Big Ten's Decision to Cancel Football Season Sparks Debate on Social Media

The college football season is now in danger with the Big Ten Conference deciding to cancel fall [...]

By Brian Jones - August 11, 2020 05:53 pm EDT

The college football season is now in danger with the Big Ten Conference deciding to cancel fall sports, including football, for 2020. The plan is to play football and the other fall sports in the spring, but that is not set in stone. The conference made the decision based on the advice they received from the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee.

"The mental and physical health and welfare of our student-athletes has been at the center of every decision we have made regarding the ability to proceed forward," Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said in a statement. "As time progressed and after hours of discussion with our Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee, it became abundantly clear that there was too much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow our student-athletes to compete this fall."

Warren went on to say, "this a painstaking decision," and he knows it's "disappointing in many ways for our thousands of student-athletes and their families." He ended the statement by saying everyone in the Big Ten Conference is "committed to getting everyone back to competition as soon as it is safe to do so." Here's a look at social media reacting to the news.

Hearing the ACC and SEC are going to stand strong and take the bullets -- at least for a while. Based on today's conversations, I am not longer convinced the Big Ten will be the domino or catalyst for the ACC and SEC. There's hope!
— Shannon B. Terry (@sbterry247) August 11, 2020

The Big Ten has canceled fall football. What an embarrassing, GUTLESS decision by the school Presidents. To bring players back, put them through insane protocols for 3 months only to cancel the season before a single padded practice - when the protocols were WORKING - is sicking
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) August 11, 2020

If the conclusion of the Pac 12 and Big Ten medical experts is to shut down and the conclusion of the SEC and Big 12 medical experts is to keep going people better be willing to talk about it in detail and on the record
— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) August 11, 2020

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Nebraska statement: “We are very disappointed in the decision by the Big Ten Conference to postpone the fall football season, as we have been & continue to be ready to play."
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) August 11, 2020

All Big Ten players right now: pic.twitter.com/4RjPE7YTS5
— Jordan Dajani (@JordanDajani) August 11, 2020

Those upset at the Big Ten, direct your outrage at the leaders who have refused to do what’s needed to get COVID under control. We had the time and we squandered it.
— Nancy Armour (@nrarmour) August 11, 2020

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“Big Ten announces cancellation of fall 2020 season” pic.twitter.com/y9KqRWNxYX
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) August 11, 2020

I live and breathe college football, my favorite sport.

I haven’t missed a Northwestern game in 24 years.

I own the largest collection of Northwestern football memorabilia in the world.

But sure, I wanted the Big Ten to cancel.

Time to change your narrative, haters. pic.twitter.com/EKa4iBq8XP
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) August 11, 2020

The last Big Ten team to play a rogue season was Iowa in 1930. Iowa was one of multiple teams with slush funds for athletes but got caught and was booted. Nobody was allowed to play Iowa, which had to dump its staff and most athletes to get readmitted. Then Purdue agreed to play.
— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) August 11, 2020

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This stadium, and others in the Big Ten, will remain empty the rest of this year. 2020, man. pic.twitter.com/jLSwLCmMXi
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 11, 2020

When the Big Ten (and later Pac-12) try to tell you they care about player safety, remember:

1. They are also allowing thousands of students to return to campus in coming weeks
2. They're now asking kids to play 20+ games in 2021

Never heard a bigger load of crap in my life
— Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres) August 11, 2020

Let's all be honest here, there's absolutely 0.0% chance the Big Ten actually tries to play football in the spring.
— Kayce Smith (@KayceSmith) August 11, 2020

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From Inside Training Camp on @nflnetwork: Discussing what the the Big Ten's postponing the football season means for the NFL. pic.twitter.com/OS5UgoK8vV
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) August 11, 2020

South Carolina AD Ray Tanner just learned live while on @1075thegame that the Big Ten was postponing: "I don’t think it affects us a whole lot. I know we would love all the (Power) 5s to be playing. That’s a decision they felt like they needed to make... @TheAthleticCFB
— Josh Kendall (@JoshTheAthletic) August 11, 2020

The Big Ten is a disaster. And spring isn’t happening. Feel bad for Big Ten fans.
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) August 11, 2020

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Come on the Big Ten is going to play football in the spring???? I don’t think so
— mark schlereth (@markschlereth) August 11, 2020

Big Ten teams trying to get into another league to play in the fall pic.twitter.com/haBxm6hLkw
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) August 11, 2020

The NCAA trying to get Ohio State out of the Big Ten right now pic.twitter.com/oYAQrzLUW2
— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) August 11, 2020

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With the Big Ten and Pac-12 opting out of football in the fall..

53 of the 130 FBS programs are not playing in 2020-

that's 41% of all teams...... for now.
— Zach Klein (@ZachKleinWSB) August 11, 2020

"The Big Ten has cancelled fall sports" pic.twitter.com/FvxBx2DgDJ
— Paige Kuhn (@ThatSportsPaige) August 11, 2020

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