COLUMBUS — The presidents of the Big Ten Conference member universities reportedly have voted to postpone their fall sports seasons, including football, to the spring of 2021 amid concerns over the continued spread of COVID-19.
The reports by ESPN and the Detroit Free Press were not confirmed.
Players, coaches and even politicians expressed their desire to see games take place as scheduled.
Swinging as hard as we possibly can right now for these players!! This isn’t over! #FIGHT
— Ryan Day (@ryandaytime) August 10, 2020
The presidents and chancellors had a previously unscheduled meeting Sunday, a person with knowledge of the meeting told The Associated Press.
The conference released a 10-game conference-only football schedule this week.
The Power Five conference commissioners also met Sunday to discuss the growing concern over whether the coming college football season will be played.
And players took to social media to urge leaders to let them play.
#WeWantToPlay pic.twitter.com/NgKG9Nab9c
— Justin Fields (@justnfields) August 10, 2020
Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby says no decisions on the season have been made, but conceded that the outlook has not improved in recent weeks.
College football players from across the country are uniting.
They want to save a season threatened by the pandemic and make sure they won’t be left out of the big decisions anymore.
After Clemson star Trevor Lawrence sparked a movement by tweeting “we want to play,” he was contacted by a player activist from Michigan.
In a couple hours, two hashtags — WeWantToPlay and WeAreUnited — merged.
Not only do the players want to play, but they want to create a players association for college football.
All this activity comes a day after the Mid-American Conference became the among 10 that play at the highest tier of Division I college football to cancel fall sports, including football.