BREAKING: The Big Ten Postpones Fall Sports Season, Including Football

The Big Ten is postponing all fall sports seasons, including football, amid the coronavirus pandemic. They may attempt to play in the spring of 2021, but no plans have been finalized.

ESPN's Adam Rittenberg broke the story before the official announcement, which came at 3 pm on Tuesday.

“Our primary responsibility is to make the best possible decisions in the interest of our students, faculty, and staff,” said Morton Schapiro, Chair of the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors and Northwestern University President said in a statement confirming the news.

The fall sports included in this announcement are men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, football, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball.

Officials with the Big Ten said they understood the gravity of the situation, and they will continue to evaluate options moving forward for all of its programs (including the upcoming winter and spring seasons)

“As time progressed and after hours of discussion with our Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee, it became abundantly clear that there was too much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow our student-athletes to compete this fall," said Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren.

One of the options on the table for The Big Ten could possibly postpone the fall sports season to the spring of 2021, they say. No decisions have been finalized.

The Big Ten Conference is the oldest Division I collegiate athletic conference in the United States, with 14 member institutions -- including New Jersey's Rutgers University and Penn State University in Pennsylvania.

"Everyone associated with the Big Ten Conference and its member institutions is committed to getting everyone back to competition as soon as it is safe to do so," Warren said.