How long will the Big 10 season last?

[UConnJim]

Wisconsin cancels this week's game vs. Nebraska as 6 players and 6 staff members including Paul Chryst have tested positive for COVID. And, they have paused all football activities for 7 days so no practices until possibly next Wednesday. Wisconsin was going to have to start their 4th string QB this week as players who test positive miss 21 days or 3 games. And, the Big 10 has no bye weeks so they can't make up any games.

In my opinion, teams that started the football season in September were able to play games as COVID died down over the summer. Now, COVID infections are surging in the US and it will be almost impossible to keep athletes healthy.

 

[Exit 4]

Can't wait for a 2-4 Rutty to play a 4-2 Northwestern for the B1G title game because COVid zapped the balance of the conference.

 

[UConnJim]

COVID test positivity rates in Big 10 states (7-day average from Johns Hopkins:

Wisconsin 28.1%
Iowa 25.6%
Nebraska 21.8%
Pennsylvania 12.1%
Indiana 7.8%
Illinois 6.6%
Minnesota 6.3%
Ohio 5.6%
Michigan 5.3%
New Jersey 3.7%
Maryland 2.6%

Note: Connecticut 2.4%

It seems the next Big 10 schools that are vulnerable to a COVID shutdown will be Iowa, Nebraska, and Penn St.

 

[Waquoit]

20 minutes

 

[Drew]

i am sad.

 

[Exit 4]

i am sad.

It was sort of set up to fail. Enjoy the football you have had and whatever you get tomorrow...the next day certainly isn't assured.

 

[BigTenFan]

University of Michigan students just put on lockdown. My son at Purdue and they are having issues. Not looking good.

 

[UCSouth]

i am sad.

Unfortunately, desire to play and the reality of the circumstances is not creating the outcome they are hoping for. I think, and I'm probably wrong, that some of these other Conferences are fudging the results. Just my conspiracy theory ...

 

[uconndogs]

Unfortunately, desire to play and the reality of the circumstances is not creating the outcome they are hoping for. I think, and I'm probably wrong, that some of these other Conferences are fudging the results. Just my conspiracy theory ...

I'm usually not into conspiracy theories, but I think it's certainly within the realm of possibility that some of the SEC and ACC programs early on came to the conclusion that herd immunity within the program was a heck of a lot easier to manage than dealing with the protocols and resulting quarantines during the season. Clemson had something like 30+ cases back in July. Heck, at that point you're just about there.

Frankly, if I were 20 and playing football at that level. I would have opted to take on the virus in the summer and quarantine and then get on with the season. Not saying I was necessarily the brightest 20 year old that ever lived, but I suspect I would have seen the wisdom in that.

 

[Palatine]

We've heard that about almost every sports league. The B10 may have shot themselves in the foot with their late start and extreme protocols. We'll see.

 

[MilliniumPrince]

People have no clue what Herd Immunity means or what it takes to get there.

The BIG did this for one reason, and it didn't have a damn thing to do with competition or the love of the game. They looked at the budget projections and realized some money is better than no money. Major institutions are pausing and/or eliminating programs right now. These criminals hide behind amateurism, but the truth is these kids are the economic engine for many of these academic institutions.

They will find a way to finish this season come hell or high water. Sadly, hell and high water are on the way.

 

[huskysupporter]

We've heard that about almost every sports league. The B10 may have shot themselves in the foot with their late start and extreme protocols. We'll see.

The Big Ten caved to pressure and this is the result.

Those pesky extreme protocols, though. Amirite?

 

[pepband99]

bUt We ShOuLd bE PlaYiNg

 

[Waquoit]

The Big Ten caved to pressure and this is the result.
Those pesky extreme protocols, though. Amirite?

Prudent is now labeled extreme. But no politics!

 

[BlueDogs]

99.99% get the sniffles. Every prediction of doom has been wrong and will remain so because the data doesn’t lie.

 

[Travelman6]

What is so hard about this? Leagues around the world move forward and you barely hear a peep about issues. I don't get it.

 

[Exit 4]

And so UMass - you can stop warming up the bus.

 

[UConnJim]

And so UMass - you can stop warming up the bus.

Nebraska was going to play Chattanooga.

 

[Exit 4]

Nebraska was going to play Chattanooga.

I was being funny about UMass playing as a global standby- but okay

 

[UCSouth]

People have no clue what Herd Immunity means or what it takes to get there.

The BIG did this for one reason, and it didn't have a damn thing to do with competition or the love of the game. They looked at the budget projections and realized some money is better than no money. Major institutions are pausing and/or eliminating programs right now. These criminals hide behind amateurism, but the truth is these kids are the economic engine for many of these academic institutions.

They will find a way to finish this season come hell or high water. Sadly, hell and high water are on the way.

Maybe you should explain to all of us what Herd Immunity means, unless of course you were lumping yourself into ...People without a clue.

 

[uconndogs]

People have no clue what Herd Immunity means or what it takes to get there.

Well.....if you have 100 kids on a football team and just about all of them get the virus then I would assume that within that team they have reached herd immunity......assuming that infection with the leaves one with antibodies to fight the virus for some period of time.

To my previous post, I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility that some programs took that approach before the season to address COVID and avoid as many new cases as they could (and resulting need to quarantine) once they entered the season.

 

[hank970]

Well.....if you have 100 kids on a football team and just about all of them get the virus then I would assume that within that team they have reached herd immunity......assuming that infection with the leaves one with antibodies to fight the virus for some period of time.

To my previous post, I don't think it's outside the realm of possibility that some programs took that approach before the season to address COVID and avoid as many new cases as they could (and resulting need to quarantine) once they entered the season.

How can you achieve herd immunity if antibodies have a short shelf-life? Apparently some folks who have recovered (and I use that term advisedly) are being reinfected, perhaps by a different strain.

I'd be happy if we can reach the same kind of truce with this bug as we've reached with seasonal flu -- rely on a shot each year that provides at least partial immunity or a lessening of severe symptoms from the strain most likely to cause havoc that season, and learn to live with the risk beyond that by modifying human behavior. In other words, observe sensible precautions when in crowded venues, and avoid eating bats. I'm beginning to think that there won't be a vaccine that affords a lifetime of immunity across a broad spectrum of strains.

 

[huskymedic]

Wisconsin cancels this week's game vs. Nebraska as 6 players and 6 staff members including Paul Chryst have tested positive for COVID. And, they have paused all football activities for 7 days so no practices until possibly next Wednesday.

 

[uconndogs]

How can you achieve herd immunity if antibodies have a short shelf-life? Apparently some folks who have recovered (and I use that term advisedly) are being reinfected, perhaps by a different strain.

I'd be happy if we can reach the same kind of truce with this bug as we've reached with seasonal flu -- rely on a shot each year that provides at least partial immunity or a lessening of severe symptoms from the strain most likely to cause havoc that season, and learn to live with the risk beyond that by modifying human behavior. In other words, observe sensible precautions when in crowded venues, and avoid eating bats. I'm beginning to think that there won't be a vaccine that affords a lifetime of immunity across a broad spectrum of strains.

I was simply trying to point out that some of the football programs may believe they have reached herd immunity.

 

[jdb50]

And so UMass - you can stop warming up the bus.

I can see UMass and Chattanooga with their uni's packed in duffel bags and parachutes on in a hotel by a runway so they can do an airdrop to rescue any P5 program that needs a game in a covid pinch.