Sterk: Less optimism college football will play as scheduled

The coronavirus has kept college sports scrambling since it wiped out the NCAA Tournament and other sports in March. Mizzou athletic director Jim Sterk said Thursday there is less optimism than a few weeks ago that the cash cow, college football, can play.

“It continues to change daily and weekly. In a month, in two months, I’m hopeful it’s a heck of a lot better and things are better than what we have,” Sterk says. “If not, then we have to pivot and adjust our plans.”

Sterk says the SEC is still planning on a full football schedule…for now. The Big Ten announced Thursday its fall sports will only play conference games.

Sterk adds the athletic department is working on several different scenarios for stadium capacity if there are football games at Faurot Field. If social distancing is maintained, he said about 20,000 fans could be in the stadium.