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Update: Big Ten Vote To Cancel Football Season Expected Tonight, Detroit Newspaper Reports

Gates to Beaver Stadium on Penn State's University Park campus in summer 2020.
Min Xian
/
WPSU

The presidents of the Big Ten universities are expected to vote Monday night to cancel the 2020 football season as concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic continue, according to a report in the Detroit Free Press.

Citing unnamed sources, the story says a formal announcement is expected Tuesday.

A Penn State Athletics spokeswoman said: "It is for the Big Ten to communicate any conference decisions on this topic, and it would not be appropriate to comment in any way beforehand."

The report follows a news conference by Penn State Athletics last Wednesday, which included plans for having fans in Beaver Stadium for home games if the state allowed it. 

But, Athletics Director Sandy Barbour also didn't put to rest doubts about the idea that the season could be canceled, saying: “I’m certainly not sure we’re going to play."

The number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase statewide, including in Centre County. So far, the university’s Athletics Department has said that eight athletes have tested positive. They have not identified which sport they’re in.

Check back for updates. This is a developing story.

Anne Danahy has been a reporter at WPSU since fall 2017. Before crossing over to radio, she was a reporter at the Centre Daily Times in State College, Pennsylvania, and she worked in communications at Penn State. She is married with cats.