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West divisions' second-, third-, fourth-, fifth-, sixth- and seventh-place finish- ers against each other. In announcing the decision to resume preparations for a fall season, league of- ficials this time were ready to explain their rationale. What changed? Testing capacity. The Big Ten was preparing to begin a daily testing regimen at the end of September that was seen as a game- changer in efforts to inhibit the spread of COVID-19 among players and staff. That capacity did not exist in August when the conference made its original decision to postpone, but now that it does exist, league officials feel comfort- able moving forward with plans to join the Atlantic Coast and Southeastern conferences and the Big 12 in pursuit of the College Football Playoff. "From the onset of the pandemic, our highest priority has been the health and the safety of our students. The new medical protocols and standards put into place by the Big Ten Return to Com- petition Task Force were pivotal in the decision to move forward with sports in The Big Ten roared back into the con- sciousness of college football fans on Sept. 16 when it announced that it was going to attempt to play this fall a7er saying a month earlier that it would aim to conduct its season in the winter or spring. There are still many questions about the feasibility of playing football in a pandemic, but the Big Ten's an- nouncement was full of speci5cs about how the league plans to address those concerns. Here's a brief FAQ detailing how the season is shaping up: What's the format going to be? If all goes well, each Big Ten team will play nine games over a nine-week span beginning later this month. Presented with four possible models for a return to play, the Big Ten's presidents and chan- cellors landed on an eight-game season, plus one, beginning the weekend of Oct. 23-24. Following the eight-game regular sea- son, teams will play a "Champions Week," which will feature the league championship game on Dec. 19, plus a series of games pitting East and West Division opponents against each other, with the matchups determined by the division standings. The second-place teams from each division will meet, as will the third-place teams, fourth-place teams, and so on. Which teams are participating? All 14 Big Ten teams have committed to playing this season. In the days lead- ing up to the decision to play, there had been speculation that some teams might opt out, but that didn't happen. Will the league be eligible for the Col- lege Football Playo(? Yes. Northwestern athletic director Jim Phillips said that Big Ten teams will have a chance to vie for a spot in the playo6, which is slated to begin Jan. 1, with the Rose and Sugar bowls serving as the semi5nal games this season. The championship game will take place Jan. 11 in Miami. Phillips added that the conference will have a chance to send teams to other bowl games as well. The Cotton Bowl is currently set to be played Dec. 30, while the Peach Bowl will be Jan. 1. The Fiesta and Orange bowls are scheduled for Jan. 2. "I think that's a real possibility and something that I know our student- athletes across our 14 institutions really, really are excited about, and a chance not only with the CFP, but within the bowl structure, it's something that's been connected with the Big Ten for a lot of years," Phillips said. "So to play a regular season in a meaningful way, to weave it in with our partners at Fox and ESPN, to do it under the lights that our student-athletes so enjoy doing and to have it culminate at the end of the year with a chance to play in the CFP and a chance to play in traditional bowl games is incredibly exciting." What kind of safety protocols have been put in place? Athletes, coaches, trainers and any other on-5eld personnel must take point-of-care testing every day. Nega- tive results will be required for every participant before each practice and game. This will, in theory, assure "clean competition" in which the 5eld of play has no infected participants. Participants who test positive will be required to sit out for at least 21 days. Teams will be placed into green, orange and red categories based on testing pos- itivity rates, among other considera- tions. Where will the games be played? At on-campus stadiums throughout the conference. When the Big Ten was still exploring a midwinter season start- ing in late November or early January, there was talk of playing in domed stadi- ums at neutral sites. But those plans be- came moot when the league opted to begin in late October. Will fans be able to attend? No. Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour said in September that the conference was still exploring options that might enable the families of play- ers and coaches to attend, but there will not be a public sale of tickets this sea- son. Will fans at least be allowed to tailgate outside of the stadium? Also a hard no. According to a Penn State press release, the university "will absolutely not permit any tailgating in or around the stadium. Further, we will work closely with area law enforcement to support enforcement of existing mu- nicipal ordinances that limit gatherings. Athletics is actively looking for ways we can still promote the local communities and businesses." ■ B I G T E N F O O T B A L L F A Q B Y N A T E B A U E R

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