A well respected sports journalist tweeted out some bad news for college football fans on Monday:&nbsp;

Its been widely rumored that the Big 10 would cancel all its fall sports this season, although no official announcement has happened.&nbsp;

The Big 10 presidents had a phone call on Sunday about the possibility of cancelling the fall sports season.&nbsp;

There are now sources saying that the Big 10 presidents have already voted to not hold a college football season. Although that report has now come underfire as well.&nbsp;

The SEC has publicly come out saying they will be doing all they can to have a college football season and are considering adding schools from other conferences that want to play this season.&nbsp;

A well respected sports journalist tweeted out some bad news for college football fans on Monday:&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">According to Dan&#39;s source, 12 of the 14 Presidents from the Big 10 have voted against having a Fall College Football season. Iowa and Nebraska were the two that have been pushing to play.&mdash; Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) <a href="https://twitter.com/dpshow/status/1292817293647413248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">DP was told an hour ago that the Big 10 and Pac 12 will cancel their football seasons tomorrow... The ACC and the Big 12 are on the fence.. And the SEC is trying to get teams to join them for a season. Watch live: <a href="https://t.co/sMaeXQkLfl">https://t.co/sMaeXQkLfl</a> <a href="https://t.co/oSUNGMTEqw">pic.twitter.com/oSUNGMTEqw</a>&mdash; Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) <a href="https://twitter.com/dpshow/status/1292810469779136512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>Its been widely rumored that the Big 10 would cancel all its fall sports this season, although no official announcement has happened.&nbsp;The Big 10 presidents had a phone call on Sunday about the possibility of cancelling the fall sports season.&nbsp;UPDATEDThere are now sources saying that the Big 10 presidents have already voted to not hold a college football season. Although that report has now come underfire as well.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">From a Big Ten AD: &quot;Lots of BS in that report. I&#39;m not saying we don&#39;t end up there, but we&#39;re not there yet. No vote and it&#39;s not 12-2.&quot; This was in regards to the report that has gone viral this morning.&mdash; Sean Callahan (@Sean_Callahan) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sean_Callahan/status/1292864837580619778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div> The SEC has publicly come out saying they will be doing all they can to have a college football season and are considering adding schools from other conferences that want to play this season.&nbsp;

UPDATED: Outlook bleak for Big 10 college football

After the Power Five conference commissioners met Sunday to discuss mounting concern about whether a college football season can be played in a pandemic, players took to social media to urge leaders to let them play.

Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said no decisions on the season have been made, but conceded the outlook has not improved.

“Are we in a better place today than two weeks, ago?” he said. “No, we’re not.”

Bowlsby cited “growing evidence and the growing pool of data around myocarditis.”

Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart and it has been found in some COVID-19 patients. There is concern it could be a long-term complication of contracting the virus even in young, healthy people, a group that has usually avoided severe cardiovascular symptoms.

Also Sunday night, the Big Ten’s university presidents and chancellors held a previously unscheduled meeting, a person with knowledge of the meeting told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was not announced by the conference.

Another person with direct knowledge of the meeting speaking on condition of anonymity said no votes were taken or decisions made about the college football season.

The final call on whether major college football will played this season rests in the hands of the university presidents who oversee the largest conferences.

All this activity comes a day after the Mid-American Conference became the first among 10 leagues that play at the highest tier of Division I college football to cancel fall sports because of concerns about keeping athletes from contracting and spreading COVID-19.

The MAC’s decision came less than a month before the first games are scheduled to be played and raised questions if other conferences might follow.

Also on Saturday, the Big Ten slowed its ramp up to the season, announcing its teams would not be permitted to start full contact practices until further notice. The Big Ten season is scheduled to start Labor Day weekend.

Meanwhile, college football players took to social media Sunday to push for a season, led by Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with a series of tweets.

“People are at just as much, if not more risk, if we don’t play,” Lawrence tweeted. “Players will all be sent home to their own communities where social distancing is highly unlikely and medical care and expenses will be placed on the families if they were to contract covid19.”

Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth had a similar message.

“Since day one coming back to campus the Penn State Football staff and medical experts have put our health and safety first, above anything else,” he tweeted. “The guidelines put into place keep us safe while playing the game we love. We are ready to play and we want to play.”

