Despite the decisions by the Big Ten and the Pac-12 to call off fall football, the Big 12 appears to be forging ahead toward a football season during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hours after two of college football’s Power Five conferences canceled their games for at least the remainder of 2020, Big 12 leadership decided Tuesday night over a teleconference to stay the course, according to tweets from several national sports reporters, including Sports Illustrated reporter Ross Dellenger.
Dellenger reported that before Big 12 presidents approved moving forward with a season, the conference’s athletic directors were briefed for 90 minutes by a medical panel. The debate that ensued, Dellenger reported, led to more protocols involving heart imaging tests for those who test positive for COVID-19.
Yahoo Sports reporter Pete Thamel said in a tweet that Big 12 leadership would be moving forward with a previously planned — but not yet announced — revised schedule.
The two other conferences in the Power Five, the SEC and the ACC, have both come out in favor of playing a fall season.
The Kansas football team is expected to open its season versus Southern Illinois, but not on the originally scheduled Aug. 29 date.
Sources telling SoonerScoop's @CareyAMurdock and @Eddie_Rado Big 12 presidents will allow conference to move forward toward a season and a revised Big 12 schedule will be released after approval from AD's during tonight's meetings.
— SoonerScoop.com (@SoonerScoop) August 12, 2020
Source: The Big 12 Presidents are wrapping up their call. The league is going to continue to pursue playing this season. A schedule, which was already prepared, will be released in the near future. This confirms what our @rivals friends at @SoonerScoop reported.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) August 12, 2020
Told the Big 12 board of directors have gone into an executive session but feeling is league will continue pursuing a season, as @SoonerScoop first reported. ADs are meeting at 8 p.m.
— Drew Davison (@drewdavison) August 12, 2020
Before their presidents OK'ed to continue the season, Big 12 ADs got briefed for 90 minutes tonight by a medical panel, which led to vigorous debate.
Sources tell @SINow that conference plans to add an extra layer of protocol involving heart imaging tests for COVID-19 patients.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) August 12, 2020