Frank Costanza
Co-Inventor of the Man's Bra
A new College Football Playoff policy written this week in response to the surging omicron variant allows for a team to advance to the national championship -- and ultimately win it -- by its opponents having to forfeit, according to an updated set of COVID-19 policies the CFP released on Wednesday.
The changes, which were made by the CFP's management committee during a video conference on Tuesday, also provide flexibility for the Jan. 10 national championship game in Indianapolis to be pushed back no later than Jan. 14.
If one team is able to play in the title game and the other can't because of COVID-19 -- and the game can't be rescheduled -- the team that can't play will forfeit and its opponent will be declared the national champion. If both teams can't play on either the original or rescheduled date, the game will be declared a "no contest" and the CFP National Championship will be vacated for this season.
If one of the four semifinalists is unable to participate because of a COVID-19 outbreak, the unavailable team will forfeit and its opponent will advance to the national championship.
If both teams are unavailable to play in a semifinal game, it would be declared a no contest and the winner of the other semifinal game would be declared the CFP national champion.
The CFP's announcement came less than 90 minutes after Alabama announced offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien and offensive line coach Doug Marrone tested positive for COVID-19. According to the statement from coach Nick Saban and athletic trainer Jeff Allen, they have "very mild symptoms" and both are expected to be able to coach against Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl.
If three semifinal teams are unable to play, the remaining healthy team would win its game by forfeit and be declared the CFP national champion.
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The changes, which were made by the CFP's management committee during a video conference on Tuesday, also provide flexibility for the Jan. 10 national championship game in Indianapolis to be pushed back no later than Jan. 14.
If one team is able to play in the title game and the other can't because of COVID-19 -- and the game can't be rescheduled -- the team that can't play will forfeit and its opponent will be declared the national champion. If both teams can't play on either the original or rescheduled date, the game will be declared a "no contest" and the CFP National Championship will be vacated for this season.
If one of the four semifinalists is unable to participate because of a COVID-19 outbreak, the unavailable team will forfeit and its opponent will advance to the national championship.
If both teams are unavailable to play in a semifinal game, it would be declared a no contest and the winner of the other semifinal game would be declared the CFP national champion.
The CFP's announcement came less than 90 minutes after Alabama announced offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien and offensive line coach Doug Marrone tested positive for COVID-19. According to the statement from coach Nick Saban and athletic trainer Jeff Allen, they have "very mild symptoms" and both are expected to be able to coach against Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl.
If three semifinal teams are unable to play, the remaining healthy team would win its game by forfeit and be declared the CFP national champion.
CFP: Champion can win via COVID-related forfeit
The College Football Playoff committee has issued a new policy that allows a team to advance to the national championship -- and ultimately win the title -- if opponents have to forfeit.
