SEC suggests at least 53 scholarship players for each football game

In this Dec. 5, 2014, file photo, SEC logo is displayed on the field ahead of the Southeastern Conference championship football game between Alabama and Missouri in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Bazemore, File)

— SEC football games can be rescheduled or declared a no-contest this season if one team does not meet benchmark roster requirements.

A game could be rescheduled or called off if a team does not have at least 53 scholarship players available, including 1 scholarship quarterback; 7 scholarship offensive linemen, including at least 1 scholarship center; or 4 scholarship defensive linemen available at the time of kickoff, according to SEC protocols announced Friday.

The roster minimums are not required to play a game, meaning a team could elect to play if it falls under one or more benchmarks.

According to the SEC, a team can request a game be rescheduled for "compelling reasons," regardless of roster minimums. In the event a game cannot be rescheduled it will be declared a no-contest. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey will have the final say on which games are rescheduled or called off.

Teams typically have 85 players on scholarship, plus several walk-ons to create a 120-man eligible roster. However, rosters are expected to be limited at times this season due to covid-19-related protocols.

Any team personnel who tests positive for the virus will be required to be quarantined for 14 days. A quarantine will also be required for an individual who is in close contact with someone who tests positive, with close contact defined as within 6 feet of an infected individual for at least 15 minutes during a two-day window prior to a positive test.

Concessions can be made for players who test positive twice within a 90-day window. At Arkansas, the football team will be tested three times each week.

The Razorbacks are scheduled to begin their season with a home game against No. 4 Georgia on Sept. 26. That is the start date for all 14 SEC teams.