Big Ten football 2020: Justin Fields, Jim Harbaugh and others react to upcoming football season

Five weeks after the Big Ten said there would be no football in 2020, and about a month after commissioner Kevin Warren said the decision would not be “revisited”, the conference will play football this fall. 

Advancements in daily testing and new information on myocarditis, along with the blessing of the conference’s medical professionals, fueled the about-face. But that doesn’t erase the fact that the Big Ten faced a self-inflicted, multi-front PR battle that included pressure from every angle. Players, coaches, fans, media, politicians — and even parents — were quick to criticize the Big Ten’s decision-making process. 

So it should be no surprise that many of those same people were rejoicing following the news. Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, easily the Big Ten’s biggest star and the leader of an online petition to play, expressed his excitement by retweeting Ohio State’s account. 

Meanwhile, Fields’ coach, Ryan Day, took a more appreciative approach, saying on a call with reporters that he was happy for his players. 

Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh has been one of the most vocal advocates of playing football in the fall. On the Wolverines’ Twitter account, the message was clear: Stay positive, test negative. In a statement, Harbaugh also expressed his gratitude for the conference’s decision. 

Similarly, Penn State coach James Franklin issued a statement reflecting how the uncertainty of the past couple of months has affected the team, along with his appreciation for the change. 

Overall, conference handles were ready to go with hype videos for the news. The best one, however, might be from Wisconsin, which took one of the better memes of the last couple of years and applied it to Badger football.