For students and fans of the Wisconsin football team, the question on everyone’s mind is: “Will there be a football game this Saturday against Western Kentucky?”
The best answer is: “Stay tuned.”
The Big Ten conference, after a meeting with staff and a teleconference with other conferences about this very issue, announced Wednesday that Big Ten athletic events will be played as scheduled, except in cases where Big Ten teams and their opponents have mutually agreed to modify or cancel dates and times.
Individual institutions are evaluating their own athletics schedules and will announce any adjustments to individual schedules within the next 24 hours.
Several Big Ten schools have already made adjustments to their schedules. Tonight’s contest between Penn State and Virginia has been postponed and will be made up Dec. 1.
Also, Ohio State has rescheduled its game with the San Diego State Aztecs for Oct. 23, when both teams have a scheduled bye week.
In addition, Northwestern has postponed its home opener against Navy.
Big Ten schools that are currently in session (Northwestern and Ohio State have not begun classes for the fall term) conducted regular class schedules Wednesday.
This decision is not completely set in stone, however. If the White House declares Saturday a National Day of Mourning, the Big Ten has agreed to suspend all competition that day.
While Wisconsin Head Coach Barry Alvarez wants to play, he is supportive of any decision made.
“Whatever the president wants,” Alvarez said. “If it’s a day of mourning Saturday, then we won’t play.”
“Our schools are holding classes, people are returning to work and college athletics in the Big Ten is moving forward as encouraged by President Bush in his public comments,” Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany said in a press release.
The entire Wisconsin football squad is also planning its own tribute to the victims of Tuesday’s attack.
“I have ordered American flag decals [for] our helmets for our football team to show our sympathy and concern towards the families and what has occurred,” Alvarez said.
In addition to the decals placed on the helmets, all Big Ten schools have agreed to donate $1 million to a nonprofit disaster relief fund yet to be determined.
Finally, the press release stated that Big Ten institutions wish to express their sympathy to the victims of the tragedies.
