News came out yesterday that the Big Ten might try and play before the year is over. According to Jeff Portrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Big Ten may want to launch their season on Thanksgiving weekend. If you’re doing the Chris Berman ‘Huh’ noise, you’re not alone. The reason why the Big Ten is having second thoughts is due to the new rapid COVID-19 test that Abbott developed so you can know if you’re positive in 15 minutes. Additionally, the new CDC commentary about asymptomatic carriers makes you think football is more possible. The date of Thanksgiving weekend feels like two things – a money grab and a chance for the top Big Ten players to play.

In the report, Portyrkus explains that the season would be eight weeks long. Doing the math here with eight weeks, that would put the season’s end date on the weekend of January 11th. This is convenient because the College Football Playoff is set to begin that following week potentially. The CFB Playoff left the door open for a later start date if there was a need to. But if that’s the case with the Big Ten to fit in a season for the playoff, they have to work around Christmas and New Year’s holidays. If you take those two weeks off, the season ends the week of January 25th and miss the boat on the playoff altogether.

Not trying to be an ass, but is it possible that the source has the wrong month? If they started at the end of October versus November, that could be somewhat logical for an eight-week season. The season begins on October 31st which would mean that their eight-game season would end on December 18th which is the same weekend that many conference championships are taking place. This has to be the plan, right? November makes no sense, but October makes all the sense in the world. It also gives teams time to test, train, and get ready. The weather will suck, but that’s the only drawback to this plan.

I would love it if the Big Ten came to the table with a plan. I doubt it will happen though. Big Ten has been one big tease all summer. It is not worth getting our hopes up until there is some real groundswell.

Charlie.