There will be college football in the Big Ten conference in 2020 after all. The conference announced on Wednesday that the Council of Presidents and Chancellors unanimously voted to start the season next month, with the opening weekend set for October 23rd and October 24th.
As part of the process, Big Ten also adopted a series of medical and safety protocols in the wake of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“Our goal has always been to return to the competition so all student-athletes can realize their dream of competing in the sports they love,” said Commissioner Kevin Warren in a conference-issued statement.
The news comes just a month after Big Ten voted in favor of postponing the fall season due to coronavirus pandemic. At the time, 13 programs voted in favor of postponement while Nebraska, Ohio State, and Iowa voted to play.
According to reports, the league plans to have each team play eight games in eight weeks, which is considered doable due to the development of rapid tests for discovering COVID-19 infection. The games are set to be played on college campuses in front of empty stands.
Big Ten title game is expected to take place on December 19th.
