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UPDATE
It’s official. The Big Ten has announced it has postponed the 2020-21 fall sports season, including all regular-season contests, Big Ten Championships and Tournaments, due to ongoing health and safety concerns related to the coronavirus.
“Our primary responsibility is to make the best possible decisions in the interest of our students, faculty and staff,” said Morton Schapiro, Chair of the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors.
The Pac-12 is expected to follow suit in the coming days.
It’s finally happened.
According to Pete Thamel and Bruce Feldman, Big Ten presidents have voted to postpone the fall season with hopes they can play in the spring.
BREAKING: The Big Ten presidents have voted to postpone the 2020 college football season with hopes of playing in the spring, per sources.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) August 11, 2020
Sources: Big Ten is announcing that the fall is cancelled. League will attempt to play in the spring.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 11, 2020
News broke Sunday that the Big Ten was set to cancel its 2020 season due to the coronavirus, so it’s no surprise to see it finally come to fruition. It’s still a crushing blow for college football, which may not have a season at all this fall.
However, the SEC and ACC have made it clear they’re still pressing ahead, regardless of what the Big Ten decided to do. But even if there is football this fall, it won’t be the same with teams like Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State sitting at home.
Of course, there’s a chance some of those teams try to play with another conference this fall, but that looks unlikely at this time. SEC commissioner Greg Sankey called that scenario “unrealistic.”
And while the league says it will try to play in the spring, it’s going to be very challenging to make that happen. That’s why today’s decision by the Big Ten to postpone the season feels more like it’s being outright cancelled.