Report: Big Ten members ‘confident’ return to play plan will be approved

We may be a month away from the return of Big Ten football.

According to Jeff Potrykus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, people familiar with the upcoming vote on whether to resume fall sports are confident that presidents and chancellors will vote to start the season. The target date will be Oct. 17.

Nine schools that voted no on the previous vote will need to vote yes this time for the decision to shift, assuming the previous three yes votes remain the same. Wisconsin, a no vote on the initial decision, is expected to vote yes this time. The vote is expected to take place Sunday or Monday.

The key to the shift in sentiment is largely down to the emergence of more reliable and rapid testing availability for COVID-19.

An Oct. 17 start would allow Big Ten schools to play an eight-game conference schedule. That would be enough to at least put its schools in the picture for the College Football Playoff.

An October restart is what coaches have been pushing for. If this does pass, they will be absolutely thrilled. In all likelihood, so will their players.