Big Ten to play conference-only football schedule in 2020
The Big Ten is planning on playing a conference-only football schedule in 2020, if it can hold a season at all.
The conference announced the decision Thursday, confirming multiple media reports. The move was precipitated by the ongoing effects of the coronavirus pandemic and applies to all fall sports — men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball.
“We are facing uncertain and unprecedented times, and the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes, coaches, game officials, and others associated with our sports programs and campuses remain our number one priority,” the conference said in a statement. “To that end, the Big Ten Conference announced today that if the Conference is able to participate in fall sports based on medical advice, it will move to Conference-only schedules in those sports.”
The Big Ten said that keeping its competition within the conference gives it the needed flexibility to operate during the pandemic.
“By limiting competition to other Big Ten institutions, the Conference will have the greatest flexibility to adjust its own operations throughout the season and make quick decisions in real-time based on the most current evolving medical advice and the fluid nature of the pandemic,” the Big Ten said.
Scheduling details for each fall sport will be released at a later date while decisions on other sports “will continue to be evaluated.” Big Ten football teams typically play nine conference games, though some outlets are reporting it could expand to 10 in 2020.
Big Ten ‘prepared not to play’ if unsafe
The Big Ten said it is working toward conference-wide medical protocols and is “prepared not to play” the season if it is deemed unsafe.
“As we continue to focus on how to play this season in a safe and responsible way, based on the best advice of medical experts, we are also prepared not to play in order to ensure the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes should the circumstances so dictate,” the conference said.
Summer workouts will continue to be considered voluntary for the sports currently permitted to participate in them. Additionally, any Big Ten athlete who decides not to participate “at any time during the summer and/or the 2020-21 academic year” due to concerns about COVID-19 will have their scholarship honored by their university and will “remain in good standing with their team.”
ACC, Pac-12 next?
The Big Ten is the first FBS conference to take this unprecedented step in order to play the 2020 college football season, but reportedly won’t be the only one to do so.
According to multiple reports, the Pac-12 is expected to also decide on a conference-only schedule in the coming days. Stadium is reporting that the ACC is expected to do the same — a move that could have a big impact on Notre Dame, which has a scheduling agreement with the league.
The ACC announced earlier Thursday it would delay the start of fall competition until at least Sept. 1, a move that does not impact football, which begins Sept. 2 for the ACC. At the FCS level, the Ivy League has canceled all fall sports while the Patriot League won’t begin fall competition until Sept. 4.
Big Ten non-conference games affected
The move to conference-only, should it come to fruition, would remove an array of marquee non-conference games from the schedule, including Ohio State at Oregon, Michigan at Washington, Penn State at Virginia Tech and Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, among many others.
It would also be a brutal financial blow for non-power conference programs who depend on the guaranteed money from these scheduling agreements. Six FBS programs — Ball State, Bowling Green, BYU, Central Michigan, Connecticut and Northern Illinois — have two Big Ten opponents on their schedules for the 2020 season. Bowling Green, for example, would reportedly lose out on $2.2 million without playing its two Big Ten games.
Here are the full non-conference slates for each Big Ten team:
Illinois
Sept. 4: Illinois State
Sept. 12: UConn
Sept. 19: Bowling Green
Indiana
Sept. 12: Western Kentucky
Sept. 19: Ball State
Sept. 26: UConn
Iowa
Sept. 5: Northern Iowa
Sept. 12: Iowa State
Sept. 26: Northern Illinois
Maryland
Sept. 5: Towson
Sept. 12: Northern Illinois
Sept. 19: West Virginia
Michigan
Sept. 5: Washington
Sept. 12: Ball State
Sept. 19: Arkansas State
Michigan State
Sept. 12: BYU
Sept. 19: Toledo
Sept. 26: Miami
Minnesota
Sept. 3: Florida Atlantic
Sept. 12: Tennessee Tech
Sept. 26: BYU
Nebraska
Sept. 12: Central Michigan
Sept. 19: South Dakota State
Sept. 26: Cincinnati
Northwestern
Sept. 12: Tulane
Sept. 19: Central Michigan
Nov. 14: Morgan State
Ohio State
Sept. 5: Bowling Green
Sept. 12: Oregon
Sept. 19: Buffalo
Penn State
Sept. 5: Kent State
Sept. 12: Virginia Tech
Sept. 19: San Jose State
Purdue
Sept. 12: Memphis
Sept. 19: Air Force
Sept. 26: Boston College
Rutgers
Sept. 5: Monmouth
Sept. 12: Syracuse
Sept. 19: Temple
Wisconsin
Sept. 12: Southern Illinois
Sept. 19: Appalachian State
Oct. 3: Notre Dame
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