Why will the Big 10 not play?
By: B&S Staff
Photo: Jay Laprete, AP
SEC football season is here. It’s knocking on our door like a too-fat Santa who couldn’t get down the chimney and had to go to the front door for his milk and cookies. I’m like a kid on Christmas morning, more alive than I have been all of this dreadful 2020 because COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS BACK dadgoneit.
But for fans of the Big Ten, the wait continues. Will they play or won’t they play? Will they reverse their decision to cancel the season, thereby ensuring that the commissioner and his office all are made complete fools?
For fans of the Big 10, the ADs who fought for the season, and most importantly the players, we hope the Big 10 plays some semblance of a season. But the options at this point do not look great. An abbreviated schedule starting in November seems absurd when you think about how many games would have to be played in the snow and terrible weather conditions, but hey, what do I know!? Playing a meaningless Big 10 season, after three of the other P5 Conferences moved on without you would be like going to Chili’s and getting your queso served cold, your beer flat, and your honey chicken crispers without the crisp. Cold, soggy, wet, and flat. I don’t know about you but I freakin’ love my crispers with the crisp. This ain’t it.
The Big Ten should have reversed course weeks ago to ensure an abbreviated training camp ahead of the season. We’ve gotten to a point where admitting your mistakes is impossible. The hit to your pride too much. Because of this, the Big Ten is now backed into a self-made corner, and in the bungled process has squandered the senior seasons of football players around the conference. And for what? The MLB and NBA have successfully restarted seasons. College Football has been played safely for a few weeks, and the other conferences have put in solid protocols. Will there be hiccups? Likely so, but will it be enough to cancel the season? Probably not.
It is a serious disservice to players like Ohio State’s Justin Fields, who would have been a candidate for the Heisman Trophy this year. It’s also a travesty for Ohio State players who would have competed for a national championship. And if they do decide to play in November? Who cares! The three Power 5 conferences who stuck to their guns will already be halfway through the season - and the Big Ten won’t be allowed to sit at the lunch table. No College Football Playoff consideration. No Heisman Trophy or offseason accolades. Jim Harbaugh will probably get another year at Michigan even when he loses to Ohio State for the 100th straight time because no one will care and the game won’t matter on a national scale.
The Big 10 jumped the gun. I would be calling for the commissioner’s resignation if I had any sway in Big 10 country.
We didn’t mention the Pac-12 because, while it would have been great to watch Alabama thoroughly dismantle the Spirit of Troy on opening weekend...no one cares about the Pac-12.
Big 10: Play now or forever hold your peace.