Updated Aug. 12, 12:00 p.m.
The Big 12 Board of Directors agreed to proceed with fall sports Tuesday evening.
“Ultimately, our student-athletes have indicated their desire to compete in the sports they love this season, and it is up to all of us to deliver a safe, medically sound and structured academic and athletic environment for accomplishing that outcome,” said commissioner Bob Bowlsby.
Players in “high-contact” sports such as football, volleyball and soccer will receive three COVID-19 tests per week.
“The Board continues to believe that the health and well-being of our student-athletes must guide all decisions,” said Board of Directors Chairman and TCU Chancellor Victor Boschini. “If at any point our scientists and doctors conclude that our institutions cannot provide a safe and appropriate environment for our participants, we will change course.”
The Big 10 Conference officially announced it will cancel the fall football season on Tuesday after voting to cancel the season on Monday, according to SportsCenter.
Breaking: The Big Ten has postponed its fall football season and will attempt to play in the spring, according @Mark_Schlabach and multiple reports. pic.twitter.com/c7aTDTdjtY
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 11, 2020
Not long after, Pac-12 followed suit and cancelled its football season. Both leagues will attempt to play again in the spring.
“We are concerned about health outcomes related to the virus,” Pac-12 wrote in their medical document. “Among these, there is new and evolving information regarding potential serious cardiac side effects in elite athletes. We do not have enough information to understand the short and long-term outcomes regarding these health issues.”
The document also deemed travel unsafe due to the high community prevalence of COVID-19 along the west coast. The conference said that testing capacity must increase.
“Unlike professional sports, college sports cannot operate in a bubble,” said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott.
Sportscaster and radio personality Dan Patrick stated on The Dan Patrick Show that 12 of the 14 Big 10 schools voted to cancel, with only Iowa and Nebraska opposing. It is uncertain whether the conference will try to postpone the season to the spring or just cancel it outright.
Big 10 and Pac-12 were the first of the Power 5 conferences to officially cancel the 2020 season. The SEC and ACC have not made any official announcements as of Wednesday but have been in close contact regarding the feasibility of playing this fall.
Former LSU star and Cincinnati Bengal quarterback Joe Burrow took to Twitter on Monday to show his support for college football athletes in light of the Big 10’s announcement.
I feel for all college athletes right now. I hope their voices are heard by the decision makers. If this happened a year ago I may be looking for a job right now.
— Joey Burrow (@JoeyB) August 10, 2020
LSU athletic director Scott Woodward released a statement Monday evening regarding the status of fall sports:
“We remain steadfast in our approach in the Southeastern Conference, taking all the available time to gather as much information as possible in order to make informed decisions. We are united in our process and our focus on the safety and well-being of our student-athletes. The recent flood of reports surrounding college athletics does not alter that approach. As we have said since the beginning, we are patiently working through each and every variable following the direction of our Return to Safety and Medical Guidance Task Force. I believe our student-athletes want to play. We owe it to them to make every effort to do so safely.”
LSU coach Ed Orgeron appeared on ESPN’s radio show, Off the Bench, to address the team’s plan moving forward.
“The easiest thing to do right now is say no,” Orgeron said. “As far as the SEC, as far as I know, we’re still gathering information.”
Orgeron reiterated the players’ desire to play and said the program will work diligently with Scott Woodward to ensure the season happens.
“We’re still fighting to play, we want to play, we’ve always spoke like we wanted to play and I believe in our commissioner and I believe in our athletic director and I know we’re going to do the right thing for our players.”
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
