Fate of Big Ten in Limbo Ahead of New Vote

Circus week could lead to a new vote ahead of plans for a 2020 fall season.

The Big Ten continues to be at the forefront of discussion across college sports despite the previous decision to postpone fall sports. After initial speculation as to whether a vote did take place prior to the decision, the Big Ten confirmed on Monday that conference presidents and chancellors voted 11-3 in favor of postponing the season while Iowa, Nebraska and Ohio State were the three schools to vote in favor. using Twitter to urge the Big Ten to resume play this fall,

U.S. president Donald Trump took to Twitter on Tuesday morning during his morning ritual on the toilet to convey he had a “productive” meeting with Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren as the conference confirmed such in a statement. "A White House representative reached out to Big Ten Conference commissioner Kevin Warren on Monday, August 31, 2020 to facilitate a phone call between President Donald J. Trump and Commissioner Warren," the Big Ten said in a statement. "On Tuesday, September 1, 2020, Commissioner Warren and the President had a productive conversation.”

"The Big Ten Conference and its Return to Competition Task Force, on behalf of the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C), are exhausting every resource to help student athletes get back to playing the sports they love, at the appropriate time, in the safest and healthiest way possible."

The fight for transparency continued in the following weeks as the father of Ohio State cornerback Shaun Wade organized protests with parents of Big Ten athletes in consecutive weeks. While head coach Scott Frost and Nebraska have been outspoken in their critique of Warren and the Big Ten, eight Husker football players have moved forward with their lawsuit against the Big Ten as the conference was ordered on Tuesday to “produce more information and documents regarding the ‘vote,’ as well as the governing documents related to the decision-making process. Meanwhile, Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh added flame to the fire on Wednesday morning after saying, “I’ll throw a little controversy out there, this is my position, I say free the Big Ten. Free the Big Ten.”

Ohio State president Kristina Johnson came forward later that day by reaffirming the possibility of playing later this fall.

“We want to make sure our athletes get a shot because they’ve worked really hard and they deserve a shot to play,” Johnson told NBC4 in Columbus. “At the same time, we want to make sure that they’re safe, so we’re doing our work, we’ll come back and I’m very hopeful that we’ll be playing football this fall.”

David Biddle of Bucknuts reported on Tuesday evening that Big Ten president and chancellors will reconvene as early as Friday for a second vote whether a fall season is in store. While Maryland continues to move forward with the hybrid practice model, their fate for the 2020 season could be determined in the coming days.