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There’s been a lot of optimism the past several days that the Big Ten presidents and chancellors could reinstate the 2020 college football season this fall on the heels of a revamped medical presentation on Saturday.
While reports indicated it went well, there was still no telling whether it would be enough to sway the powers that be, however.
Though, it seems that, along with a successful Saturday of Big 12 and ACC football, that it was.
According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Big Ten is set to revote and approve a fall season for its college football teams, and that Oct. 17 will be the start date for the embattled conference.
For the first time since the Big Ten shut down all fall sports on Aug. 11, people familiar with the decision have transitioned from hopeful to confident the league’s football teams will play in 2020.
Those people told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel they expect the Big Ten’s Council of Presidents and Chancellors will vote to start the season, with the target date Oct. 17.
The Council of Presidents and Chancellors voted, 11-3, last month to shut down all Big Ten fall sports because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic.
Ohio State, Nebraska and Iowa were the three schools that voted to play.
Nine votes will be needed to reverse the original decision, and Wisconsin is expected to vote yes this time.
The people who spoke on the condition of anonymity reiterated that reliable, rapid testing has played a critical role and helped turn the tide in the favor of trying to play this year.
Naturally, until the league kicks off, it’s prudent to remain cautious, especially given that it took six days from the Aug. 5 announcement of the Big Ten-only 2020 schedule before the conference ultimately put a hold on the season on Aug. 11.