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From the SI report that the Power Five was likely to cancel the 2020 college football season to rumblings heard around the internet that the Big Ten was in process of it, but wasn’t ready to formally get to the point where it would end the season before it happened, the Detroit Free Press is now reporting that it’s all but official.
Citing sources who couldn’t yet go on the record, the Freep says that the Big Ten has canceled the season, but won’t announce its demise until Tuesday.
See you later, college football.
The Big Ten has voted to cancel the 2020 college football season in a historic move that stems from concerns related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, multiple people with knowledge of the decision confirmed to the Free Press.
The sources requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the decision. A formal announcement is expected to Tuesday, the sources said.
We’ve certainly known that this was coming, with all the reports coming out over the weekend.
And we also know, from what Dan Patrick said on his radio show, that 12 of the 14 Big Ten presidents voted against a season, while Iowa and Nebraska voted for a season.
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The decision to cancel the season comes in the wake of a suddenly loud movement by college football players and coaches, banding together under the hashtags #WeWantToPlay and #WeWantToCoach, begging for the opportunity to take the field this fall while defending the protocols their institutions have put in place in response to COVID-19.
Additionally, U.S. senator Ben Sasse (R-NE) sent a letter to the Big Ten on Monday, asking for the conference to reconsider the cancellation of the season.
Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) has drafted a letter that he plans to send to Big Ten presidents, identifying reasons why he believes college football should be played.@SINow obtained a copy.
Sasse is a former university president. pic.twitter.com/xrpRjiWREf
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 10, 2020
All too little, too late it seems, as we wait now for the formal announcement on Tuesday.
It is not yet known whether or not the other Power Five conferences will play this fall or join the Big Ten on the sideliness.