Big Ten Football: It is Time to Make a Final Decision

While College Football was back in full swing this weekend.

The Big Ten was not.

The Big 12 lost two games to Sun Belt Teams and another to Coastal Carolina.

While the Big Ten watched.

Notre Dame played a home football game in the heart of Big Ten Country.

While the Big Ten watched.

I am not here to advocate in one direction. But, lets stop the debate and make a final decision.

Are we allowing these young men to play football or not?

In the state of Michigan. High Schools are closed, but High School Football perseveres on. In the same state, College campuses are open to thousands of students, but there is no allowance of sports.

In Indiana, some high schools are virtual and some are in person. All five Tippecanoe County Football Teams played this weekend in their High School Football contests, while Ross Ade Stadium, which was supposed to host Memphis this weekend, was empty.

There just seems to be no uniformity from the people making the decisions in the Big Ten Football Conference. We received no information from the first time Commissioner Warren decided to postpone fall football, while in West Lafayette we welcomed back over 35,000 students back into our town.

They said there needed to be quicker testing. Nearly a month ago, the NBA lead the way in creating a new saliva test that has been approved by the FDA.

While predicted when bringing thousands of college back to their campuses, the cases have gone up in those cities - but hospitalizations for that age group has stayed very low.

All players, including our own, have been very vocal in their want to play messages on social media. Many players are in a make or break year, where it could be determined where they would be drafted at in the upcoming NFL Draft.

It is time to make a decision.

Are we going to let these 18 to 23 year old young adults play? Or are we going to move it to the spring? Or are we going to just go ahead and cancel this season, as a spring season followed by a fall season, even with Coach Jeff Brohm’s well put together plan, be too much?

Presidents, Athletic Directors and the Big Ten Commissioner need to come together and give these athletes a concrete answer.

There has been rumors swirling all weekend that a potential mid October start date could occur and that meetings have been going on today, with a potential vote coming tomorrow.

But, all we have are reports of this notion.

Nothing is perfect in 2020. But, we have 85 football players in West Lafayette walking through campus, going to class, being tested (3 times per week is the rumor) still to prove they are Covid Negative, just in case we do get the go ahead to play.

This week seems like we are reaching the now or never point. If October 17th is indeed the date. This would give us a month to prepare and for the Big Ten to put together a schedule.

Again, over 100 high school football games were played in Indiana this weekend. 16 NFL Games will have been played from Thursday to Monday Night and over 40 NCAA Teams playing this weekend (SEC starts in two weeks).

Isn’t it just time, to make a decision?