Ten-Game Conference-Only Slate Gaining Steam for Big Ten

News emerged on Wednesday that momentum for a ten-game conference-only slate is picking up.

Schools across the country announced preventative measures for the return of student-athletes earlier this month in an effort to resume offseason workouts. Maryland was among the schools to announce detailed plans for the return of their student-athletes beginning June 8 as they were the latest school to implement stringent measures. “We have developed a holistic approach to the health and safety of student-athletes for the Maryland Athletics program,” said Dr. Yvette Rooks, Head Team Physician and Assistant Director of University Health Center for Sports Medicine, in a statement.

While Maryland has avoided a positive case of COVID-19 in the ten days they’ve been on campus, officials across the country continue to evaluate the fluid situation as Arkansas, Auburn, Florida State, Oklahoma State and Kansas State are among the long list of schools to have positive cases in recent weeks. As the NCAA, conferences and universities coordinate their efforts throughout the fluid situation, the Big Ten is strongly considering a 10-game conference-only schedule this season according to Austin Ward of Letterman Row.

“Decisions are still a couple weeks away, but the momentum for conference-only schedules is real. Multiple sources have indicated the Big Ten is looking at the possibility of a 10-game, league-only slate,” he wrote on Twitter.

Decisions are still a couple weeks away, but the momentum for conference-only schedules is real. Multiple sources have indicated the Big Ten is looking at the possibility of a 10-game, league-only slate. https://t.co/XcNYFAk42g

— Austin Ward (@AWardSports) June 17, 2020

A ten-game slate would wipe away home games against for Maryland against Towson and Northern Illinois to kick off the season, while the long-awaited week three matchup between Maryland and West Virginia would likely be postponed until 2021. Currently, the Terps have nine Big Ten games scheduled and under this format, they’d kick the season off with a home game against Minnesota.

2020 schedule:

October 3: Minnesota @ Maryland

October 10: Maryland @ Indiana

October 17: Maryland @ Northwestern

October 24: Wisconsin @ Maryland

October 31: Rutgers @ Maryland

November 7: Maryland @ Michigan

November 14: Ohio State @ Maryland

November 21: Maryland @ Penn State

November 28: Michigan State @ Maryland

The Big Ten would need to add one game to every team’s 2020 schedule in order to make the ten-game conference-only slate feasible, but the approach could help stave a conference title game with the proposed model.

Meanwhile, the NCAA Division I Football Oversight Committee on Wednesday approved the proposed plan to allow summer activities to begin on July 13 before meetings and walkthroughs are permissible beginning July 24. Under the plan, fall camp is allowed to begin on August 7 while those playing in Week 0 can move their timeline up one week.

During the summer access period beginning June 24, teams are allowed up to eight hours per week for weight training, conditioning and film review, one hour per day for a walk-through which may include a football and one hour a day for meetings while two days off are required. More details on the new preseason practice schedule here.