Other players tweeted with the hashtag #WeWantToPlay, and within a few hours that movement merged with another. Lawrence, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, Oklahoma State All-America running back Cuba Hubbard, Alabama running back Najee Harris and numerous other players from across the country posted a graphics with #WeWantToPlay and #WeAreUnited, the hashtag used by a group of Pac-12 players who announced a college player rights movement a week ago.

Under the logos of each Power Five conference — ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC — the players pronounced their platform:

— We all want to play football this season.

— Establish universal mandated health &amp; safety procedures and protocols to protect college athletes against COVID-19 among all conferences throughout the NCAA.

— Give players the opportunity to opt out and respect their decision.

— Guarantee eligibility whether a player chooses to play the season or not.

— Use our voices to establish open communication and trust between players and officials: Ultimately create a College Football Players Association.

— Representative of all Power Five conferences.

The parents of Ohio State football players weighed in, too, posting a letter saying they were confident in the university’s plan to keep their sons safe.

“We believe that this age group represents some of the healthiest individuals, while we recognize the risk cannot be eliminated, we believe the risk is minimal and the season can safely and responsibly occur,” wrote the Football Parents Association at Ohio State.

Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said he has heard the same from Fighting Irish football players. Notre Dame has had only two COVID-19 cases since it began testing athletes.

“I’ve been around our guys and they thinks it’s safe and they want to try and play,” Swarbrick said. “If we change course, we better be able to articulate the reason for doing so to our student-athletes. They are going to want to know why.”

By RALPH D. RUSSO - Associated PressAfter the Power Five conference commissioners met Sunday to discuss mounting concern about whether a college football season can be played in a pandemic, players took to social media to urge leaders to let them play.Big 12 Commissioner Bob Bowlsby said no decisions on the season have been made, but conceded the outlook has not improved.“Are we in a better place today than two weeks, ago?” he said. “No, we’re not.”Bowlsby cited “growing evidence and the growing pool of data around myocarditis.”Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart and it has been found in some COVID-19 patients. There is concern it could be a long-term complication of contracting the virus even in young, healthy people, a group that has usually avoided severe cardiovascular symptoms.Also Sunday night, the Big Ten’s university presidents and chancellors held a previously unscheduled meeting, a person with knowledge of the meeting told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the meeting was not announced by the conference.Another person with direct knowledge of the meeting speaking on condition of anonymity said no votes were taken or decisions made about the college football season.The final call on whether major college football will played this season rests in the hands of the university presidents who oversee the largest conferences.All this activity comes a day after the Mid-American Conference became the first among 10 leagues that play at the highest tier of Division I college football to cancel fall sports because of concerns about keeping athletes from contracting and spreading COVID-19.The MAC’s decision came less than a month before the first games are scheduled to be played and raised questions if other conferences might follow.Also on Saturday, the Big Ten slowed its ramp up to the season, announcing its teams would not be permitted to start full contact practices until further notice. The Big Ten season is scheduled to start Labor Day weekend.Meanwhile, college football players took to social media Sunday to push for a season, led by Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence with a series of tweets.“People are at just as much, if not more risk, if we don’t play,” Lawrence tweeted. “Players will all be sent home to their own communities where social distancing is highly unlikely and medical care and expenses will be placed on the families if they were to contract covid19.”Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth had a similar message.“Since day one coming back to campus the Penn State Football staff and medical experts have put our health and safety first, above anything else,” he tweeted. “The guidelines put into place keep us safe while playing the game we love. We are ready to play and we want to play.”Other players tweeted with the hashtag #WeWantToPlay, and within a few hours that movement merged with another. Lawrence, Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields, Oklahoma State All-America running back Cuba Hubbard, Alabama running back Najee Harris and numerous other players from across the country posted a graphics with #WeWantToPlay and #WeAreUnited, the hashtag used by a group of Pac-12 players who announced a college player rights movement a week ago.Under the logos of each Power Five conference — ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC — the players pronounced their platform:— We all want to play football this season.— Establish universal mandated health &amp; safety procedures and protocols to protect college athletes against COVID-19 among all conferences throughout the NCAA.— Give players the opportunity to opt out and respect their decision.— Guarantee eligibility whether a player chooses to play the season or not.— Use our voices to establish open communication and trust between players and officials: Ultimately create a College Football Players Association.— Representative of all Power Five conferences.The parents of Ohio State football players weighed in, too, posting a letter saying they were confident in the university’s plan to keep their sons safe.“We believe that this age group represents some of the healthiest individuals, while we recognize the risk cannot be eliminated, we believe the risk is minimal and the season can safely and responsibly occur,” wrote the Football Parents Association at Ohio State.Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick said he has heard the same from Fighting Irish football players. Notre Dame has had only two COVID-19 cases since it began testing athletes.“I’ve been around our guys and they thinks it’s safe and they want to try and play,” Swarbrick said. “If we change course, we better be able to articulate the reason for doing so to our student-athletes. They are going to want to know why.”

