Six players, six staff members, including the head coach.

He just felt it was important.

Uh, if we wanted to continue to play for the year to make this move right now in control of the virus, your natural tendency is, let's get back on the field and get right back at it.

But that's where you know you have to put priorities in order and make sure that our number one concern is health and safety of our athletes were wind the opportunity and our players were on the opportunity to play and and then thio, um, not have that opportunity.

That's where there's a disappointment.

All right, so for anyone hasn't been playing close attention.

We are one week into the Big 10 schedule, and we have this now.

And of course, Heather Danish covers this all four so well on.

Mr Finebaum is up early with us here too.

So, Heather, let's start with this.

So everyone understands.

Why is this about so much more than just one game for Wisconsin and for the conference.

Well, greedy, because it goes back to the Big 10 protocol, which states that players cannot return any earlier than 21 days.

So what you have here is you have the coaches and staff members who test positive along with players.

CDC guidelines recommend self isolation for 10 to 14 days, So that's the first chunk of time, right, so coaches and staff members can return after 10 days for the players.

They go through cardiac testing.

After they leave isolation, they must be cleared by a cardiologists to return.

And then there is a period of time that's return to play progression.

So they're not just throwing these kids back out on the field after having done very little, if nothing at all during that time.

So as we sit here today, Barry Alvarez and Paul Chris, we're not ready to say whether or not they could play against Purdue.

I can tell you that a source said quarterback Graham Mertzes first positive test was on Saturday.

So technically, if he goes through all of that and comes out on the right spot on the back end, he should be able to come back on the Friday before Wisconsin is scheduled to go to Michigan in two weeks on November 14.

Again, we're talking about three weeks at a time where these players and Paul Finebaum I'm sure that there are a lot of fans watching and listening to this conversation, wondering why the policies are so different from conference to conference.

What are your thoughts on that?

That's a great question, greeny.

And the reason why the Big 10 is different is because the Big 10 did it to themselves.

And please don't anyone to misunderstand me.

Safety is paramount here, but the Big 10 has just made one mistake's after another by shutting down in August by sitting there wasting time and then suddenly watching everyone else playing go.

You know what?

Maybe we need to get back into it.

You heard Ryan Day.

You heard frosted Nebraska.

So the president of the Big 10 said, Okay, we will let you come back, but we're going to make it more difficult.

And they overshot the runway.

Uh, there's no reason to go 21 days.

I mean, if you're if you're still sick between 10 and 14 days, you don't come back, but with no by weeks in the Big 10 that's the key here.

Greeny.

There's no room for error, and and the Big 10 has already shot itself in the foot because Wisconsin will have a very difficult time getting to the Big 10 championship game now because of this, Yes, let's make clear for anyone who doesn't know these games are not postponed.

When a game is not played as scheduled, it is canceled.

Wisconsin Nebraska now does not get played, and as Heather just explained it, it may just be the first of many.

And Heather Wisconsin, as I said, is the number nine team in the country.

So, like as you look at it, how does this impact their potential for a season?

Well, you have to go back to the Big 10 rules, which were recently released in terms of what it takes to play in the Big 10 championship game.

Let's start there.

If every team in the league plays an average of eight games, then teams have to play at least six games in order to qualify for the Big 10 Conference championship game.

Wisconsin already lost one.

Right now, if the average of games played in the Big 10 drops.

So does that benchmark.

So, for example, if the Big 10 plays an average of seven games, then you have to play at least five to get in that conference championship game.

There is no benchmark for the college football playoff right now, so if a team goes five and oh, they still might put them in, well, that's really the big question here, Paul quickly.

How does all of this impact Ohio State?

Which is the team everyone has its eyes on?

Well, right now, it hasn't until they run up against the school that that can't play greedy.

Let's cut to the chase.

The Big 10 came back for one reason.

Ohio State.

I know what everyone says, but they are.

The Big Ten's really only hope to get to the college football playoff, and if something to tears them that, then that could be a big, big deal.

So so far there.

Okay, But so far we're only one week into the season, and that's what is really so baffling about all of this.

The Big 10 has been the poster child, and they continue to be the poster child for what's wrong with the dealing with Cove it and being safe is great.

But being stupid or something else be remarkable if if they wanted only playing something like six games.

How the committee will look at that Thank you for watching ESPN on YouTube for live streaming sports and premium content.

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