The Big Ten made news in early August when league officials decided to cancel all fall sports – including of course, schools’ biggest money-maker, football.
Now, in an official statement Wednesday, the conference announced that they are restarting the fall football season and will return to kickoff set for the weekend of Aug. 23rd.
They have scheduled an 8-game, conference-only season in eight weeks, two games fewer than the SEC’s 2020 slate, with no bye-weeks.
Per the Big Ten:
“The Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C) adopted significant medical protocols including daily antigen testing, enhanced cardiac screening and an enhanced data-driven approach when making decisions about practice/competition. The COP/C voted unanimously to resume the football season starting the weekend of October 23-24, 2020.”
It seems that the league office gave-in to the immense pressures to reconsider their decision to cancel football from coaches, players and their families.
There are currently over 300,000 signatures on the We Want To Play movement’s petition to the Big Ten’s original decision, popularized mostly by former Georgia quarterback, now Ohio State Buckeye Heisman hopeful Justin Fields
The real question is now, what will Big Ten football look like compared to that of the SEC? They start a month later and, as mentioned earlier, have an eight-game lineup in eight weeks with no byes.
Plus, the Big Ten’s policy for an athlete testing positive for Covid-19 is a minimum quarantine of 21 days. So, one outbreak and your season is thrown way off the rails.
Per the Big Ten:
“The earliest a student-athlete can return to game competition is 21 days following a COVID-19 positive diagnosis.”
Add the lay off after the season cancellation and Big Ten teams start at a disadvantage. However, Ohio State should have a straight shot to the playoff because of opt-outs from athletes of programs like Maryland and Michigan State.
Truly an unprecedented time for everyone right now. Check back for more updates as more news regarding the Big Ten’s decision rolls in.