The Big Ten announced last week that the fall football schedule would be pushed to the spring.
Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields is not taking that decision lying down.
The Buckeyes passer refuses to give up on a season, and created a petition on MoveOn.org to reinstate the fall football season. Fields shared the petition on social media, calling it a matter “close to his heart:”
This cause is close to my heart – please sign: https://t.co/yFKlYE7pP0
— Justin Fields (@justnfields) August 16, 2020
The petition reads in part:
We, the football players of the Big Ten, together with the fans and supporters of college football, request that the Big Ten Conference immediately reinstate the 2020 football season. Allow Big Ten players/teams to make their own choice as to whether they wish to play or opt out this fall season. Allow Big Ten players/teams who choose to opt out of playing a fall season to do so without [penalty] or repercussion.
Fields, along with Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence, is one of the college game’s biggest names. Both players have pushed in recent weeks for football to be played in the fall, and Lawrence even spoke with President Donald J. Trump about having a fall season. While the ACC is moving towards a schedule this fall, Fields and the rest of the Big Ten athletes face an uncertain future with the conference moving to a spring schedule.
As of the time of this article, over 25,000 individuals have signed the petition.