From the Ohio State board within the past hour - written by one of the 247 writers who has been on top of this for OSU:
It's been an eventful Friday. Reports came out this morning that the Big Ten, after canceling the fall sports seasons two and a half weeks ago and focusing on a winter football season,
was now discussing the possibility of playing a season starting on Thanksgiving weekend. These reports came from the likes of
The Athletic's Bruce Feldman, Dennis Dodd of CBS and ESPN, all reporting confirmation from sources, after originating from
Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Here is what I know. Ohio State, as of this morning, was still operating under the assumption that there would be no football this fall for the Buckeyes. Gene Smith and
Ryan Day spoke with parents on Thursday, multiple sources confirmed, and addressed only a winter schedule that,
as previously reported by Bucknuts, would start in January with a potential Rose Bowl or some kind of championship game in mid-March against the winner of the Pac-12.
Scarlet and Gray parents were informed, "there will not be football this fall."
The plan is for Ohio State football players to begin workouts four days per week starting next week. This will have to fall under the NCAA guidelines. Additionally, there are conversations with the NFL about pushing the Combine -- normally scheduled for February -- and the draft -- typically held in late April -- back to help accommodate the Big Ten and Pac-12 players.
This, obviously, does not jive with what is being reported by others. But I think it's important to point out that both things could be true. It would make sense for the decision-makers in the Big Ten -- these are the presidents/chancellors and commissioner Kevin Warren -- to discuss multiple options. Having one plan that may or may not work isn't wise.
It is also entirely possible that the Big Ten is discussing a late-November start date, while still believing that the winter schedule is more likely, and therefore that is what coaches and athletic directors have been told is the plan. Given how quickly information changes with COVID-19, these conversations could have taken place and not made their way down the ladder to those I spoke with that have knowledge of the situation and could be a step in the right direction.
But as of now, I have not heard anything definitive to tell me fans should expect Big Ten football in November.