Big Ten Football Announces to Begin College Football Season 2020, After Postponing Due to COVID-19

About five weeks after pushing fall sports to spring to secure players’ safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Big Ten announced Tuesday that its Council of Presidents and Chancellors voted to allow the league to play the football season beginning on Oct 23.

Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said in a statement Wednesday morning, “Our focus with the Task Force over the last six weeks was to ensure the health and safety of our student-athletes”.

“Our goal has always been to return to competition so all student-athletes can realize their dream of competing in the sports they love. We are incredibly grateful for the collaborative work that our Return to Competition Task Force have accomplished to ensure the health, safety and wellness of student-athletes, coaches and administrators.”

If all goes well, all 14 teams will play eight regular-season games in eight weeks, along with an opportunity to play a ninth game on Dec. 19, although the details of that schedule have not been released. It will allow the Big Ten to compete for the national championship.

However, this season, tickets will not be sold and fans will not be allowed to attend games, though exceptions could be made for families of athletes, coaches, as well as staff.

According to the Big Ten’s release, “Each institution will designate a Chief Infection Officer (CInO) who will oversee the collection and reporting of data for the Big Ten Conference. Team test positivity rate and population positivity rate thresholds will be used to determine recommendations for continuing practice and competition. All COVID-19 positive student-athletes will have to undergo comprehensive cardiac testing to include labs and biomarkers, ECG, Echocardiogram and a Cardiac MRI. Following cardiac evaluation, student-athletes must receive clearance from a cardiologist designated by the university for the primary purpose of cardiac clearance for COVID-19 positive student-athletes. ”

Big 10 said that shortly it will make an announcement on other fall and winter sports which begin in the fall, such as men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s swimming and diving, men’s ice hockey, and wrestling.