The Big Ten announced its approved plans Wednesday for the 2020 football season, which includes a 10-game, conference-only schedule beginning as early as Sept. 3. In response to COVID-19, the conference also released medical protocols for the upcoming season.
“In making this announcement, the Conference acknowledges that there is much work to be done on our campuses, in our communities and across the country to gain control of a virus that continues to spread at an alarming rate,” the Big Ten said in a press release. “While the Conference remains hopeful for a September 2020 start in all fall sports, including football, issuing a schedule does not guarantee that competition will occur.”
IU football is still slated to open its season Sept. 4 at Wisconsin, but adds a cross-division game at Minnesota on Oct. 10. IU will still play Purdue during the final week of the regular season to compete for the Old Oaken Bucket, but the game was moved up from Nov. 28 to Nov. 21.
Each team in the conference has two bye weeks built into the revised calendar and a universal week off before the Big Ten Championship game on Dec. 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. In the event games are postponed, the matchups can be collapsed into scheduled weeks off.
The Big Ten also stated teams may begin preseason practices Friday or earlier if permitted under NCAA guidelines related to the first dates of scheduled competition.
