The Big 10 will have some company in postponing the 2020 college football season. Shortly after the Big 10 announced their departure, the Pac-12 announced that they too will postpone their season.
The news was shared by ESPN NFL reporter Adam Schefter:
As Sports Illustrated reported:
In what was clearly coordinated timing, the Big Ten made its momentous announcement at 3 p.m. ET, with the Pac-12 expected to make an official announcement shortly thereafter. The Big Ten cited medical concerns related to trying to conduct fall sports amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and specifically referred to recent data regarding heart issues suffered by some young people (including athletes) who were infected with the virus.
“As time progressed … it became abundantly clear that there was too much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow our student-athletes to compete this fall,” Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren explained. “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. … 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.”
The next major conference expected to render a decision on their plans for the 2020 season, is the Big 12. Most expect a decision to be handed down before the end of the week.
Follow Dylan Gwinn on Twitter @themightygwinn