As college leaders meet, football players push to play

News broke on Sunday afternoon that the Grand Island Football team was in quarantine through Aug 19th and could not begin workouts until Aug 24th.&nbsp;

Grand Island superintendent&nbsp; Tawana Grover made the announcement via a letter sent to all the families in the school district.&nbsp;

“Two members of the GISH football staff are quarantined due to COVID-19,’’ she said. “One has been confirmed COVID-19 positive and another is quarantined at this time following CDHD and GIPS protocols. The quarantine process is being practiced as a precaution to the health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes and coaches.”

So far this announcement only affects one game for the Islanders, they will look to reschedule the season opener against Kearney. That game was to be played on Aug 28th in Grand Island.&nbsp;

News broke on Sunday afternoon that the Grand Island Football team was in quarantine through Aug 19th and could not begin workouts until Aug 24th.&nbsp;Grand Island superintendent&nbsp; Tawana Grover made the announcement via a letter sent to all the families in the school district.&nbsp;“Two members of the GISH football staff are quarantined due to COVID-19,’’ she said. “One has been confirmed COVID-19 positive and another is quarantined at this time following CDHD and GIPS protocols. The quarantine process is being practiced as a precaution to the health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes and coaches.”So far this announcement only affects one game for the Islanders, they will look to reschedule the season opener against Kearney. That game was to be played on Aug 28th in Grand Island.&nbsp;

Grand Island Football team in quarantine will start season late

On Friday Omaha Public Schools (OPS) Superintendent Cheryl Logan put out her decision on the plan for reopening Omaha Public Schools.&nbsp;

The district was supposed to start school on Tuesday, Aug 11th. They have pushed that time back to Aug 18th and will go all remote learning for at least the first quarter of the school year, sometime in October.&nbsp;

This effects athletics for Omaha public schools in a big way. A quote from their release:

&nbsp; Athletics and Activities Suspended During our time in the 100% Remote Learning Instructional Model, all activities and athletics will be suspended. We understand the important role extra-curricular activities play in a student’s school experience. This suspension is for the health and safety of everyone.&nbsp;

With Omaha Public Schools not participating in athletics until at least October, the question remains what the other Omaha area schools will do.&nbsp;

On Friday Omaha Public Schools (OPS) Superintendent Cheryl Logan put out her decision on the plan for reopening Omaha Public Schools.&nbsp;The district was supposed to start school on Tuesday, Aug 11th. They have pushed that time back to Aug 18th and will go all remote learning for at least the first quarter of the school year, sometime in October.&nbsp;This effects athletics for Omaha public schools in a big way. A quote from their release:&nbsp; Athletics and Activities Suspended During our time in the 100% Remote Learning Instructional Model, all activities and athletics will be suspended. We understand the important role extra-curricular activities play in a student’s school experience. This suspension is for the health and safety of everyone.&nbsp;With Omaha Public Schools not participating in athletics until at least October, the question remains what the other Omaha area schools will do.&nbsp;

Omaha Public Schools postpones Athletics until at least Oct

<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-08-05/what-a-pending-football-game-says-about-covid-19-the-fate-small-colleges-and-college-towns">Kansas News Service</a>

STERLING —&nbsp;There’s a lot riding on a kickoff set for 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12.

The
 Sterling College Warriors are scheduled to take on the McPherson 
College Bulldogs at home. If that familiar thud of shoe against football
 and cheer from the stands doesn’t happen, the college that keeps the 
central Kansas town’s economy humming, that gives it cultural vitality, 
and that separates Sterling from the hollowing out that defines so many 
other small Midwestern towns, might not survive.

The school, after
 133 years, could die and doom the town that takes such pride in the 
football squad and embraces the student body like family.

“If 
COVID defeats the athletic season this year, it will probably defeat a 
lot of small colleges,” said Jeb Miller, a non-traditional senior at 
Sterling College. “And, as a result, harm a lot of small towns. Badly.”

Hundreds
 of small colleges dotting the country rely on students paying tens of 
thousands of dollars a year in exchange for a distinctive, personal, 
high-touch college experience.

Many of those colleges hung on 
year-to-year even before the pandemic. Now COVID-19 threatens to cut off
 the oxygen sustaining these schools, and the sports programs that drive
 enrollment.

But the very thing small colleges need to stay afloat
 — students coming in, spending money, playing sports — also poses a 
major risk to relatively isolated little towns that, so far, have dodged
 major coronavirus outbreaks.

Only about 2,200 people live in 
Sterling out on the flat, flat plains of south-central Kansas. But this 
small city boasts an almost idyllic downtown. New office buildings. Two 
good coffee shops. A nice grocery store, a bowling alley, you name it.

Sterling
 has good schools, competitive sports teams. Locals say school plays, 
games and concerts draw big crowds. Without the college, the money, 
diversity and energy that defines life in Sterling could evaporate 
quickly.

“There is just so much overlap,” said Kyler Comley, a 
Sterling College senior who’s lived in the town all his life. “The 
community supports the college. The college supports the community. You 
know, you just see how everything’s intertwined and how people are just 
so overly giving and involved.”

Every student attending Sterling 
College gets paired with a family in town. Those families speak 
endearingly about their adopted scholars.

The students left in 
March. Most haven’t come back. Like many people here, Sterling criminal 
justice professor Mark Tremaine said that starting classes up again in 
person this month is make or break for Sterling College.

“The 
bottom line is, we’ve got to get students back to campus. If we’re going
 to survive,” he said.“We have to accept whatever the risks are and do 
it.”

And that’s the plan. Sterling doesn’t have much of a choice.

“We
 have committed to open up in the fall,” Sterling College President 
Scott Rich said. “With face to face classes, face-to-face coursework, 
dorms and activities and full swing. But we’re committed to doing it 
safely.”

Rich said the school will quarantine students coming back to the 
dorms, test them liberally, and isolate those who come down sick in 
local hotels.

Rich said the freshman class looks strong, with 
about 200 new students. But he is desperately trying to woo 50 or so 
upperclassmen who haven’t signed on this year. The school needs them 
because, like many other small institutions, Sterling College scrapes by
 from year to year.

“We’re always dependent upon enrollment, 
always dependent upon that next year, always dependent upon persistence 
or retention,” Rich said. “We have to get students to come back.”

Other small-town schools across the country, and the communities tied to their fate, face the same existential crisis.

“Some
 of the people I know are looking at hundreds of colleges going out of 
business within the next several years, if this pandemic continues and 
if the economic devastation associated with it continues,” said Scott 
Carlson with the Chronicle of Higher Education.

Small liberal arts
 colleges have been shaky for years. Enrollments have slumped, 
endowments have been drained. Many schools have piled on debt in a 
building boom fueled by competition for students.

Most offer 
courses online, but online classes don’t pay the bills. Small schools 
survive only by providing an expensive, in-person college experience. 
And Carlson said the pandemic shreds that business model, and threatens 
to trigger the higher education equivalent of a mass extinction.

“It’s
 kind of sad," he said. "These colleges are unique, little entities all 
on their own, and each one of them provides a unique spin on higher 
education.”

Sterling College, 
for instance, leans heavily on a particular interpretation of 
Christianity. Guarding the front door of the classic, old limestone 
building that anchors campus is a statue of Christ — not being tortured 
on the cross, but humbly washing the feet of a disciple. “Servant 
leadership,” as anyone here will tell you, guides the campus ethic.

But Jesus doesn’t keep the lights on here. Football does.

“We
 do have a good football team,” said Sterling’s athletic director, Scott
 Downing. “They’ve been fairly successful the last dozen years and been 
to the national playoffs, won the conference championship.”

The team helps bring the students together, but more importantly, it drives enrollment.

