Report: Ohio State, Nebraska, Michigan, Iowa Not Considering Big 12 Partnership for 2020 Season

Posted on August 10, 2020

There are so many moving parts in the world of college football it’s hard to keep up right now. But some noise keeps being made that as the Big Ten is strongly considering cancelling the 2020 football season, some of the Big Ten schools could look elsewhere to play football this fall, with the Big 12 the conference being discussed the most.

While a school like Nebraska obviously knows the Big 12 very well from its nearly 20 years in the conference, the other schools being rumored, Iowa, Michigan and Ohio State obviously have no ties to the conference. But desperate times call for desperate measures.

This news began early on Monday morning.

Rick Neuheisel on ESPN CFB XM saying his sources also told him behind close doors there was talk about Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State quietly reaching out to the Big 12.
— jbook™ (@jbook37) August 10, 2020

That being said, according to the latest report from Bruce Feldman, there have been no discussions on this happening, at least per a conversation he had with one official.

RE: reports of Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska and Ohio State exploring potential move to the Big 12, source at one of those schools just told me, "That would be news to us."
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) August 10, 2020

There’s no doubt this idea is a total long shot, but if the Big Ten were to fold for the season, against the wishes of several Big Ten schools, then why not go ahead and look for a temporary football home for at least one fall?

A new report says that Iowa and Nebraska were the only Big Ten schools who voted to play this fall, so clearly there is at least interest with those two programs. According to sports radio host Dan Patrick, the Big Ten is expected to cancel its 2020 season on Tuesday.

While everything about the idea is a long shot, that hasn’t stopped many prominent folks from pushing the idea, including former OU star and current FOX Sports analyst Spencer Tillman.

Big-Twelve to Nebraska: Kill the fatted calf, put a ring on their finger, invite a friend and let’s eat! Let us renew one of college football’s greatest rivalries! Be gone smug, academics! May you rue the day your hubris destroyed the lifeline to thousands of“Student Athletes”. pic.twitter.com/iCg9l5zL0j
— Spencer Tillman (@SpenceTillman) August 10, 2020

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