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Arizona president doubts 2020 college football

Field Level Media

April 23, 2020 at 3:28 pm.

Arizona president Dr. Robert Robbins said he would be surprised to see college football this fall.

Robbins said Wednesday that the university plans to have students and faculty present in Tucson for the fall semester, but he doubts sports can return during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I’m really concerned about whether we’re going to be playing football in the fall,” Robbins said in an interview with KVOI-AM in Tucson. “My sense, right now, I just don’t see that happening.”

Arizona is scheduled to begin the season Aug. 29 against Hawaii.

Robbins said his thoughts are “personal reading of tea leaves” but added that the growing sentiment seems to be moving football to the start of 2021, when it would be played concurrent to men’s and women’s basketball.

“We’re waiting to see what the NCAA does, what the Pac-12 does,” Robbins said. “As much as I want it, you know, it just seems as though if we do play any football in the fall, it’s going to be delayed because I’ve heard nothing and we’re headed to May 1. My hope is we’re going to get some clarity on this very soon, but it seems unlikely to me. I’d love to see it happen, but we’re waiting every day to get some guidance.”

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