extend the June 1 deadline to decide on the 2020 college football season’s early game times. The kickoff times and network designations will be announced at a later date.

The season is in a current state of flux as the coronavirus pandemic has altered the sport’s standard offseason timeline. Spring training was cut short mid-March. The NCAA Division I Council voted on Friday to allow voluntary workouts to resume on June 1 and extending the waiver on eight hours of required virtual, nonphysical activities.

“The return of voluntary activity in addition to the extension of the waiver to allow virtual, nonphysical activity shows sensitivity to local, state and regional differences in how Division I campuses are reopening,” Council chair M. Grace Calhoun said in a statement. “We will continue to be considerate of these differences with wise and flexible administration of our regulations, and we expect schools to keep the well-being of student-athletes as a priority.”

Countable, required athletic activities remain prohibited for all football and basketball student-athletes through at least June 30.