The Big Ten officially postponed all fall sports competition Tuesday, and the Pac-12 has called a news conference with its commissioner this afternoon.
Editor’s note: Check back for updates as conferences and individual schools make announcements or adjustments to their schedules. SALT LAKE CITY — The status of the 2020 college football season is in flux with novel coronavirus numbers surging throughout the United States. Here’s a look at where conferences and teams stand right now in regard to their 2020 football schedules: It became official Tuesday: there will be no Big Ten or Pac-12 football in the fall. What does that mean for college football? “It is massive. There is no way to understate this,” The Athletic’s Nicole Auerbach wrote after the Big Ten made its announcement first. “The Big Ten’s decision is a big domino to fall in an offseason that has seen so many decisions in college athletics trickle up, down and sideways to impact other parties’ actions. The first Power 5 league pulling the plug on a fall football season is something that will reverberate throughout all of sports and will impact the future of college athletics for years to come.” Both the Pac-12 and Big Ten announced all fall sports competition for their respective conferences are postponed, with the hope that the league can move fall play to spring 2021. Health concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic caused the moves. “Myocarditis emerged as a significant health concern that largely led to the Big Ten’s decision. The condition involves an inflammation of the heart muscle. It can reduce the heart’s ability to pump, causing rapid or abnormal heartbeat,” CBS Sports wrote. “At least 15 Big Ten players have been left with myocarditis after contracting COVID-19, according to a high-ranking source within the Big Ten.” ESPN reported that ACC and SEC officials said their leagues plan to proceed with football this fall, while emphasizing it’s unclear if the decisions from the other leagues could change that. Massachusetts became the second Football Bowl Subdivision independent program to cancel its fall football schedule, announcing the decision Tuesday morning. According to the school, the UMass football program had just one positive test among more than 600 administered over the past seven weeks. “I am absolutely heartbroken for our players, our former players, our alumni and our UMass football community,” UMass football head coach Walt Bell said in a statement. “Our job as coaches and mentors is to provide opportunities for our players, and do everything in our power to not take them away. Today’s news was devastating, but we will be resilient and prepared to be our best when our best is required.” UConn was the first FBS independent to cancel its 2020 schedule, doing so last week. The final Division III conference holding out hope for a fall football schedule, the American Rivers Conference, announced Tuesday that the league will push competition in football, women’s and men’s soccer, and volleyball to the spring. Now all 28 Division III conferences that sponsor football have either canceled or postponed their fall football seasons.2020 schedule decision: 10 conference games + one nonconference Play for ACC teams will begin the weekend of Sept.12, with the opening game on Thursday, Sept.10 between the ACC’s Miami and UAB. Each team’s 11 games are spaced out over a 13-week schedule, with flexibility built in to move games if needed. The ACC championship game will take place either Dec.12 or 19 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The wait is over. More info » https://t.co/yJUXpEhokA pic.twitter.com/W3LJACMP8r 2020 schedule decision: Nine conference games + one nonconference The league announced that the nonconference game must be a home game for the Big 12 institution, and must be played prior to conference play beginning.
