Trump says Big Ten could play football without schools in three states

President Trump suggested Sunday that the Big Ten conference could go ahead with its football season without participation from schools in three states as some players and parents have called for the season to resume.

In a tweet, Trump took aim at the governors of Illinois, Michigan and Maryland for what he called a “ridiculous lack of interest or political support” for games to go on, and suggested that the league could go on without them.

Big Ten Football is looking really good, but may lose Michigan, Illinois, and Maryland because of those Governors’ ridiculous lack of interest or political support. They will play without them?

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 6, 2020

Trump’s tweet comes about a month after the Big Ten moved officially to cancel its football season, set to begin this fall, over ongoing concerns due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some players and others involved with the conference have called for the decision to be reversed.

University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh is among those who has called publicly in recent days for the season to resume, even as colleges around the country that have returned to on-campus learning have battled clusters of outbreaks in student housing and Greek Life residences.

“Everybody has been, we want to play as soon as we possibly can. And we’re ready to play, we could be ready to play a game in two weeks,” Harbaugh said this week. “Just get the pads on and our guys have trained without a pause since June 15. That’s our position, we’re ready to play as soon as we possibly can play.”

Presidents of a dozen universities voted in favor of halting the Big Ten’s season last month, with just two members of the conference, Nebraska and Iowa, voting to go forward with games.