In the midst of a worldwide pandemic, sports have been severely impacted. Leagues have been suspended for long periods of time, countless protocols have been implemented, and we are just recently seeing certain sports come back and resume play. However, one of the sports most severely impacted by COVID-19 has been college football.
While schools all across the country have welcomed students back onto campus, some major Power Five conferences have decided to suspend their seasons. While conferences such as the SEC, Big-12, and ACC have all committed to playing fall football, others like the Pac-12 and Big Ten have decided to forgo fall football and hopefully play in the spring.
One of the schools impacted by the Big Ten and their decision not to play in the fall is the University of Michigan, where Ravens coach John Harbaugh’s brother Jim coaches. John Harbaugh rallied for college football to return.
“This is my position: I say, ‘Free the Big Ten. Free the Big Ten! Let’s go. Let’s go play some football. Let’s get Michigan and Ohio State and all those great teams playing amazing football out there.'”
Harbaugh pointed to the fact that Michigan had no positive tests in the month of August and that players and coaches have been doing an exceptional job of following protocols.
While Michigan has seen few cases, that’s not the same everywhere. And one of the top concerns about returning too soon is the lack of information about the long-term effects of the virus. Beyond just the initial illness and the risks associated, some recovered patients have been found to have myocarditis — inflammation that weakens the heart and can lead to further medical issues, including heart failure. Of the Big Ten athletes that did contract the virus, “30 to roughly 35 percent” indicated symptoms of myocarditis, according to Penn State director of athletic medicine Wayne Sebastianelli.
The NFL has done a great job getting its players and coaches ready for the season, as indicated by the very low infection rate thus far. Harbaugh would like to see college football do the same. He joins a growing number of athletes, fans, and even the President of the United States in calling for the conference to open back up for football.
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