Sports, Friday, August 7th

By: Nathan Bloechl — sports@kilj.com 

Iowa AD Barta Pens Letter Detailing 2020 Protocols:

Iowa Athletic Director Gary Barta released a letter yesterday detailing guidelines, protocols and rules for the upcoming 2020 Iowa Hawkeye football season.

Barta wrote in the letter to Iowa fans that if the Hawkeyes “play and fans are permitted to attend, the five home Big Ten Conference games will be sold as single tickets and not as a season ticket.”

He also explained that main stand and premium seating inside Kinnick Stadium will follow six-feet social distancing guidelines.

Capacity will be reduced to approximately 10-15,000 seats per game and fans will be required to wear face coverings and additional mitigation strategies have been implemented.

University of Iowa students will have access to single-game tickets in the student section. The capacity will be limited and distribution plans are still being finalized.

Parking lots will be restricted to 50 percent capacity and open four hours before kickoff.

Iowa is scheduled to open up at home against Maryland on September 5th.

Preseason Football Poll Sees Iowa and Iowa State Among Top-25:

Iowa and Iowa State are among the preseason Top-25 Coaches Poll.

Iowa checks in at #23 while the Cyclones begin the year at #25.

Clemson is the preseason number one, led by Heisman hopeful Trevor Lawrence.

The Tigers are ahead of Ohio State and Alabama, who split first-place votes with the defending champions.

The full Top 25 is here:

1. Clemson (38)

2. Ohio State (17) 

3. Alabama (4)

4. Georgia

5. LSU

6. Oklahoma

7. Penn State 

8. Florida

9. Oregon

10. Notre Dame

11. Auburn

12. Wisconsin 

13. Texas A&M

14. Texas

15. Michigan 

16. Oklahoma State

17. USC

18. Minnesota 

19. North Carolina

20. Utah

21. UCF

22. Cincinnati

23. Iowa

24. Virginia Tech

25. Iowa State

Iowa State, UNLV Modify Football Contract:

Iowa State and UNLV have mutually agreed to delay their football game scheduled for Sept. 19, 2020 to Sept. 14, 2030 in Ames, as a result of scheduling modifications by the Big 12 and Mountain West related to COVID-19.

The Cyclones will continue to play at UNLV’s Allegiant Stadium, also home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders, on Sept. 18, 2021 as initially contracted.

Iowa State last played in Las Vegas in 2008.

The schools have met five times previously on the gridiron and the Cyclones hold a 4-1 advantage.

MLB Scoreboard (8/7):

Pittsburgh 6, Minnesota 5

Colorado 6, San Francisco 4

Oakland 6, Texas 4

Los Angeles Angels 6, Seattle 1

Philadelphia 5, New York Yankees 4

Cleveland 13, Cincinnati 0

Atlanta 4, Toronto 3

Arizona 5, Houston 4

Kansas City 13, Chicago Cubs 2

Miami 8, Baltimore 7

Milwaukee 8. Chicago White Sox 3