Here are the ideas reportedly on the table for a return to B1G football in 2020-21

Things are crazy in the B1G — again.

On Friday, fans were given a renewed sense of hope with Bruce Feldman of The Athletic reporting that B1G head coaches were meeting and discussing a potential plan to play football in the fall. Feldman reported that it was a “real possibility” that the conference could reverse course and still play during the fall season.

And while that’s technically true, it appears that a return to a fall schedule would begin around Thanksgiving. Based on some of the reports from earlier this week, as well as Friday, here’s what is likely to be on the table:

• According to Blue & White Illustrated: An 8-game season that begins the week after Jan. 1, 2021. A “championship game” between the two highest-finishing teams and a potential Rose Bowl Game between the B1G and Pac-12 champions.
• Per Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports: A 10-game conference schedule with a “plus-one” model, beginning closer to Thanksgiving week. (Jeff Potrykus of Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel was first to report).
• Per Thamel: A post-Super Bowl weekend start date, likely with an 8-game schedule

At this time, there does not appear to be a plan that involves the B1G starting a season before the week of Thanksgiving. It would suggest that the conference is still not planning to be part of the College Football Playoff conversation.

Dustin Schutte

Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB