2020 has been a year unlike any other, as the chaos of this year affected pretty much every aspect of life; sports were not spared in this.  At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NBA, MLB, and NHL had their seasons suspended indefinitely, and while they are back now, their seasons have been shortened and the landscape of each league has been altered.  Football was kept mostly out of the picture for a while, as football season was not initially touched by the pandemic due to timing, but as we got closer to football season, there were worries about how the season would happen, if at all; and while the NFL seemed to be set to play, there was more concern over college football.

These fears became reality on August 11 for some, as the Big 10 and Pac 12 conferences voted to postpone their seasons.  Some expected this to signify the opening of the floodgates regarding the cancellation of the season for everyone.  However, this did not happen, and a number of the other conferences in America proceeded as expected, with COVID-19 restrictions in place.  The season began in early September, and while there have been games cancelled because of coronavirus concerns at schools such as Notre Dame and Baylor, the season has been a general success, with most teams reporting zero positive tests each week.  In fact, the season has been going so well that the Big 10 and Pac 12 conferences, after postponing their respective seasons in August, have voted to reinstate the season.  This is of special significance to many in New Jersey, as Rutgers plays in the Big 10.  While Rutgers has not been very good in recent years and is not expected to be this year, one positive is that Greg Schiano, who coached Rutgers to six bowl games from 2001-2011, has returned as head coach after almost ten years away.  Rutgers and its fans hope that Schiano can replicate his former success and revive the program.  First, though, this season has to actually happen.

As of right now, the outlook on the college football season is much more positive than it was a month or two ago.  It is still not certain that the season will finish, though.  The players, coaches, and everyone around the teams will need to keep careful and healthy, as a few positive cases of coronavirus could derail the whole season for everyone.  While this season is like no other, and as strange as it is to see the players playing in empty stadiums, the fact that we are seeing football at all is a very welcome sight for many.