Getty Image / Gregory Shamus
All signs are pointing to the Big Ten not playing college football this fall. According to The Detroit Free Press, Big Ten school officials voted on Sunday about the upcoming season with the votes going 12-2 in favor of canceling all fall sports. Dan Patrick also reported during his show on Monday that the Big Ten as well as the PAC 12 would be canceling the college football season and a formal announcement could be expected as early as Tuesday.
Iowa and Nebraska were the two schools that reportedly voted in favor of there being football this fall. While Michigan officials seemed to have voted for the season to be canceled, head football coach Jim Harbaugh wants the world to know that he doesn’t support that idea.
Harbaugh released a statement amid the swirling reports outlining why he’s against the idea of the Big Ten canceling its football season.
In his statement, Harbaugh had a total of nine bullet points emphasizing test results and players’ safety since student-athletes returned to campus on June 13. According to Harbaugh, the football program has had 11 positive tests out of 893 administered, two of the last 417 administered, and zero out of the last 353 tests. The Wolverines have also not had any pauses in their training while following all health and safety guidelines in place.
Statement from Jim Harbaugh. pic.twitter.com/CftMW7d5lC
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) August 10, 2020
It will be interesting to see other big-time college football coaches that come out over the next couple of days advocating against the canceling of the college football season. Harbaugh may be the first high-profile coach to take a stand like this, but he definitely won’t be the last.