The college football season began over the weekend for many universities across the country.

There were several upsetting scenes during these games, especially in the games where fans were allowed in the stadium with limited seating.

Despite many stadiums requiring social distancing and masks, fans were soon bunched together and few masks could be found in many crowd shots.

We at the Daily Eastern News feel that there should not be college football games this season, and are pleased that the Eastern football team in not playing.

We certainly wish that sports could be safely played, but that is simply not the case.

Some teams had to play games with a smaller roster as a result of COVID-19 cases on the team or the need for other players to isolate as a part of contact tracing efforts. Being forced to put players into games who may not be ready can be risky and can possibly lead to injury. Also, many teams likely had less practice time during the offseason, which can also lead to injuries.

And at the universities where fans can attend games, the risks are apparent. Putting people together in a stadium and asking them to stay separate is unrealistic.

People want to get together and have fun during sporting events or take off their masks to cheer and yell. They should be able to resist these urges if they care about their own safety, but some clearly cannot control themselves. The only way to stop this from happening is to take away the temptation.

We are sure that it has been very difficult for the teams who will not play this season. Football is their livelihood. We also understand why many teams want to play, and why the financial aspect can cause many universities to feel the need to take the field.

We also recognize that it is too unsafe at this time, and hope that no large outbreaks come out of the games that are happening.