Yesterday we saw a much more complete slate of college football games. With the official return of the Big 10, Saturday looked a lot more normal to sports fans.
Back in the summer the Big 10 and Pac 12 were the biggest conferences in college football to say they won’t be playing due to the Covid-19 crisis. At the time, it was unclear what other conferences would do. Even the “independent” Notre Dame joined the ACC because they knew that most of their opponents are from the Pac-12 and Big-10.
Clearly, something changed for these schools to be playing yesterday. We all know exactly what it is that changed. The lack of income that these schools were seeing really made those in charge panic. They were used to 100,000 people flocking to stadiums every Saturday and big TV contracts paying them millions. These same people also couldn’t stand seeing lower level colleges collecting those fat TV checks. You know the president of Ohio State hated turning on his TV and seeing Memphis playing UCF when his squad was at school just sitting around.
The clear financial decision comes with little to nothing changing in the Covid-19 crisis. We are in just about the same place we were in the summer. Not to mention the election coming up.
The Big-10 is right in the middle of most of the swing states, and those states love them their college football. President Trump has rode the idea that these “academics” and “liberal elites” are taking football away from them pretty hard. This was heard loud and clear.
Personally, I am very happy high level college football is back. It is a great thing for my Saturday afternoon. But, this looks terrible for those who rule the roost in the Big 10. Panic and greed made this decision that should have been a no brainer in the first place. As we all know, money speaks loudest in this country, and love it or hate it, it made the decision here.