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What does the Big Ten’s return mean for the college football season?

With the Big Ten back in the fold, however, what does that mean for the college football season?

On Wednesday, the Big Ten announced that it would reverse course on its earlier decision to postpone the fall season.

The conference originally cited difficulties of contact tracing and uncertainty toward the long-term effects of exposure to COVID-19 as reasons for the postponement, but the decision was controversial and the league faced significant backlash, including from within its own ranks.

The decision to reverse doesn’t come without stringent COVID-19 protocols though, or at least more stringent than those undertaken by other leagues in the Power Five. The Big Ten will attempt thorough contact tracing, and any players who test positive can’t return to competition for 21 days.

To attempt to address the issue of myocarditis, the heart condition that has been associated with those who have had COVID-19, including a number of Big Ten athletes, the league will have players who tested positive undergo extensive cardiac testing. Players will also be placed in a cardiac registry to monitor their long term effects.

With the Big Ten back in the fold, however, what does that mean for the college football season?

The conference is currently eying a return for the weekend of Oct. 24. This would, in theory, give the league enough time to complete its season in time to compete for the College Football Playoff.

For that to happen, it would take approval from the 10 FBS commissioners, with the decision likely to come down to the whims of the SEC, ACC and Big 12. Presumably, however, they would allow the Big Ten to do so despite playing a shortened season.

Players from the Big Ten who decided to opt-out, such as star Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons, would be allowed to return to school as long as they haven’t signed an agent.

Though four-fifths of the Power Five are now back on track for a fall season, it seems unlikely the Pac-12 will return this season.

State regulations in California and Oregon prevent teams from even having contact practices, and university presidents in the conference won’t vote to resume play until that changes.

The Pac-12 has more extensive barriers preventing a season, and it’s unlikely it could start play this fall until late November or even December. Such a start would almost certainly exclude it from the College Football Playoff.

But one thing is certain: With the Big Ten’s midseason return, this college football season is shaping up to be as bizarre and unprecedented as promised.

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