What everyone had already known was made official today.
The Big Ten has postponed its season until the spring in hopes of better health conditions for its athletes to compete.
The conference’s commissioner highlighted that there was just too much uncertainty regarding the potential medical risks its players may endure.
“As time progressed and after hours of discussion with our Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee, it became abundantly clear that there was too much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow our student-athletes to compete this fall,” said commissioner Kevin Warren.
“We know how significant the student-athlete experience can be in shaping the future of the talented young women and men who compete in the Big Ten Conference. Although that knowledge made this a painstaking decision, it did not make it difficult.”
Not too long after, the Pac-12 joined in on postponing the season to the spring, once again backing up most reports from Monday.
With two of the five major conferences opting to punt on a fall sports season the next question surrounding the season has emerged.
What happens next?
The answer seems to lie in the corner of the Big 12 who will be meeting tonight with its presidents and athletic directors to discuss the upcoming season.
As of right now both the SEC and ACC are aligned on staying the course previously laid out by its athletic directors by having the season begin in September while continuing to collect data on COVID-19.
The importance of whatever the Big 12 decides is substantial because it will likely have a massive effect on what the ACC decides to do about its fall season.
Sports Illustrated’s Ross Dellenger reported that if the Big 12 joined the Big Ten and Pac 12 in canceling the fall season the ACC would be compelled to follow.
If that is the case, then it is unlikely that only one Power Five conference, even if it’s the SEC, to continue with a fall sports season.
At some point after 6 p.m. ET, the fate of a fall college football season will be revealed, making it one of the most important and historical days in the history of the sport.
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Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77
