Big Ten potentially considering fall college football; Pac-12 to follow suit?
Uh oh, the Pac-12 may be in trouble.
After the conference made the decision on August 11 to cancel all fall sports, with the idea of potentially suspending the fall football season until the spring, it was met with extreme controversy.
It was assumed that the Pac-12 CEO's made the correct decision in regards to the health and safety of its players and coaches.
“The health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes and all those connected to Pac-12 sports has been our number one priority since the start of this current crisis,” Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said in a statement. “Our student-athletes, fans, staff and all those who love college sports would like to have seen the season played this calendar year as originally planned, and we know how disappointing this is.”
What made the decision go easier throughout the nation and college sports world was the fact that the Big Ten made the exact decision hours before the Pac-12 announced its plan.
“We’ve known for some time that this was a possibility, however, it is still disappointing news for our program, our fans and especially for our student-athletes,” Whittingham said. “We respect the guidance of the Pac-12 Medical Advisory Committee and the decision made today by the Pac-12 CEO group, and we will continue to put our focus on our player’s academics and their development. Our No. 1 priority is always the well-being of our players, and their health and safety come first.”
While the Big Ten and Pac-12 opted out, the SEC, ACC and Big 12 all proceeded to more forward with the upcoming season, albeit modified with start dates ranging between mid-September and the end of the month.
Now reports have begun to surface that the Big Ten is reconsidering its cancellation.
According to Bruce Feldman from The Athletic, Big Ten coaches met on a call Friday afternoon discussing the possibility of a return in late fall or in the winter in early January. Ultimately the decision won't come down to the coaches — who all probably want to play this fall — is still going to come down to university presidents.
This conversation between the coaches comes one day after eight Nebraska football players filed a lawsuit against the Big Ten conference following the postponement of the 2020 college football season.
Now with the Big Ten potentially considering a return to football this fall, which could begin sometime between Halloween and Thanksgiving, what does that mean for the Pac-12?
The Pac-12 has yet to have any conversations regarding the matter, but the plan concocted must be presented and approved by the Pac-12 CEO's, individuals who make all the final decisions.
Stay tuned for more updates...
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