Reports surfaced Monday that the Big Ten Presidents had voted to cancel the 2020 Big Ten football season. On Tuesday, after other reports surfaced that no decision had been made, they met again and made it official.
Despite heavy pressure from league coaches, including pleas from Michigan's Jim Harbaugh, Ohio State's Ryan Day and Penn State's James Franklin, the Presidents left no doubt about the cancellation. They will attempt to play in the spring.
The Big Ten's full statement is available below:
The Big Ten Conference announced the postponement of the 2020-21 fall sports season, including all regular-season contests and Big Ten Championships and Tournaments, due to ongoing health and safety concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In making its decision, which was based on multiple factors, the Big Ten Conference relied on the medical advice and counsel of the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee.
“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 and Northwestern University President.
“The mental and physical health and welfare of our student-athletes has been at the center of every decision we have made regarding the ability to proceed forward,” said Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren. “As time progressed and after hours of discussion with our Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee, it became abundantly clear that there was too much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow our student-athletes to compete this fall.
“We know how significant the student-athlete experience can be in shaping the future of the talented young women and men who compete in the Big Ten Conference. Although that knowledge made this a painstaking decision, it did not make it difficult. While I know our decision today will be disappointing in many ways for our thousands of student-athletes and their families, I am heartened and inspired by their resilience, their insightful and discerning thoughts, and their participation through our conversations to this point. Everyone associated with the Big Ten Conference and its member institutions is committed to getting everyone back to competition as soon as it is safe to do so.”
The fall sports included in this announcement are men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball. The Big Ten Conference will continue to evaluate a number of options regarding these sports, including the possibility of competition in the spring. Decisions regarding winter and spring sports will also continue to be evaluated.
The Big Ten Conference is proud of its 14 world-class research institutions and has leveraged their resources and expertise to address this pandemic over the past five months. The Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee have engaged in extensive research and sharing of materials and conversations with federal, state and local government agencies, and professional and international sports organizations in order to track and better understand the daily updates surrounding this pandemic. Their advice and counsel have been invaluable as they have worked tirelessly over the past several months in their efforts to create and maintain a safe environment for athletics.
The Big Ten Conference will continue to work with medical experts and governmental authorities to gather additional information, evaluate emerging data and technologies, and monitor developments regarding the pandemic to make the best decisions possible for the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes.
The Big Ten reportedly hoped the ACC and SEC would follow its lead in canceling the season, but both conferences remained steadfast in their pursuit of a season. The ACC higher-ups said Monday they fully expected to proceed with a season, while SEC commissioner Greg Sankey advised patience.
"Best advice I’ve received since COVID-19: Be patient," he tweeted. "Take time when making decisions. This is all new and you’ll gain better information each day.
"The SEC has been deliberate at each step since March...slowed return to practice...delayed first game to respect start of fall semester ... developed testing protocols. We know concerns remain. We have never had a football season in a COVID-19 environment.
"Can we play? I don’t know. We haven’t stopped trying. We support, educate and care for student-athletes every day, and will continue to do so ... every day."
Still, a pall was cast across college football last week when the Mid-American Conference canceled its season, becoming the first FBS conference to shut it down. The Mountain West has followed suit, and the Big Ten and Pac-12 have reportedly been on the cusp for days.
As for a spring season ...
"Multiple [SEC] athletic directors told AL.com that a move to the spring ultimately wouldn’t work and will result in college football not happening again until fall 2021. That pessimism stems from the unlikelihood of a vaccine being ready in time for a spring season, the possibility of a COVID-19 resurgence coupling with flu season, and the possibility of large swaths of players opting out of the season. There were also health concerns, among college administrators, about trying to play two seasons in a condensed timeframe."
In short, it's hard to imagine the Big Ten feeling any different and seeing spring football work, either.
The cancellations don't just affect football. All athletic contests and conference championships for fall teams (cross country, field hockey, football, soccer, volleyball) are postponed, though the Big Ten will continue to evaluate a number of options regarding these sports, including the possibility of competition in the spring.
"Decisions regarding winter and spring sports will also continue to be evaluated," U-M said in a release. "The University of Michigan will decide on organized team and voluntary student-athlete activities as soon as information becomes available.
"For the second time in five months, the Big Ten Conference made the unfortunate but necessary decision to postpone an athletic season in order to protect the health and well-being of our student-athletes, staff, and community members," A.D. Warde Manuel said. "As a result, all fall sport schedules have been postponed. This latest decision was reached after careful consideration and the grim knowledge that this pandemic continues to affect our country adversely. I am deeply saddened for our student-athletes and remain committed to our ongoing promise to provide them with a world-class education. We remain grateful to our global Michigan family for their unwavering support."
Michigan has suspended all athletic activities, including practices, effective immediately, until further notice. This includes team practices for all fall, winter, and spring sports.
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