The year 2020 has been weird to say the least — so weird that random “sources” that appear on Twitter may just be crazy enough to be true.
Source: B1G officials just met. Ohio State, Nebraska, Iowa and Michigan are set on playing this fall. Illinois and Northwestern are only schools that are not thinking about playing.
If Big Ten doesn’t have football, teams will be allowed to join other leagues.
— Sir Yacht (@SirYacht) August 15, 2020
Yesterday, a tweet sent out by “Sir Yacht,” a podcaster on “The Yacht Club Podcast,” claimed that there were sources within the Big Ten Conference giving tips to a secret meeting among officials. This meeting was supposedly pertaining to the lingering possibility that teams unhappy with the conference’s decision to cancel fall sports may seek competition elsewhere.
Among the teams that were said to want to play this fall were Ohio State, Nebraska, Michigan, and Iowa. Illinois and Northwestern are said to have no interest in exploring alternative playing options this fall.
-Iowa, Michigan & Nebraska are talking joining Big 12 seriously
-Ohio State if it plays anywhere else will be in the ACC. Big reason for this is to schedule home game vs. Notre Dame in the fall
-No B1G teams will play in SEC
-Conference call tomorrow at 3 pm to finalize plans
— Sir Yacht (@SirYacht) August 15, 2020
The story was even so detailed as to explain which conference each team would participate in. Ohio State would all but surely join the ACC in order to play at home against Notre Dame. Iowa, Nebraska, and Michigan are supposedly set to join the Big 12.
Yacht’s source would claim that a finalized decision would come at 3 p.m. today after another conference call among league officials.
This report is contradictory to what Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren said earlier in the week. According to multiple reports, if a team were to seek competition elsewhere this fall, they would no longer be members of the conference. However, parents from schools across the conference have began to push back against the decision, going as far to write letters to the conference urging them to reconsider the cancellation. With so much backlash against them, the Big Ten backtracking on their decision wouldn’t be too wild of an imagination.
This meeting was also reported to have some very high ranking officials involved.
The White House was also involved in the meeting today, pressing the Big Ten to play.
— Sir Yacht (@SirYacht) August 15, 2020
Possibly the most bizarre aspect of Yacht’s report was that the White House was also involved on the call among officials. President Donald Trump has been very vocal in his support of College Football taking place this fall, so once again, this claim isn’t too far fetched.
However, Yacht’s source doesn’t come without its naysayers. Former Ohio State wide receivers coach Zach Smith would attack the idea of what Sir Yacht was feeding the public, calling him “full of shit.”
Looking for clicks… I will bite.
I have plenty of sources at every level in the Big 10. You’re full of shit. Who’s your source?
There’s your click. https://t.co/ZyseLyQBN1
— Zach Smith (@CoachZachSmith) August 15, 2020
Smith would explode, accusing Yacht of looking for “clicks,” and claiming he has plenty of sources “at every level in the Big Ten.” He would them ask Yacht who his source was.
To say the Big Ten is a mess right now would be an understatement, and if this random report were to come true, it could pose trouble for the conference moving forward.
Nonetheless, the prospect of Iowa, Michigan, and Nebraska remains interesting. All are historical programs, and would be a big marquee name for the conference even in just a one-out event.
If this decision does in fact become final tomorrow, we will bring you the full scoop at 3 p.m. If not, just consider this as yet another fake news story that surfaced on Twitter.
Still though — you have to admit this is interesting.
