Big Ten spring football season could open in January

MADISON, Wis. — Big Ten officials are working on a revised football schedule that could feature teams starting their season in early January.

Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour said Monday during a Zoom meeting with reporters that the league could release the revised 2020 schedule within a week or so.

Multiple college football people told the MIlwaukee Journal Sentinel Tuesday afternoon that Big Ten officials have decided to start the season as early as possible.

That decision would allow players to finish their season before the 2021 NFL Draft, currently scheduled to be held April 29 through May 1.

The Big Ten announced Aug. 11 it was shutting down all of the league’s fall sports because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic but hoped to move the football season to the spring semester.

Parents of Wisconsin football players were briefed about the plan Tuesday and were told it involves the use of indoor facilities. They were also told league officials are still uncertain how a shortened season would affect the eligibility of players, particularly seniors. A final decision could be made within a week.

Several indoor facilities that could be used by the Big Ten for games are home to NFL teams. Those are: Indianapolis (Colts), Minneapolis (Vikings) and Detroit (Lions). Other possible facilities are in St. Louis and Syracuse.

The final week of the 2020 NFL regular season is set for Jan. 3. The Colts and Lions are scheduled to play at home that weekend. The Vikings are to play the Lions at Ford Field.

The current NFL schedule has wild-card games set for Saturday Jan. 9 and Sunday Jan. 10. Divisional round games are set for Saturday Jan. 16 and Sunday 17. The conference title games are to be played Jan. 24, which is a Sunday.

It remains unclear how many games the Big Ten will attempt to play. However, Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez told reporters that coaches and athletic directors are wary of asking players to play too many games in the second semester and then return in August for a full 2021 season.

“It wouldn’t be two full seasons,” Alvarez said.

Ohio State coach Ryan Day proposed an eight-game schedule with teams opening in the first week of January and finishing in the last week of February.

That would allow for a Big Ten title game in the first week of March.

“I think that starting the first week in January would be the best way to go,” Day said. “That way there is some separation between that season and the next season.”

Wisconsin coach Paul Chryst and Alvarez also noted it is imperative that the revised schedule provide as much separation as possible from the 2021 season.

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