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The Ohio State University likely won't be playing football this fall after all.
Even as universities begin inviting students back to campus, the Big Ten Conference decided over the weekend to cancel the upcoming football season, according to the Detroit Free-Press and other media outlets.
"The Big Ten has voted to cancel the 2020 college football season in a historic move that stems from concerns related to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, multiple people with knowledge of the decision confirmed to the Free Press," the Detroit newspaper reported.
The conference is reportedly planning to announce the news on Tuesday. It's unclear if a spring football season is under consideration.
Ohio State declined to comment. The school reportedly held a scheduled football practice on Monday morning.
On Saturday, the Mid-American Conference – which includes the University of Akron, Ohio University, Kent State University, University of Toledo, Bowling Green and Miami University – voted to postpone the entire fall sports season
In July, the North Coast Athletic Conference suspended all athletic competitions between schools through the rest of 2020, affecting Kenyon, Denison, Oberlin, Wittenberg, Wooster and Ohio Wesleyan.
The Big Ten announced last month that member schools would only play games in-conference "if the Conference is able to participate in fall sports." Under a schedule released last week, Ohio State would have started its shortened 10-game season against Illinois on Sept. 3.
That schedule also would have pushed the annual University of Michigan rivalry game up to Oct. 24, marking the first time since 1942 that Ohio State didn't end its regular season against Michigan. Ohio State also planned to limit home game capacity at Ohio Stadium to 20 percent and require attendees to wear face coverings.
The Big Ten planned to require all sports to test for COVID-19 at least once a week, with football being required to test twice a week. Anyone who tested positive but was asymptomatic would be required to isolate for at least 10 days, while those who have close contact with someone who tests positive must self-quarantine for two weeks.
Ohio State has not disclosed how many student-athletes have tested positive for COVID-19.
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