ROANOKE, Va. – There will be no Big Ten football this fall.
The conference made the announcement, that effects all fall sports, on Tuesday afternoon.
Recommended Videos
The fall sports included in this announcement are men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball.
Will we see the conference’s 14 teams play these sports at all?
The Big Ten Conference said it’s continuing to evaluate a number of options regarding these sports, including the possibility of competition in the spring.
In making this decision, the Big Ten cited ongoing health and safety concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic.
“Our primary responsibility is to make the best possible decisions in the interest of our students, faculty and staff,” said Morton Schapiro, Chair of the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors and Northwestern University President.
“The mental and physical health and welfare of our student-athletes has been at the center of every decision we have made regarding the ability to proceed forward,” said Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren. “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.
The Big Ten Conference will continue to work with medical experts and governmental authorities to gather additional information, evaluate emerging data and technologies, and monitor developments regarding the pandemic to make the best decisions possible for the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes.