Will There Be A Vote And What Would The Result Be?

Ever since the Big Ten season was cancelled on August 11, it seems like we've heard about a potential vote taking place to reinstate the season every other day. Well, here's today's edition.

Per Bruce Feldman, there has been significant traction among Big Ten administrators regarding the conference's return to play and discussions over the weekend could result in a final decision. The vote is reportedly going to happen tomorrow with a potential return date of October 17.

Do we actually think that's going to happen? Here are our takes...

Brandon Brown

As someone who covers this stuff for a living, I'm pretty over it. They did vote. They didn't vote. There was a vote but it wasn't that bad. Actually, it was 11-3 in favor of not playing. Some presidents want football. Some don't. It's ok, they're going to revote. Actually, they aren't. Sorry about the confusion. Athletes with COVID are basically guaranteed to have issues later on in life. Oops, that report was actually completely wrong. Apologies again.

It's just really tiring. We're reporting on whatever we get our hands on and no one actually seems to know what's real and legitimate and what's not. We have to backpedal and rerelease information by the hour because we all just want to hear and believe SOMETHING.

With all that said, I think there will actually be a revote. There's been a ton of backlash from players and parents and the three biggest-name coaches in the Big Ten — Ryan Day, James Franklin and Jim Harbaugh. As I'm watching Notre Dame play against Duke, there's a ton of pressure to get the action going in the Big Ten. When that vote happens, however, I just don't see how it will change anything. Wisconsin is battling a serious outbreak right now and isn't practicing or preparing for everything. Rutgers had to deal with something similar not long ago. Throw in the fact that some big time academic institutes like Michigan and Northwestern don't seem willing to risk it and I don't know how the overall outcome can be any different. I want it to be, but I just don't see it happening.

Steve Deace

I think a vote will absolutely happen this time. And I think it will be recorded and transparent. In other words, it will be done completely different from the star chamber they did before when they shut down the season prematurely. I also don’t think they’d hold another vote unless they were going to play. To go through this whole process again, and then still cancel while there’s actual games taking place, would be even dumber and more devastating than the original decision was

Eric Rutter

The more time that passes, the less confident I am that the Big Ten plays football this fall. Actually, that implies that I have any confidence at all on the matter. It seems like everybody is geared into the previews of a movie they've seen five times before and are still expecting a different result. Could a vote happen? Sure. Maybe a vote happens this weekend, but a vote was supposed to be last Friday, and weren't there two votes before that? I'll believe it when I see it. Perhaps I'll see it this Sunday. Time will tell.

As for the result of the alleged vote, I don't see it being unanimous as Brad Galli reported. Right now, the Wisconsin and Maryland athletic programs are dealing with pauses, and many other schools within the conference have expressed caution about this situation. I do believe more schools will vote to return to play, but it will not be as lopsided as others have stated.

Michael Spath

Put me in the camp that doesn’t think there will be a vote. We heard these same rumors a week ago and nothing has really changed. Plus, what I have been told by sources is that the Big Ten wanted a longer sample size of ACC/SEC teams playing (about a month’s worth) to study how football is impacted by COVID. Certainly the pressure lawsuits from Nebraska football players and now, potentially, lawsuits from the states of Nebraska and Ohio have put more heat on the Big Ten, but all these rumors of a vote seem to come from the same place they always have - Big Ten coaches and ADs motivated to play ASAP. Until I hear reports from the 11 school presidents that voted against playing Aug. 11, I won’t believe it.

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