Report: Big Ten To Vote On 2020 Season Later Tonight

As news regarding the Big Ten continues to pile up, reports say that the conference's presidents will vote on the fall sports season later tonight.

The college football world erupted in a frenzy on Sunday as the future of the Big Ten season in 2020 moved from possible yet uncertain to downright unlikely. By nightfall, players across the country used their voices to mobilize a group that could find a solution to play football in a safe fashion, seemingly appeasing both sides of the discussion.

Despite that last ditch effort, news on Monday morning seemed to point towards an inevitable cancellation of the fall 2020 football season in the Big Ten as Dan Patrick weighed in on the issue based on what his sources were saying.

According to Dan's source, 12 of the 14 Presidents from the Big 10 have voted against having a Fall College Football season. Iowa and Nebraska were the two that have been pushing to play.

— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) August 10, 2020

In his tweet, Patrick reveals that his source is reporting a 12-2 vote among Big Ten presidents in favor of canceling the season. That would coincide with a report from Sunday that the Big Ten is moving toward a plan to cancel the 2020 season.

While that all seems to have an element of cohesion, Sean Callahan from Rivals.com's Nebraska site reported that the 12-2 vote was among medical officials representing each of the Big Ten's 14 teams rather than the school presidents themselves. Out of that group, only Nebraska and Iowa's medical professionals gave the OK on continuing the season as scheduled.

As for the 12-2...I was told that had to due with a medical call with the Big Ten office and each school. Only Nebraska and Iowa's medical officials said they were currently comfortable with everything at this time.

— Sean Callahan (@Sean_Callahan) August 10, 2020

Later, a Big Ten spokesperson confirmed that there has not been a vote by Big Ten presidents or chancellors regarding the issue, though it could come in the near future.

As has been the case recently, the possibility of canceling the 2020 season is a rapidly developing situation that appears to change course every couple hours. Following that trend, Lansing State Journal's Graham Couch is on record saying that the Big Ten's presidents will make a final decision on the season during a call scheduled for 6 p.m. Tonight, so even more news may be available later today or tomorrow.

The Big Ten's presidents are scheduled to meet again on a call at 6 o'clock ET tonight, when they'll make the final decision on the football season, per source.

— Graham Couch (@Graham_Couch) August 10, 2020

Edit: Crouch later clarified that the Big Ten athletic directors would be meeting tonight, but he did not specifically retract the notion that a final decision would be made. Word on that is likely to creep out over the next couple days. 

As Brandon Brown reported for Wolverine Digest earlier today, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh stood his ground as a staunch player advocate by releasing a well-thought out letter earlier today regarding the college football landscape and its interaction with COVID-19. Throughout the letter, Harbaugh details the success had in Ann Arbor regarding the treatment of the coronavirus. Michigan had administered hundreds of tests to its student athletes and coaches, and very few have returned positive results. Though it may be difficult for every institution to take the precautions that Michigan has, Harbaugh is calling for a similar approach across the country.

Additionally, there appears to be some continuity on Michigan's staff. Brown mentioned how offensive coordinator Josh Gattis and safeties coach Bob Shoop are in support of the #WeWantToPlay initiative, and tight ends coach Sherrone Moore can be comfortably grouped into a similar camp.

If the report on a Big Ten presidents meeting later today are true, these calls may be too little and too late, but the impact of the college football world coming together like this could cause reverberations for future players.

One player on Michigan's team that also supports the #WeWantToPlay movement in Ben VanSumeren, who tweeted out his message of solidarity on Monday. Ben's younger brother, Alex, is a 2022 prospect who is currently committed to the Wolverines, so if this current crop of college players can form a union or otherwise establish representation in college sports, the impact could be felt for the younger VanSumeren when he arrives to college.

In all, players are hoping to play this fall in earnest, and coaches like Harbaugh are willing to go the extra mile to support their players, but the leadership in charge of the Big Ten and the NCAA need to step up and act—swiftly-- if there is to be any hope of a football season this fall.

What are your expectations for the football season? Will it be pushed back to the spring? Canceled altogether? Let us know!