(UNDATED) - The Big Ten will determine whether to cancel games this year based on COVID-19 testing positivity rates within a team, and if a game can't be played, it will be deemed a "no contest," the conference announced on Thursday. The Big Ten, which begins its season at 8 PM ET on Friday when No. 14 Wisconsin hosts Illinois, is attempting to play an eight-game conference season in eight weeks, plus a ninth game for all 14 teams during Big Ten champions week the weekend of Dec. 19. In order to compete in the Big Ten championship game, a team must play at least six games, according to conference tiebreaker rules that were also released on Thursday. On Sept. 16, when the Big Ten announced its return this fall, the conference also released specific, color-coded guidelines of green, orange and red to follow when determining if practices or games can continue. If the test positivity rate for a team exceeds 5%, a "team must stop regular practice and competition for a minimum of seven days and reassess metrics until improved." If a game is canceled, it won't count as a win or loss for either team. Because of the league's truncated schedule, there is no flexibility or bye weeks built in, so conference officials have accounted for the possibility of unbalanced schedules in their lengthy tiebreaker policy. It is similar to that of the Pac-12, which was released earlier this week. The start of the Big Ten's season also coincides with spikes of positive coronavirus rates throughout the Midwest, but coaches and administrators throughout the conference have continued to express confidence in the Big Ten's daily antigen testing.
(04-15-2024) Knicks beat Bulls 120-119 in OT
(04-15-2024) Turner leads Pacers past Hawks 157-115
(04-15-2024) Spurs knock off Pistons 123-95
(04-15-2024) Busch homer helps Cubs beat Mariners 3-2
(04-15-2024) Reds get 4 RBI from Encarnacion-Strand, beat White Sox 11-4
(04-15-2024) Canha’s 2 run double helps Tigers beat Twins 4-3
(04-15-2024) Coldwater girls track team does well at Branch Co. Best Meet
(04-15-2024) Bronson track teams have top five finishes at Branch County Meet
(04-15-2024) Host Coldwater baseball team is 1-2 at own invitational
(04-15-2024) Three Rivers baseball goes 2-1 at Coldwater Invitational
(04-15-2024) Host Three Rivers has 2-1 day at own softball tournament
(04-15-2024) Bronson softball goes 1-2 at TR Tournament (THREE RIVERS) – The Bronson softball team went 1
(04-15-2024) Three Rivers tennis team goes 0-2 at Coldwater Tournament
(04-15-2024) Sturgis girls tennis team wins own Quad meet
(04-13-2024) Colon track teams host annual Dale Shook Invitational
(04-13-2024) Three Rivers boys sixth and girls tenth at Gull Lake Track Invitational
(04-13-2024) Constantine boys track team fifth, girls seventh at Gull Lake Invitational
(04-11-2024) Bronson boys second, girls third at Athens track quad meet
(04-11-2024) Centreville girls go 2-0 at Constantine Tri-meet
(04-11-2024) Constantine boys win own track Tri-meet