Big 10 Football Season to Start Thanksgiving Week?

[Knight Shift]

Big Ten discussing start of college football season on week of Thanksgiving

The development of a cheap and rapid COVID-19 test, with quick results, could help the Big Ten get back on the football field by Thanksgiving.

www.usatoday.com

According to two college football people familiar with the Big Ten, those talks have generated a new option, starting a Big Ten season of at least eight games the week of Thanksgiving. They spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter.

The news comes one day after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted emergency approval for a rapid antigen test designed by Abbott Labs. The test is expected to cost $5 and the results should be available in just 15 minutes, without the sample being sent to a lab.

Big Ten officials, including Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez, have noted the importance of being able to get rapid test results to be sure athletes and staff members are not infected.

 

[mikemarc1]

WTF is the Big Ten doing???? How is this option “safer” than starting in September.

What an epic disaster this is turning out to be for the Big Ten

 

[jmc11201]

Whether playing is, or isn't, the right thing, the Big Ten has looked pretty lost during all this.

A Thanksgiving start would be good in the sense you could salvage next season and at the same time learn a few lessons from however things go for the ACC/Big 12/SEC.

 

[REDRICH65]

Back to the 50s when 8-9 game seasons were the norm.

 

[Abro1975]

The Big 10 appears leaderless and clueless. Just an unmitigated disaster.

Meanwhile tomorrow night College Football kicks off on ESPN with 2 FCS power houses:

Austin Peay vs Central Arkansas.

Let's go Peay !

Following week FBS opens with BYU at Navy and Middle Tenn vs Army !

 

[T2Kplus10]

WTF is the Big Ten doing???? How is this option “safer” than starting in September.

What an epic disaster this is turning out to be for the Big Ten

The phrase 2 hands and a flashlight comes to mind.
:)

 

[mikemarc1]

Per Bruce Feldman

coaches on a call right now to discuss starting season later in the fall

 

[RUfinal4]

They should still do bubble games that is like a bowl game set up
- 7-10 days before game - teams arrive at neutral location (ie. Indy, Minny, or Detroit)
- teams are tested twice before the depart for the neutral site over 10 days
- teams are tested again the day they arrive and then midweek and the day of the 1st game
- Play Thanksgiving week and 1 week after in the neutral site
- teams are retested once midweek between game 1 and 2 and the day of the 2nd game
- teams are off and then do a Christmas to New Years bubble for 2 more games
- then play 4-6 games over a 2 month period of February and March in domed stadiums

problem with only having testing is kids will still get the virus where the team is 100 players for easy spread. Then during games the lineman are on top of each other the entire game for easy spread between teams.

Assuming there is some kind of vaccine in early 2021 then the players may start to have the vaccine antibodies by late Feb / early Mar

Another option would be a split season with 4-5 games in Nov / Dec / early Jan
then another 4-5 games in mid-March to late April on campus after vaccinations

 

[mikemarc1]

 

[Richie O]

 

[King of S]

About time! Start Thanksgiving weekend!

 

[RUDead]

They should have stuck with the original plan. The November start will never happen. It will start getting cold and the flu will start to spread like it does every year and they will shut it down again. They just keep making themselves look more foolish and driving people away.

 

[RUforlife]

Just start on October 3 and become eligible for the national championship playoffs and bowl games and end this farce. You are not protecting the kids from catching the virus, you are not influencing political events, you are just embarrassing the conference and member institutions at this point.

 

[mikemarc1]

Just start on October 3 and become eligible for the national championship playoffs and bowl games and end this farce. You are not protecting the kids from catching the virus, you are not influencing political events, you are just embarrassing the conference and member institutions at this point.

October 3rd is before November 3rd. Not gonna happen.

 

[fischy5000]

if the coaches/ADs come out of these meetings and say they want to play as of thanksgiving, does it even matter? Dont they need the univ presidents and conference heads like Warren to officially approve as well?

 

[mikemarc1]

if the coaches/ADs come out of these meetings and say they want to play as of thanksgiving, does it even matter? Dont they need the univ presidents and conference heads like Warren to officially approve as well?

Yes but they’ll approve. Will only cause more damage to conference/schools if reports come out ADs/coaches agree to play but they knock it down again.

 

[anon_ivydyf0amkzay]

LOL at the B1G

 

[RUBOB72]

They should have stuck with the original plan. The November start will never happen. It will start getting cold and the flu will start to spread like it does every year and they will shut it down again. They just keep making themselves look more foolish and driving people away.

Wait.... if wearing masks, washing hands and social distancing continues explain how the flu starts? quite a few people get flu shots especially seniors over 65...wouldn't the policies in place work for both?

 

[BIGRUBIGDBIGredmachine]

This cluster**** could have been so easily avoided by simply announcing that the B1G is planning on an Oct season start contingent upon chicomvirus conditions at the time.

 

[MulletCork]

Just start on October 3 and become eligible for the national championship playoffs and bowl games and end this farce. You are not protecting the kids from catching the virus, you are not influencing political events, you are just embarrassing the conference and member institutions at this point.

Perfectly said. The Big Ten is making themselves look like a big joke with leadership even more pathetic than the PAC 12.

 

[njknightj]

If the Abbott tests are widely available come oct-nov it is very feasible that sports on all levels can continue very safely in fact. $5 tests that give results in 15 minutes? You could literally test the entire team and staff (call it 200 people) for $1,000 every day. Have you seen the CFB budgets? give me a break this would be a no brainer if in fact the rapid tests are available for use.