“With
 a football team number of about 125 to 135 student-athletes, quite a 
bit of our student body is involved in that sport,” Downing said.

That’s
 an understatement. There are only about 500 students on campus in a 
given year, one in four is on the football team. And there are 20 other 
sports.

The chance to play college sports is a major selling point
 for schools like Sterling. It drives enrollment. But in a pandemic, 
sports can be vectors for disease. And Jed Miller, who’s finishing his 
degree at Sterling online next year, says that’s another vulnerability.

“If
 COVID defeats the athletic season this year, it will probably defeat a 
lot of small colleges,” he said. “And as a result, hurt a lot of small 
towns ... badly.”

So, the same colleges that keep some small towns vibrant now pose a particular threat to public health.

“The
 college probably is the most dangerous element for us in terms of 
COVID,” said Kristina Darnauer, a family practice doctor in Sterling. 
“It potentially brings back students from all over the US who have 
variable levels of exposure.”

Darnauer is torn. She loves 
Sterling, loves the college, and fully appreciates how important it is 
to the school and the town that college ramp almost as normal this fall.

But
 she’s got patients to care for. And she said this county, with only one
 hospital and no intensive care unit is not ready for a cluster of 
coronavirus cases.

“If we have a huge outbreak,” Darnauer said, “we’re going to be out of resources very quickly.”

Small colleges and college towns across much of the country face the same worries.

But
 some analysts say that a pruning of universities may prove inevitable, 
and that the coronavirus has only sped up the thinning of the higher 
education herd.

“I actually see the future of higher education, 
broadly speaking, as entering a new golden age,” said Richard Price, a 
research fellow at the Clayton Christensen Institute. It’s a think tank 
that presses for dramatic change in institutions.

Price said the 
pandemic may hasten the evolution to better online classes, and a public
 education system that’s much more accessible and equitable.

“The 
traditional model, it was originally for the landed elite and it wasn’t 
for all genders,” Price said. “It wasn’t for all races. And that is 
slowly getting phased out along with some older business models that 
aren’t pivoting well.”

