Big 12 commissioner says ‘it’s too early’ to make call on fall sports

The Big 12 will continue to assess COVID-19 developments before making a call on the fall sports season, Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said.

“I believe it’s too early to be making those decisions,” Bowlsby said following a Tuesday meeting of conference athletic directors. “Frankly, we haven’t been advised to do that by our scientists and medical advisors. We’ve been advised to move forward slowly and constantly reevaluate and that’s what we’ll keep doing until we’ve (been) told it’s inadvisable.”

Bowlsby’s comments put the Big 12 on the same page with the SEC and ACC. The Big Ten followed by the Pac-12 announced last week they would be playing a conference-only schedule.

Although COVID-19 testing numbers have spiked recently and pessimism has grown about a fall football season, Bowlsby said any decision is likely too “circumstantial and situational.”

The ADs were briefed by Kansas State team physician Kyle Goerl.

Said Bowlsby: “We’re going to have to be patient and continue to read the tea leaves and see what the next two or three or four weeks bring us. If things get worse, that will inform one set of decisions. If things get better, that will inform another set of decisions.”

The Associated Press reported Tuesday the first COVID-19 vaccine to undergo testing in the U.S. performed as expected and is headed to final stage testing.

“Certainly we watch very closely those developments and any good news is more than welcome,” Bowlsby said.“On the other hand, we’re advised that it takes a while to work the bugs out of vaccine development. I don’t want to get the cart before the horse.”