 

[BigEastPhil]

This is what happens when you hire a clueless commissioner who is way over his head ; have university presidents that are weak and don’t collude with other conferences On decision making

ud

 

[Knightmoves]

Now that the P5 FB programs are understanding more about the revenue losses a cancelled season will entail for them, it’s worth a study to see if a season can be salvaged from a financial perspective.

CFB is a money making machine, except when there are no games played.

 

[Phi_1055]

Big Ten discussing start of college football season on week of Thanksgiving

The development of a cheap and rapid COVID-19 test, with quick results, could help the Big Ten get back on the football field by Thanksgiving.

www.usatoday.com

 

[Phi_1055]

Sorry - didn’t see the other thread. Mods can delete.

 

[MADHAT1]

Lets hope the B1G can start , but hopefully not at the expense of the players health because money was the main consideration.

As for me: The B1G starting to play around Thanksgiving won't be a sign the B1G Commissioner is over his head, but he erred on the side of caution and is wise enough not to let his ego stand in the way of correlating that error.

 

[Abro1975]

If the Abbott tests are widely available come oct-nov it is very feasible that sports on all levels can continue very safely in fact. $5 tests that give results in 15 minutes? You could literally test the entire team and staff (call it 200 people) for $1,000 every day. Have you seen the CFB budgets? give me a break this would be a no brainer if in fact the rapid tests are available for use.

As Problems Grow With Abbott’s Fast COVID Test, FDA Standards Are Under Fire

After the FDA issues a public warning about the test, one of its senior officials says point-of-care coronavirus tests can miss 20% of cases and still be considered useful. Public health experts ar…

khn.org

 

[WhiteBus]

If your not playing for a playoff spots what's the point?

 

[i'vegotwinners]

the players are relatively not at risk from covid, which we've known for months.

the older coaches and staff are at risk.

shouldn't be rocket science how best to navigate this, but we are living in an idiocracy.

players play.

older coaches and staff sit this season out on the pup list, just as an injured player would. (older coaches can still be involved virtually and from afar, and still game plan, play call, and coach from the stands or press box thru headsets).

"next coach up".


if the myrocarditis thing really looks to be an issue, show me hard numbers as so.

 

[RUPete]

Now that the P5 FB programs are understanding more about the revenue losses a cancelled season will entail for them, it’s worth a study to see if a season can be salvaged from a financial perspective.

CFB is a money making machine, except when there are no games played.

I think that’s what it comes down to. The financial reality is smacking them in the face and they are trying to figure out a way.

 

[RU#1fan]

If the Abbott tests are widely available come oct-nov it is very feasible that sports on all levels can continue very safely in fact. $5 tests that give results in 15 minutes? You could literally test the entire team and staff (call it 200 people) for $1,000 every day. Have you seen the CFB budgets? give me a break this would be a no brainer if in fact the rapid tests are available for use.
[/QUOT

the players are relatively not at risk from covid, which we've known for months.

the older coaches and staff are at risk.

shouldn't be rocket science how best to navigate this, but we are living in an idiocracy.

players play.

older coaches and staff sit this season out on the pup list, just as an injured player would. (older coaches can still be involved virtually and from afar, and still game plan, play call, and coach from the stands or press box thru headsets).

"next coach up".


if the myrocarditis thing really looks to be an issue, show me hard numbers as so.

And Players families and so on...

 

[njknightj]

As Problems Grow With Abbott’s Fast COVID Test, FDA Standards Are Under Fire

After the FDA issues a public warning about the test, one of its senior officials says point-of-care coronavirus tests can miss 20% of cases and still be considered useful. Public health experts ar…

khn.org

you realize this is a completely different test right? It doesn't utilize the ID NOW instrument platform that you linked. There are multiple Abbott tests out there, this one is the newest one that requires no instrumentation to process.

 

[IMARUFAN]

People complaining about the season being cancelled.

People complaining that they might try playing later this year.

Can't make this stuff up.

 

[RUich]

If the BIG can pull it off, I like it. Hopefully, the weather will be a lot better than what will almost be assured lousy weather in January.
But, will they still do it if they have to go to virtual classes once the holidays start?

 

[Morrischiano]

Smart. If the SEC ACC BIG12 implodes because of virus then we cancel the season. IF not then we get in a representative season in.

 

[Section124]

I don't get the post-Thanksgiving start. All the "experts" are saying a Phase II in the fall/winter time. I thought the logic was to get the season / school semester over prior to Thanksgiving? Why do I see people that are taking the virus serious supporting a late start?

 

[Knight Shift]

Thanksgiving start among potential Big Ten schedule options being discussed by league

Beginning in late November is one of a few proposals the conference is considering

www.cbssports.com

 

[bitnez]

A lot of schools are planning on going virtual post-Thanksgiving. If the season started at that point you can have the kids on campus without a lot of other students around and still not look tone deaf. It could work but at this point I don’t see this new commissioner as a bold thinker (yet).

 

[BoogieKnight]

Glad to see the myocarditis hazard will be cleared up by Thanksgiving.

 

[BoogieKnight]

I think that’s what it comes down to. The financial reality is smacking them in the face and they are trying to figure out a way.

And all anyone really asked was for them to try and find a way to play to the very end instead of throwing their arms up several weeks ago with zero transparency into their decision making process.