Big Ten votes to play, after all

[Vitale]

ESPN says the Big Ten is going to play starting in late October. So many things don't add up:

• Are the safety concerns that led to them postponing the season now not important?
• Have they been practicing all this time without risking the injury that other teams have risked in games?
• Do the Ohio States of the world immediately jump back into the top of the rankings?
• How does this impact conference teams getting bowl bids?
• If Ohio State or someone else goes undefeated, should they qualify for playoff?

Will the Pac-12 suddenly reverse field and follow suit?

[ponyte]

Money talks, Pandemics walk.

[Lefty]

It's the reason colleges are open

[Lefty]

ESPN says the Big Ten is going to play starting in late October. So many things don't add up:

• Are the safety concerns that led to them postponing the season now not important?
• Have they been practicing all this time without risking the injury that other teams have risked in games?
• Do the Ohio States of the world immediately jump back into the top of the rankings?
• How does this impact conference teams getting bowl bids?
• If Ohio State or someone else goes undefeated, should they qualify for playoff?

Will the Pac-12 suddenly reverse field and follow suit?

If they want to play, it's foolish, but they're hardly alone. But they shouldn't be eligible for the playoff, nor should their players be up for national individual awards. Imagine how bent Kirby Smart or Ed Orgeron or Nick Saban would get if his one-loss team, which might lose a key player here or there to the virus or serious injury, missed the playoffs so an Ohio State team that rolled through a half a season could be included?

This is all totally confusing, and it's only going to increase.

[AustinPerson]

ESPN says the Big Ten is going to play starting in late October. So many things don't add up:

• Are the safety concerns that led to them postponing the season now not important?
• Have they been practicing all this time without risking the injury that other teams have risked in games?
• Do the Ohio States of the world immediately jump back into the top of the rankings?
• How does this impact conference teams getting bowl bids?
• If Ohio State or someone else goes undefeated, should they qualify for playoff?

Will the Pac-12 suddenly reverse field and follow suit?

If they want to play, it's foolish, but they're hardly alone. But they shouldn't be eligible for the playoff, nor should their players be up for national individual awards. Imagine how bent Kirby Smart or Ed Orgeron or Nick Saban would get if his one-loss team, which might lose a key player here or there to the virus or serious injury, missed the playoffs so an Ohio State team that rolled through a half a season could be included?

This is all totally confusing, and it's only going to increase.

Covid is a great health danger for the players? Now do hits to the head and long-term side effects of football.

[malonish]

It's football. The head hits are not new and assumed risk inherent to the sport.

However, hitting heads doesn't mean you'll pass a concussion to your friends and family off the field.

[AustinPerson]

It's football. The head hits are not new and assumed risk inherent to the sport.

However, hitting heads doesn't mean you'll pass a concussion to your friends and family off the field.

I'm not sure that a lot of college students are going home to mom, dad, and grandparents after football practice every day.

[peruna81]

Money talks, Pandemics walk.

"I am shocked, SHOCKED to find money is more valuable than someone's life!"

[malonish]

It's football. The head hits are not new and assumed risk inherent to the sport.

However, hitting heads doesn't mean you'll pass a concussion to your friends and family off the field.

I'm not sure that a lot of college students are going home to mom, dad, and grandparents after football practice every day.

k

[Charleston Pony]

Money talks, Pandemics walk.

Exactly. Not just coincidence that Big 10's TV contracts are based on their members playing 9 games. Explains the bizarre "consolation" games that will be played along with Big 10 Championship. Not sure what happens if they run into Covid related cancellations during the season because they have no open dates after getting started so late. You know it was killing them watching schools from all over the south somehow managing to play football without too many interruptions.

[Mexmustang]

Not sure that this is going to be a real effort. Most teams, excluding Nebraska and Ohio State have not been practicing. Even Michigan hasn't practiced. But, without the discipline of the coaching staff and daily testing I doubt many teams will actually be able to play. From what I've read, any team with more than 20% positive tests will have to shut down for the season and any player that tests positive will have to sit down for a minimum of 21 days. Where did these numbers come from?
Given the numbers that came out initially from LSU, Clemson, Memphis, etc., which began with higher numbers than 20% when they initiated practice and testing, its probable that a number of teams that have not been testing or practicing will have to shut down for the season.
If what I have read is true, a number of teams may disqualify themselves the first day of testing. Plus, 21 days of quarantine is too severe and too long. Again, if I am right the BIG will have to close down around the middle of October, without a season and thus complying with the politics of their college presidents.
If someone has different information on the BIG's limitations or opinions, please post.

[JasonB]

ESPN says the Big Ten is going to play starting in late October. So many things don't add up:

• Are the safety concerns that led to them postponing the season now not important?
• Have they been practicing all this time without risking the injury that other teams have risked in games?
• Do the Ohio States of the world immediately jump back into the top of the rankings?
• How does this impact conference teams getting bowl bids?
• If Ohio State or someone else goes undefeated, should they qualify for playoff?

Will the Pac-12 suddenly reverse field and follow suit?

What has changed:
1) They have seen other teams around the country be able to avoid infections (SMU) an will likely follow their lead.
2) They are able to test every day.

Money is always a driving force. Now that they see that there is a safe path to money, they are going to take it. Makes sense.

[Mexmustang]

The problem is "day one". As they have not been under the discipline of their coaching staff (practicing) and daily testing, the initial numbers of positive tests could be very large. At that point its too late to adopt SMU's practices and measures. Our testing began some time ago and our players were under our protocols and most importantly, they bought into the program. I just feel that 18-21 year olds left on their own, whether on campus or home, believing there would be no season, are not as disciplined as they would have been under ours or anyone else's program. I just recall my own discipline as a college underclassman, we all believed we were all "bullet proof".