What you need to know about Big Ten Football:
The Big Ten Football is a mess and only has itself to blame š
Technically, theĀ 2020 college football seasonĀ kicked off this past weekend, as Austin Peay took on Central Arkansas in theĀ FCS Kickoff ClassicĀ atĀ Cramton Bowl. The Governors got things started in fine fashion, asĀ the first play from scrimmage went for a 75-yard touchdown, but ultimately it was the Bears who won the game, 24-17.
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![]() Big Ten Football But, in all likelihood, none of that really means much to you because it’s not the Power Five. |
So, what’s the latest with the power brokers of college football? Well, unfortunately, it all seems to be quite a mess — especially in theĀ Big Ten.
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While this latest development can be seen as good news for anyone who wants to see Big Ten football as soon as possible, it also signals a clear lack of unity and leadership within the conference. Our Dennis DoddĀ went in on that topic over the weekend:
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Dodd makes a great point when he says that the league has lost control of the narrative and, to a certain extent, its own credibility. As he puts it, “the fact that the league has wavered, publicly, reflects how the Big Ten’s sterling reputation is slipping.”
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Not to mention the fact that starting the season in November doesn’t particularly make a whole lot of sense. It seems as though this would all lead to the Big Ten rushing to start its season when some of the other Power Five conferences are planning to wrap up their own campaigns — and potentially play in a national championship.
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The Big Ten has sort of painted itself into a corner here. While you could initially commend the conference for prioritizing player safety, if leadership changes its mind it will be seen as caving to pressure. If it doesn’t, well, it’s already shown a willingness to second-guess itself and publicly showcase a lack of unified response under duress.
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