Cal Sports Report

Will Justin Fields' Petition Change Big Ten's Stance on Fall Football?

If for some inconceivable reason the Big Ten changes its mind, would the Pac-12 follow suit and allow fall football?

Jake Curtis

Will Justin Fields' Petition Change Big Ten's Stance on Fall Football?
Will Justin Fields' Petition Change Big Ten's Stance on Fall Football? /

Is it possible that the Big Ten or Pac-12 would reverse course at this stage and decide to play football in the fall?

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields started a petition Sunday morning to try to get the Big Ten to reverse its decision about playing this fall, and it already had more than 200,000 signatures as of 8:30 p.m. Pacific time Sunday evening.

But the Big Ten is not going to change its decision at this point even if the opposition is led by a high-profile player like Fields, who finished third in the 2019 Heisman Trophy voting.

Is it?

A number of parents of Big Ten players have written letters asking the Big Ten to change course, according to an ESPN.com report that states the following:

The parents of Big Ten players have also spoken out about their desire to let their sons play, as parents from Iowa, Penn State and Ohio State have all released letters addressed to Warren looking for answers about why the season was canceled and what happens moving forward.

ESPN.com's report also notes that parents of some Nebraska players are planning to release a letter Sunday opposing the Big Ten's decision to cancel fall football.

But the Big Ten is not going to yield to the pressure of some angry parents.

Is it?

Some, like rivals.com national recruiting director Mike Farrell, suggest that the Pac-12 would follow along and change its stance on fall football if the Big Ten changes its mind.

But the Pac-12 is too firmly entrenched in its decision not to play football in the fall to change course now.

Isn't it?

The numbers on Fields' petition are rising at an amazing rate, but the Big Ten knew there would be pushback. It does not seem possible that it will wilt under public pressure.

Fields wrote in his petition directed to Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren and Big Ten university presidents and athletic directors that the conference players are convinced that "the safety protocols have been established and can be maintained to mitigate concerns of exposure to Covid 19." 

He notes that players should have a say about what is best for their future.

Fields is expected to be an early first-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, so his desire to play this fall may carry a little more weight than someone who is a borderline NFL pick and needs to display his skills for NFL scouts.

But it seems utterly impossible the Big Ten would change its decision at this point, and just as unlikely the Pac-12 would change its mind even if the Big Ten for some crazy reason reverses course.

Right?

Follow Jake Curtis of Cal Sports Report on Twitter: @jakecurtis53

Find Cal Sports Report on Facebook by searching: @si.calsportsreport

Click the "follow" button in the top right corner to join the conversation on Cal Sports Report on SI. Access and comment on featured stories and start your own conversations and post external links on our community page.

Published
Jake Curtis
JAKE CURTIS

Jake Curtis worked in the San Francisco Chronicle sports department for 27 years, covering virtually every sport, including numerous Final Fours, several college football national championship games, an NBA Finals, world championship boxing matches and a World Cup. He was a Cal beat writer for many of those years, and won awards for his feature stories.

Home/Football