Big 10 and Pac-12 Decide to Postpone 2020 Football Season Until the Spring

Big 10 and Pac-12 Decide to Postpone 2020 Football Season Until the Spring

On August 11, both the Big 10 and the Pac-12 conferences voted to postpone their 2020 college football seasons. Now, the two conferences hope to reconvene in the spring.

In a statement issued by Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren, he said that after many discussions it became very clear that there were too many uncertainties to continue on with their regular schedule.

“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. Everyone associated with the Big Ten Conference and its member institutions is committed to getting everyone back to competition as soon as it is safe to do so.” 

Shortly thereafter, the Pac-12 also revealed their decision to postpone as well. Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott then released a statement of his own.

“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. 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.”

However, with Big 10 and Pac-12’s decision to postpone this season, the three other major conferences in the FBS, the ACC, SEC, and Big 12, are still committed to playing in the fall thus far. According to CNN, the SEC is reportedly actively recruiting other schools to join the league in an effort to proceed with the season.

And as At The Buzzer previously reported, some of the athletes who play for these conferences are supportive of playing this fall. Like Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence wrote on Twitter, “People are at just as much if not more risk if we don’t play. Players will all be sent home to their own communities where social distancing is highly unlikely and medical care and expenses will be placed on the families if they were to contract COVID-19.”

Sara Vallone

Sara Vallone has been a writer and editor for the last four and a half years. A graduate of Ohio University, she enjoys celebrity news, sports, and articles that enhance people's lives.