And Price thinks many little colleges will 
adapt. Lots of them have cheated death before. But he said there’s 
little doubt that this time next year the United States will have many 
fewer colleges. Folks in Sterling, Kansas, hope and, yes, pray, that 
Sterling College is among the survivors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596722865321.png" alt="A local gospel quintet entertains Sterling residents on a recent Tuesday evening. Frank Morris photo" />
 <figcaption>A local gospel quintet entertains Sterling residents on a recent Tuesday evening. Frank Morris photo</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-08-05/what-a-pending-football-game-says-about-covid-19-the-fate-small-colleges-and-college-towns">Kansas News Service</a>STERLING —&nbsp;There’s a lot riding on a kickoff set for 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 12.The
 Sterling College Warriors are scheduled to take on the McPherson 
College Bulldogs at home. If that familiar thud of shoe against football
 and cheer from the stands doesn’t happen, the college that keeps the 
central Kansas town’s economy humming, that gives it cultural vitality, 
and that separates Sterling from the hollowing out that defines so many 
other small Midwestern towns, might not survive.The school, after
 133 years, could die and doom the town that takes such pride in the 
football squad and embraces the student body like family.“If 
COVID defeats the athletic season this year, it will probably defeat a 
lot of small colleges,” said Jeb Miller, a non-traditional senior at 
Sterling College. “And, as a result, harm a lot of small towns. Badly.”<h2>Small town institutions</h2>Hundreds
 of small colleges dotting the country rely on students paying tens of 
thousands of dollars a year in exchange for a distinctive, personal, 
high-touch college experience.Many of those colleges hung on 
year-to-year even before the pandemic. Now COVID-19 threatens to cut off
 the oxygen sustaining these schools, and the sports programs that drive
 enrollment.But the very thing small colleges need to stay afloat
 — students coming in, spending money, playing sports — also poses a 
major risk to relatively isolated little towns that, so far, have dodged
 major coronavirus outbreaks.Only about 2,200 people live in 
Sterling out on the flat, flat plains of south-central Kansas. But this 
small city boasts an almost idyllic downtown. New office buildings. Two 
good coffee shops. A nice grocery store, a bowling alley, you name it.Sterling
 has good schools, competitive sports teams. Locals say school plays, 
games and concerts draw big crowds. Without the college, the money, 
diversity and energy that defines life in Sterling could evaporate 
quickly.“There is just so much overlap,” said Kyler Comley, a 
Sterling College senior who’s lived in the town all his life. “The 
community supports the college. The college supports the community. You 
know, you just see how everything’s intertwined and how people are just 
so overly giving and involved.”Every student attending Sterling 
College gets paired with a family in town. Those families speak 
endearingly about their adopted scholars.The students left in 
March. Most haven’t come back. Like many people here, Sterling criminal 
justice professor Mark Tremaine said that starting classes up again in 
person this month is make or break for Sterling College.“The 
bottom line is, we’ve got to get students back to campus. If we’re going
 to survive,” he said.“We have to accept whatever the risks are and do 
it.”And that’s the plan. Sterling doesn’t have much of a choice.<h2>Staying alive</h2>“We
 have committed to open up in the fall,” Sterling College President 
Scott Rich said. “With face to face classes, face-to-face coursework, 
dorms and activities and full swing. But we’re committed to doing it 
safely.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596722974216.png" alt="Sterling College President Scot Rich. Frank Morris photo" />
 <figcaption>Sterling College President Scot Rich. Frank Morris photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Rich said the school will quarantine students coming back to the 
dorms, test them liberally, and isolate those who come down sick in 
local hotels.Rich said the freshman class looks strong, with 
about 200 new students. But he is desperately trying to woo 50 or so 
upperclassmen who haven’t signed on this year. The school needs them 
because, like many other small institutions, Sterling College scrapes by
 from year to year.“We’re always dependent upon enrollment, 
always dependent upon that next year, always dependent upon persistence 
or retention,” Rich said. “We have to get students to come back.”Other small-town schools across the country, and the communities tied to their fate, face the same existential crisis.“Some
 of the people I know are looking at hundreds of colleges going out of 
business within the next several years, if this pandemic continues and 
if the economic devastation associated with it continues,” said Scott 
Carlson with the Chronicle of Higher Education.Small liberal arts
 colleges have been shaky for years. Enrollments have slumped, 
endowments have been drained. Many schools have piled on debt in a 
building boom fueled by competition for students.Most offer 
courses online, but online classes don’t pay the bills. Small schools 
survive only by providing an expensive, in-person college experience. 
And Carlson said the pandemic shreds that business model, and threatens 
to trigger the higher education equivalent of a mass extinction.“It’s
 kind of sad," he said. "These colleges are unique, little entities all 
on their own, and each one of them provides a unique spin on higher 
education.”<h2>‘Servant leadership’</h2>Sterling College, 
for instance, leans heavily on a particular interpretation of 
Christianity. Guarding the front door of the classic, old limestone 
building that anchors campus is a statue of Christ — not being tortured 
on the cross, but humbly washing the feet of a disciple. “Servant 
leadership,” as anyone here will tell you, guides the campus ethic.But Jesus doesn’t keep the lights on here. Football does.“We
 do have a good football team,” said Sterling’s athletic director, Scott
 Downing. “They’ve been fairly successful the last dozen years and been 
to the national playoffs, won the conference championship.”The team helps bring the students together, but more importantly, it drives enrollment.“With
 a football team number of about 125 to 135 student-athletes, quite a 
bit of our student body is involved in that sport,” Downing said.That’s
 an understatement. There are only about 500 students on campus in a 
given year, one in four is on the football team. And there are 20 other 
sports.The chance to play college sports is a major selling point
 for schools like Sterling. It drives enrollment. But in a pandemic, 
sports can be vectors for disease. And Jed Miller, who’s finishing his 
degree at Sterling online next year, says that’s another vulnerability.“If
 COVID defeats the athletic season this year, it will probably defeat a 
lot of small colleges,” he said. “And as a result, hurt a lot of small 
towns ... badly.”So, the same colleges that keep some small towns vibrant now pose a particular threat to public health.“The
 college probably is the most dangerous element for us in terms of 
COVID,” said Kristina Darnauer, a family practice doctor in Sterling. 
“It potentially brings back students from all over the US who have 
variable levels of exposure.”Darnauer is torn. She loves 
Sterling, loves the college, and fully appreciates how important it is 
to the school and the town that college ramp almost as normal this fall.But
 she’s got patients to care for. And she said this county, with only one
 hospital and no intensive care unit is not ready for a cluster of 
coronavirus cases.“If we have a huge outbreak,” Darnauer said, “we’re going to be out of resources very quickly.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596723019769.png" alt="An aging note on a door at the University of Missouri Kansas City promises a speedy reopening. Frank Morris photo" />
 <figcaption>An aging note on a door at the University of Missouri Kansas City promises a speedy reopening. Frank Morris photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>A new era</h2>Small colleges and college towns across much of the country face the same worries.But
 some analysts say that a pruning of universities may prove inevitable, 
and that the coronavirus has only sped up the thinning of the higher 
education herd.“I actually see the future of higher education, 
broadly speaking, as entering a new golden age,” said Richard Price, a 
research fellow at the Clayton Christensen Institute. It’s a think tank 
that presses for dramatic change in institutions.Price said the 
pandemic may hasten the evolution to better online classes, and a public
 education system that’s much more accessible and equitable.“The 
traditional model, it was originally for the landed elite and it wasn’t 
for all genders,” Price said. “It wasn’t for all races. And that is 
slowly getting phased out along with some older business models that 
aren’t pivoting well.”And Price thinks many little colleges will 
adapt. Lots of them have cheated death before. But he said there’s 
little doubt that this time next year the United States will have many 
fewer colleges. Folks in Sterling, Kansas, hope and, yes, pray, that 
Sterling College is among the survivors.

