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The Ducks will remain 0-9 against the Ohio State Buckeyes for at least another season. The Big 10 announced today that their season will be played in conference only, meaning the highly anticipated Sept. 12 contest at Autzen is postponed for an undetermined date.
The Big 10 issued a statement Thursday:
“We are facing uncertain and unprecedented times, and the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes, coaches, game officials, and others associated with our sports programs and campuses remain our number one priority, To that end, the Big Ten Conference announced today that if the Conference is able to participate in fall sports (men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball) based on medical advice, it will move to Conference-only schedules in those sports. Details for these sports will be released at a later date, while decisions on sports not listed above will continue to be evaluated. By limiting competition to other Big Ten institutions, the Conference will have the greatest flexibility to adjust its own operations throughout the season and make quick decisions in real-time based on the most current evolving medical advice and the fluid nature of the pandemic”
Statement from @GoDucks director of athletics Rob Mullens: “I appreciate Gene Smith reaching out to share the Big 10’s announcement. We agreed to have ongoing discussions about the options for rescheduling the Oregon home game in our series.” #GoDucks
— Rob Moseley (@DuckFootball) July 9, 2020
The Ducks are still scheduled to visit Columbus, Ohio during the 2021 season, but no statement has been made as to when a replacement Oregon home game will be played, and some fans and writers are pondering the possibilities:
If I am Oregon AD Rob Mullens, I tell Ohio State these are the rescheduling parameters:
— Matt Prehm (@MattPrehm) July 9, 2020
1. Move 2021 to a neutral site in Vegas, neutral site somewhere in midwest next available date for both teams
2. 2021 in Eugene, 2022 in Columbus
3. Cancel series all together.
. The announcement could trigger a wave of changes throughout college football as the Corona pandemic threatens to either reshape or even cancel the 2020 season.
The PAC-12 is expected to follow suit with the BIG 10, and it’s likely we’ll be seeing the other major conferences announcing similar statements as the season approaches. But signs seem to be pointing towards football in the Spring, though that presents a new batch of problems (temperature, the NFL draft, eligibility, etc.), and for all we know Spring ball may also turn into an overly optimistic timeline.
Stay tuned, stay safe, and stay masked, Duck Fam!