Report: Big Ten considering football season start on Thanksgiving week

Despite announcing the postponement of its fall football season until at least the spring, the Big Ten continues to discuss a revised 2020 schedule. One new option is to begin a season with at least eight games the week of Thanksgiving, sources told Jeff Potrykus of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The conference is also discussing other start dates for the campaign, including New Year's Day, mid-January, and post-Super Bowl, Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports reports.

Hosting an eight- or nine-game slate at indoor facilities in January is a possibility that has generated the most discussion so far, according to Adam Rittenberg and Mark Schlabach of ESPN.

The Big Ten officially postponed its fall season on Aug. 11 due to COVID-19 concerns, mentioning it would evaluate moving the slate to the spring.

Several schools, players, and coaches have since expressed disappointment with the conference's decision to hold off on the 2020 campaign.

Eight Nebraska student-athletes reportedly filed a lawsuit against the Big Ten seeking more clarity on how the conference leadership arrived at a conclusion to postpone the fall season. The group also wants the decision to be reversed.

Additionally, Ohio State star quarterback Justin Fields created an online petition calling for the fall football season's immediate reinstatement, and it gained over 200,000 signatures within the first day after posting.

Former Buckeyes head coach Urban Meyer recently said he doubts the Big Ten will play football in the spring: "You can't ask student-athletes to play two seasons in one calendar year."

While the Pac-12 followed the Big Ten's decision regarding the fall season, the remaining Power 5 conferences - SEC, ACC, and Big 12 - plan to play football this fall under adjusted schedules.