After reports initially broke Sunday, Aug. 9, that the Big Ten was planning on canceling or postponing fall sports, the conference’s official announcement came Tuesday, Aug. 11. The Big Ten was shortly followed by the Pac-12, who canceled all sports through the end of 2020, which, unlike the Big Ten’s announcement, also impacts the beginning of basketball season and other winter sports.
However, both the ACC and SEC, and later the Big 12, released statements with their intentions to continue with current plans for the fall season. All of a sudden, the Power Five conferences are split in opinion, and there are boatloads of questions that need to be answered on both sides.
The ACC’s current plan for football, released Wednesday, July 29, will see each team play an 11-game schedule, comprising 10 conference games and one out-of-conference game, which is required to be played in the team’s home state, and the opponent must meet the ACC’s medical protocol requirements.
Men’s and women’s soccer will both play six conference games while volleyball will play 10 conference games, and schools can schedule cross country regular-season competitions at their own discretion. Football, men’s and women’s soccer, volleyball and cross country can all begin competition the week of Sept. 12.
On Aug. 9, when Big Ten reports were showing the season might be over, players from around the country started the #WeWantToPlay movement on social media. Some of the biggest stars in college football posted in support, including Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence and Ohio State’s Justin Fields.
Members of the NC State football team also joined into the discussion in support of the season on Twitter, including head coach Dave Doeren, offensive line coach John Garrison, redshirt sophomore Devin Leary, redshirt junior Isaiah Moore, junior Alim McNeill, senior Emeka Emezie, junior Tanner Ingle and redshirt junior Thayer Thomas, among many others.
At this point, it looks like college athletics is completely split in its decision and there are more questions than answers, especially about postseason play and making up fall sports in the spring.
