ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Big Ten’s plan to play football this fall includes trying to save lives in the future. The conference, which reversed course and announced Wednesday it would have a fall football season, is setting up a cardiac registry to study the effects COVID-19 has on athletes' hearts. The Big Ten did not point directly to myocarditis its its decision, instead emphasizing the emergence of daily, rapid-response COVID-19 testing. But the cardiac registry was noted by Big Ten leadership. It will include athletes from all sports who test positive for COVID-19 and consent to be part of the study.

The decision comes with stringent COVID-19 safety guidelines, headlined by two main statistics the conference will monitor throughout the season:Two COVID-19 statsThe two stats outlined in the Big Ten release are team positivity rate and population positivity rate. Big Ten officials define population positivity rate and the “number of COVID-19 positive individuals divided by the total population at risk." Team test positivity rate and population positivity rate thresholds will be used to determine recommendations for continuing practice and competition, officials said. All COVID-19 positive student-athletes will have to undergo comprehensive cardiac testing to include labs and biomarkers, ECG, Echocardiogram and a Cardiac MRI. Following cardiac evaluation, student-athletes must receive clearance from a cardiologist designated by the university for the primary purpose of cardiac clearance for COVID-19 positive student-athletes.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Big Ten announced Wednesday that it has reinstated the 2020 fall football season, with games scheduled to begin Oct. 23-24. This reversal comes five weeks after Big Ten presidents voted against playing any fall sports. We respect the challenge that the virus has presented, however we will not cower from it.”It took several weeks, but Harbaugh has gotten his wish. Six days before postponing the season, Big Ten officials released a modified 10-game, conference-only schedule for each member. Even without bye weeks, a 10-game schedule would carry the Big Ten football season through Christmas.