Reports: Big Ten Presidents Will Not Vote Sunday to Reinstate Season
UPDATE: 6:24 p.m. EST
Pete Thamel of Yahoo! Sports is reporting that the league has been presented with a great deal of information regarding a return to play. There has not yet been a vote by the 14 league presidents and chancellors. The proposal included a start date of October 17 with flexibility built into the schedule.
David Jesse of the Detroit Free Press says the league won't vote today.
ORIGINAL STORY: 10:47 a.m. EST
There is a possibility that the Big Ten votes and announces Sunday when they will play football. But several things need to happen first.
First of all, the conference voted on Aug. 11 to postpone the fall season because of the pandemic, mostly because of a lack of information regarding the long-term health effects after a COVID-19 diagnosis and an insufficient way to test for and control the spread of the disease.
But things have changed drastically over the last several weeks.
The Big Ten's Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C) will meet today to review the latest medical information presented to a subset of them yesterday by the Big Ten's Return to Competition Task Force medical subcommittee. Sources told ESPN that it's possible the league could vote on whether to begin a football season as early as today. Lettermen Row's Austin Ward says the meeting will begin at 3 p.m. EST.
The medical subcommittee that made yesterday's presentation is co-chaired by Ohio State team physician Dr. Jim Borchers and Penn State Athletic Director Sandy Barbour. Its other members include Michigan AD Warde Manuel, Michigan State AD Bill Beekman, Minnesota AD Mark Coyle, Maryland AD Damon Evans, and other team doctors and medical experts from Illinois, Purdue, Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern, Indiana and Maryland.
Saturday's presentation was primarily focused on providing an update in medical information, include the availability and reliability of at least four rapid antigen tests, and the latest information regarding myocarditis.
"It's light-years different than it was five weeks ago," a conference source told ESPN on Friday.
Specifically, the medical subcommittee met Saturday with either the president or chancellor of Northwestern, Nebraska, Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio State, Rutgers, Michigan State and Illinois. Considering the league said the initial vote to postpone fall sports was 11-3 with only the Buckeyes, Hawkeyes and Cornhuskers in favor of moving forward as planned, Sunday's meeting with the other six schools is extremely important because all six of them voted against playing this fall.
Six presidents or chancellors must change their August 11 vote, in addition to Nebraska, Iowa and Ohio State's continued support, for the league to surpass the 60% threshold required by Big Ten bylaws to institute a season. Furthermore, multiple national sources indicate it's possible even if the league votes to play this season that not every school may compete.
Sunday's presentation will include medical information, but will also expand the conversation and include a logistical plan for starting the season. A source told ESPN that specific start dates for an expected return will be discussed.
Multiple national outlets reported on Saturday that the league would make a decision within 72 hours, but it could be as soon as Sunday.
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