College athletes who play fall sports, including football, will be given a free year of eligibility no matter how much they compete over the next 10 months if an NCAA recommendation is approved later this week. Two people with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press the NCAA Division I Council voted Wednesday to recommend all athletes whose fall seasons will be altered by the pandemic should get the year of eligibility back. If the board signs off, all athletes, whether they play or opt-out because of concerns about COVID-19, will not be docked one of their four years of eligibility. The Mid-American Conference and Mountain West have also postponed fall sports among those in the NCAA's highest-tier of football. In the second tier of Division I, which has an NCAA playoff, all the conferences have postponed fall sports, though a few schools are scheduled to play non-conference football games.

Source: Fox News August 19, 2020 23:26 UTC