Report: Big Ten Conference Cancels 2020 Football Season

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Big Ten is reportedly canceling the 2020 college football season.

The Detroit Free Press reported that the Big Ten presidents voted 12-2 on Sunday to end the fall sports in the conference. The Dan Patrick Show reported that Nebraska and Iowa were the two schools that voted to play.

The source told the Free Press that the Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren wants the season to be played in the spring but a final decision has not been made.

Sources: Big Ten cancels football season; no games for Michigan, Michigan State in 2020 https://t.co/ir96jXjCE1 via @freep @reporterdavidj @ByChrisThomas

— Chris Solari (@chrissolari) August 10, 2020

The Mid-American Conference became the first FBS conference to cancel their season. Sources tell the Free Press that the Big Ten is trying to coordinate their announcement with the other Power Five conferences.

Nicole Auerbach of The Athletic received word from a Big Ten spokesperson saying “no vote has been held by our presidents and chancellors.”

Big Ten spokesman says "no vote has been held by our presidents and chancellors."

— Nicole Auerbach (@NicoleAuerbach) August 10, 2020

Last week, the Big Ten released their conference-only football schedule.

Other reports have indicated that the Pac-12 will likely follow the lead of the Big Ten and cancel their season. The Pac-12 presidents and chancellors are scheduled to meet on Tuesday.

The Free Press reported that the Big Ten is expected to announce the decision on Tuesday.

If this happens, the #Pac12 will announce the same within hours … or perhaps jointly https://t.co/DYkRq8XfGj

— Jon Wilner (@wilnerhotline) August 10, 2020

Jim Harbaugh Statement

Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh released the following statement on Monday morning.

“I would like to address the rumors that are swirling today,” Harbaugh wrote. “I’m not advocating for football this fall because of my passion or our players desire to play but because of the facts accumulated over the last eight weeks since our players returned to campus on June 13. I am advocating on August 10 that this virus can be controlled and handled because of these facts:

• The Michigan football program has had 11 positive tests out of 893 administered, including three upon initial return to campus.
• We have had two positive tests out of the last 417 administered.
• We have had zero positive tests out of the last 353 administered.
• There have been zero positive tests among the coaches or staff over the entire eight weeks of testing.
• There has been no contract tracing to our fields, weight room, locker room or facility.
• We have had zero pauses in our training.
• We have compiled with all CDC guidelines and self-implemented stricter standards for contacting tracing in quarantining to prevent spread.
• We have followed all health and safety guidelines and welcome and encourage any health department, University administrators or other sports programs  to visit and see how we practice and execute these protocols.
• As Darryl Conway our Chief Medical Officer and a member of the Big Ten’s Medical Advisory Group has stated, “I wish that others could see this model.”

“This isn’t easy. This is hard.

“It is proven that the conduct, discipline and structure within our program have led to these stellar results. We respect the challenge that the virus has presented however we will not cower from it.

“We have developed a great prototype for how we can make this work and provide the opportunity for players to play. If you are transparent and follow the rules, this is how it can be done,” Harbaugh wrote.

“I am forever proud of our players, parents, coaches and staff for being leaders and role models in our sport, at our institution and in society. We will continue to follow all health and safety guidelines, teach, train, and coach those young men and their families that have put their trust in us, while advocating for a football season in the fall.

“In quoting President Theodore Roosevelt, we do this ‘so that our place will not be among the cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”

“#WEWANTTOPLAY

“#WEWANTTOCOACH”

Statement from Jim Harbaugh. pic.twitter.com/CftMW7d5lC

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) August 10, 2020

Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports. You can download and listen to the podcast, here.