FAYETTEVILLE — 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.