Big Ten enacts COVID forfeits

The Big Ten became the latest Power Five conference to announce a team must forfeit if it doesn’t have enough players available for a league game because of COVID-19.

The Big Ten said Monday the team that forfeits will be assessed a loss in the conference standings and that its opponent will be credited with a victory. If both teams are unable to compete on the date of a scheduled conference game because of COVID-19 and the game can’t be rescheduled, it will be considered a ‘‘no contest.’’

The Power Five conferences appear headed toward having similar forfeit policies, except that the Atlantic Coast Conference is charging both teams with a forfeit if neither can play because of the virus.

Big 12 teams unable to play because of COVID-19 or any other reason will have to forfeit and be given a loss in the conference standings. A no contest would be declared only if both teams are unable to compete, and there are no plans to make up any games not played as scheduled.

Pac-12 teams that can’t play will forfeit, but the conference didn’t directly address what will happen if both teams can’t play.

The Southeastern Conference hasn’t released its policy, but commissioner Greg Sankey has warned that teams that can’t play will forfeit and that games won’t be rescheduled.

In the ACC, teams forfeiting games will get a loss in the standings and the team that was prepared to play will be awarded a victory. If both teams are unable to play because of player shortages, both will be forced to forfeit.