Half of CSU's 2020 non-conference schedule is in jeopardy after report that the Pac-12 is expected to go to a conference-only model

FORT COLLINS, Colo. — After years of anticipation, it seems unlikely that Colorado State will get an opportunity to host the Rocky Mountain Showdown this fall.

Following yesterday’s news that the Big Ten will only be playing conference games this season, Nicole Auerbach reported that the Pac 12 is expected to announce the same in coming days.

Although it’s unofficial at this point, if the Pac-12 does move to a conference-only model like the Big Ten, it would significantly impact CSU’s 2020 schedule.

The Rams are currently slated to host Colorado on Sept. 5 — in what would only be the fourth edition of an RMS in Fort Collins since 1960. Then in Week 2, CSU is supposed to face Oregon State on the road for the second game of their home-and-home agreement.

Losing both of those games — especially the first home game against CU since 1996 — would be extremely disappointing for a multitude of reasons.

For starters, the schedule becomes a whole lot less interesting for the fans. Aside from 2017, when the Rams played at Oregon State, faced CU in Denver, and traveled to No. 1 Alabama, 2020 was supposed to be one of CSU’s most intriguing non-conference slates ever.

Even if the stands are completely empty or filled with a limited capacity, there still would be a ton of interest in every single one of CSU’s 2020 non-conference opponents. After all it’s not very often that CSU gets to host two in-state foes and travel for winnable games against teams from major conferences.

Losing the games would also be disappointing from an exposure standpoint though. Along with winning, facing bigger schools on national TV is how you raise the status of your program.

Regardless of what happens in 2020, CSU will have a chance to host Vandy and travel to Iowa in 2021, before facing Michigan State and Washington State on the road in 2022. Not to mention the Rams have a trip to Texas in 2024, as well as home games against Washington State (2023), Colorado (2024) and Texas Tech (2025) scheduled over the next five years.

With a first-year staff, though, it would just be beneficial for the Rams to receive some positive attention early.  Steve Addazio and Co. have already turned some heads with their recruiting efforts but we all know the season is when things really counts.

A win against a Pac-12 school would not only go a long way with the fans, it would help validate Addazio in the eyes of high school recruits that might be on the fence.

At this point, with the future of the schedule still in flux, it doesn’t really make sense for the Ram faithful to totally freak out just yet. As of Friday morning, the Pac-12 hasn’t officially put anything out about only playing league games. Neither has the SEC.

But even if they do, like most expect them to — for all we know, every league in America could end up playing conference-only schedules this season.

As many have pointed out on Twitter, with the NCAA deciding not to establish universal guidelines for how to operate throughout this pandemic, there is some logic in leagues looking to take as much control over the situation as possible.

Alas, it’s pretty difficult not to see the writing on the wall. If the 2020 college footballs season does occur, it’s highly unlikely that it will feature the schedule Ram fans have been looking forward to for years. And for the lack of a better term, that really sucks, man.

With COVID-19 cases continuing to spike across the country, however, fingers crossed that we’ll even be able to have a season at all.