The worst could be ahead for football and COVID-19, Duke’s David Cutcliffe says
While the schedule has predictably been fluid, David Cutcliffe isn’t one to let perfect be the enemy of good when it comes to college football during the coronavirus pandemic.
Cutcliffe’s Duke team hasn’t played since Nov. 7. Georgia Tech, Duke’s opponent on Saturday night, hasn’t played since Oct. 31.
Still, Cutcliffe said players around the ACC have stuck with the strict protocols aimed at slowing the coronavirus’ spread enough to make the oft-interrupted season successful thus far.
“We’ve gotten to play a lot of football,” Cutcliffe said Monday. “I think it’s remarkable what players across the league did to be able to make that work.”
That said, he decided last week that asking his players to stay among themselves on an otherwise empty campus and go through daily testing for an additional two weeks next month for one more game wasn’t fair.
Duke and Wake Forest were supposed to play last Saturday at Wallace Wade Stadium. But, due to positive cases in Wake Forest’s program, the ACC called the game off. The only date Wake Forest had available to make the game up was Dec. 19. But that was two weeks after Duke’s final scheduled game, Dec. 5 at home with Florida State.
Cutcliffe attempted to have the Duke-Wake game rescheduled for Dec. 12. But Wake is set to play Notre Dame that day in a game rescheduled from earlier this season due to COVID-19 issues at Notre Dame.
Since Duke’s protocols have kept the virus at bay enough for the Blue Devils to be available for all their scheduled games this season, Cutcliffe thought it fair for his team to get that date with Wake instead.
With the ACC unwilling to make that accommodation, Cutcliffe decided the game with Wake couldn’t be made up.
“So, with that, we just decided that it was in the best interest of Duke football just to go ahead and let the game not be played,” Cutcliffe said.
That means, for the first time since 1966, the two ACC rivals will not play a football game against one another.
Blue Devils, Yellow Jackets get unexpected breaks
Georgia Tech’s last game was a 31-13 loss at home to Notre Dame on Halloween. COVID-19 issues at Georgia Tech, Pitt and Miami have given the Yellow Jackets an unscheduled extended break from games since then.
Duke hasn’t played since losing 56-24 to North Carolina on Nov. 7.
On Nov. 16, the ACC announced Georgia Tech’s game with Miami scheduled for Nov. 21 was off due to Miami’s COVID-19 issues. The following day, the league called off the Duke-Wake game.
At that time, Cutcliffe thought about having his team play the Yellow Jackets a week ahead of time since both were suddenly available and well rested.
“My thought was `Why don’t we make hay while the sun shines?’” Cutcliffe said.
The idea failed to gain traction. Cutcliffe wanted to play as soon as possible because, with the virus raging at an out-of-control rate all over the country, according to public health officials, he believes bigger problems with games lie ahead in December.
“I think things are going to get tough down the stretch,” Cutcliffe said. “I’ve got my fingers crossed that we stay healthy and that the opponents we have stay healthy and we can complete a college football season.”
Will Duke play in a bowl game?
Duke (2-6, 1-6 ACC) is set to play at Georgia Tech on Saturday at 7 p.m. and Florida State at home on Dec. 5 before the players are allowed to disperse from campus for the first time since mid-July.
Because the NCAA ruled there is no minimum number of wins required to participate in a bowl game, the Blue Devils could technically have a postseason game if they are needed. But Cutcliffe, conceding that anything is possible in 2020, said Duke would have to consider many factors -- starting with where and when -- before accepting an invitation.
“It would depend on how much of a delay there would be because again it goes back to the safety of the players,” Cutcliffe said. “It would again be the period of time. I’d have to talk to our people about the protocols and quarantining upon a return when you come back from being away at home. All of those things would enter in because the health, well-being and the conditioning level of your team, all of that would have to enter into your thought process.”
Duke at Georgia Tech
When: 7 p.m., Saturday
Where: Bobby Dodd Stadium, Atlanta
Watch: RSN