:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67415072/usa_today_13673367.0.jpg)
We back! The Big Ten announced Wednesday morning its plans for the return of football starting the weekend of October 23-24.
The Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C) adopted significant medical protocols and has voted unanimously to resume the football season starting the weekend of October 23-24, 2020: https://t.co/b5yHShGb1D
— Big Ten Conference (@bigten) September 16, 2020
The decision by the conference comes five weeks after they decided to postpone the 2020 fall season due to COVID-19 issues. At the time the goal was to hopefully play a season in the spring semester with a targeted January start.
Since the decision was made, the discussion of when football would return has been steady and consistent. Early reports had the Big 10 looking at a January start date and playing games in a few select locations (Indianapolis, Minnesota, Syracuse). The proposed dates then reportedly moved up to Thanksgiving weekend, which for a few weeks was considered the likely start date for the conference.
However, in the last two weeks or so, medical advancements in terms of testing and tracing have progressed the discussion points for the Big Ten which helped speed up talks and a later vote by university presidents.