After the sports world was turned upside down in the last 9 months, the world was left with no idea how the return of sports would look.

Sports eventually came back but with different structures for the 2020 seasons and postseasons. For this reason, the 2020 College Football Championship should have an asterisk.

In the context of sports, having an asterisk has an extremely negative connotation. This stems from voided championships because of cheating; for example, the 2017 Houston Astros. In reality, the concept of an asterisk next to a championship just means that something out of the ordinary happened in that particular season. This abnormality is often denoted in the footnote of an information page, hence the asterisk. Because of this, having an asterisk on a season does not at all mean that the championship is worth less than the likes of a normal championship.

In the case of college football, this championship will have an asterisk because this season is going to go down as the hardest season to play. All conferences have had delayed starts to the season, as well as the added complexity of figuring out safety protocols and testing for athletes and staff. In addition to this, teams have had limited spring and summer practices to physically and mentally prepare for the season. All of this year’s uncertainty also has taken a toll on players and coaches.

With all of these factors combining to create the hardest college football season ever, the 2020 College Football Championship should (and likely will) have an asterisk. Whatever happens, War Eagle and…

Be well, Auburn.

Photography: Bill M.