Tag: football season

Jan 13, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk off the field before the College Football Playoff national championship game between the Clemson Tigers and the LSU Tigers at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Warren, Trump discuss Big Ten football season

Posted on | by Field Level Media

President Donald Trump touted a productive phone call with Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren, continuing his mission to get the conference to return to the field this season.

“Had a very productive conversation with Kevin Warren, Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference, about immediately starting up Big Ten football,” Trump said in a tweet. “Would be good (great!) for everyone – Players, Fans, Country. On the one yard line!”

Trump, who called for the Big Ten to play football in a tweet Sunday, expanded on his latest Twitter post in comments to pool reporters before boarding Air Force One to travel to Wisconsin on Tuesday.

“I think it was very productive about getting Big Ten playing again, immediately,” Trump said. “Let’s see what happens. (Warren is) a great guy, it’s a great conference. Tremendous teams. We’re pushing very hard.”

The Big Ten released a statement confirming the phone call between Warren and the president.

“A White House representative reached out to Big Ten Conference commissioner Kevin Warren on Monday, August 31, 2020 to facilitate a phone call between President Donald J. Trump and Commissioner Warren,” the Big Ten said in a statement. “On Tuesday, September 1, 2020, Commissioner Warren and the President had a productive conversation.

“The Big Ten Conference and its Return to Competition Task Force, on behalf of the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C), are exhausting every resource to help student athletes get back to playing the sports they love, at the appropriate time, in the safest and healthiest way possible.”

Meanwhile, USA Today’s Dan Wolken reported that the Big Ten isn’t close to a return.

“From the department of not shocked: The characterization of the Big Ten being on the 1-yard line to return to play “immediately,” as we saw in a Tweet earlier today, is not how the Big Ten views it, per source. Many, many hurdles to go.”

Big Ten coaches met Friday to discuss the possibilities for playing a shortened season starting around Thanksgiving. There is no timeline for a decision, but university presidents and athletic directors could determine their original verdict on the 2020 season will stand.

The Big Ten, Pac-12 and other conferences — including the Ivy League — postponed the 2020 football season with a plan to play an altered season in spring 2021.

–Field Level Media

Dec 28, 2019; Glendale, AZ, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Justin Fields (1) throws a pass against Clemson Tigers defensive tackle Tyler Davis (13) during the first quarter in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl college football playoff semifinal game at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Report: Big Ten could shift to Thanksgiving kickoff

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Big Ten football season could begin around Thanksgiving.

According to multiple reports, the conference is contemplating alternatives to a spring season, as first reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The coaches were set to hold a conference call on Friday.

CBS Sports reported the plan could focus on using domed stadiums — including those in Minneapolis and Indianapolis — and limit or eliminate overnight stays for teams, who could arrive and depart on game day.

The Big Ten and Pac-12 postponed their 2020 seasons due to safety concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic.

Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren said the conference has “no interest” in revisiting the plan to play football in the spring.

Purdue coach Jeff Brohm outlined a detailed plan for playing a spring season while also returning to a regular schedule in the fall of 2021.

Shifting the start of the season to November could keep the Big Ten in the conversation for the College Football Playoff. However, the playoff committee plans to release the final standings for the postseason on Dec. 21.

Under that timeframe, the Big Ten would have time for only four or five games before the final standings are released.

Players and their parents have pushed back on the decision to move the season.

Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields started an online petition to have the season played as scheduled, gaining more than 300,000 signatures in support. Eight Nebraska players were in court Thursday to file a suit against the Big Ten for postponing the season.

The Associated Press Preseason Top 25 poll, released a week ago, has two teams — Ohio State and Penn State — in the top 10 and six in the top 25.

–Field Level Media

Sep 1, 2018; University Park, PA, USA; A detailed view of the Big Ten logo on the field prior to the game between the Appalachian State Mountaineers and the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Big Ten presidents vote to postpone football season

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Big Ten Conference presidents voted to postpone the upcoming football season with the hopes of playing in the spring, the league announced Tuesday.

All fall sports are included in the move. The 10-game conference-only football schedule was slated to begin Sept. 3.

“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,” Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said in a statement. “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.

“Although that knowledge made this a painstaking decision, it did not make it difficult. … Everyone associated with the Big Ten Conference and its member institutions is committed to getting everyone back to competition as soon as it is safe to do so.”

In a statement, Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez said the decision “is the correct one.”

“There is simply too much unknown risk for us to proceed with the confidence we need to launch our sports seasons,” Alvarez said. “There is no way to preserve physical distancing during competition and masking can make competition very difficult. As a result, playing the fall season would pose risks that we think are not acceptable for our student-athletes and our athletic staff.”

Nebraska officials said they were “disappointed in the decision” and weren’t ready to abandon the possibility of playing football this fall.

“We will continue to consult with medical experts and evaluate the situation as it emerges. We hope that it may be possible for our student athletes to have the opportunity to compete,” read a joint statement from university chancellor Ronnie Green, athletic director Bill Moos and Cornhuskers head coach Scott Frost.

The move comes amid concern that a rare heart condition could result from players contracting the coronavirus. Five Big Ten players have reportedly been found to have myocarditis, which is inflammation of tissue in the heart.

Usually the result of a viral infection, complications of myocarditis include heart damage and possibly fatal heart attacks.

The Big Ten becomes the third conference — but first Power 5 league — to postpone or outright cancel the football season, joining the MAC and Mountain West.

–Field Level Media

Dec 7, 2019; Boone, NC, USA; Appalachian State Mountaineers offensive lineman Victor Johnson (75) holds up the trophy after defeating the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin Cajuns at Kidd Brewer Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Brevard-USA TODAY Sports

Sun Belt football season to start Labor Day weekend

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Sun Belt Conference will kick off the 2020 football season over Labor Day weekend, with members playing an eight-game conference schedule plus up to four nonconference contests.

“(We) have focused since June on a safe return to athletic activities,” the league announced Tuesday. “We believe this timetable will allow for the healthy integration of the entire campus community for each Sun Belt member.”

The Sun Belt championship game is scheduled to be held Dec. 5 between the East Division and West Division winners. The date can be adjusted if necessary.

“Sun Belt Presidents and Chancellors, Athletics Directors, the COVID-19 Advisory Panel, and medical advisors will continue to review data to ensure a safe return to activities and competition,” the league said. “Our data review will cross seven states and 12 counties and include, among other things, infection rates, hospitalization rates, local health directives, advancements in COVID-19 testing and campus, department and team health trends.”

Ten schools play football in the Sun Belt: Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Coastal Carolina, Georgia Southern, Georgia State, Louisiana, Louisiana-Monroe, South Alabama, Texas State and Troy.

–Field Level Media