What a football game says about COVID-19, fate of small colleges

North Platte, Neb. (August 6, 2020) – Even with no fans, the show must go on.

Less than three hours before the rodeo was to start, the decision was made to not allow spectators in the stands, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the rodeo competition was as strong as ever.

Cowboy Jake Finlay scored 85.5 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Night Latch to take the lead in the saddle bronc riding.

The Australian born and raised cowboy came to the United States as a high school senior, to compete at the National High School Finals Rodeo in 2013. He got recruited to ride for Panhandle State University&nbsp; in Goodwell, Okla., and sent to school there, helping the school win the men’s team title for the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association and winning a saddle bronc riding title as well.

He never left the States. “I didn’t want to go home and work, so here I am,” he joked.

Now, the 25-year old competes full time and last year, finished one spot from qualifying for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “I was close to the Finals last year,” he said. This year, he’s sitting seventeenth in the world standings; the top fifteen, when the rodeo season ends Sept. 30, go to the Wrangler NFR.

But he doesn’t keep track of standings. “I really don’t care to look at it,” he said. “There’s only one day of the year that it matters, and that’s October first. You just have to ride every horse, put 23 (points) on every one, and you can’t do much more than that.”

The Buffalo Bill Rodeo hasn’t always been kind to Finlay. On his first trip, he got bucked off. The second time, he landed on his head, knocking him out. Last year, he made a qualified ride but it wasn’t good enough to win a check. Still, he likes coming to North Platte. “It’s a good rodeo with good hospitality.”

The breakaway roping lead changed during slack on Thursday morning.

Kennebec, S.D.’s C.Y. Christensen turned in a time of 2.3 seconds to top of the leaderboard.

At 26 years old, she estimates she’s roped since the age of six. She competed at the National High School Finals three out of four of her high school years, making the short round in 2013.

At Laramie County Community College, she made it to the College National Finals Rodeo in 2015.

Now, as a crop adjuster, she can set her own hours and rodeo when it fits into her schedule.

In addition to pro rodeos, she competes at the regional level, in the South Dakota Rodeo Association and the Nebraska State Rodeo Association and has qualified for the SDRA Finals the last six years.

Christensen is grateful the&nbsp;Buffalo Bill Rodeo committee added breakaway roping to the rodeo. “It’s awesome,” she said. “A big thanks to the committee. It’s awesome we get to rope here.”

Other fast times and high scores for the second night of the rodeo include bareback rider Zach Hibler, Wheeler, Texas (84.5 points); steer wrestler Kalane Anders, Bayard, Neb. (4.8 seconds); tie-down roper Trey Young, Dupree, S.D. (8.9 seconds); team ropers Nelson Wyatt, Clanton, Ala. and Levi Lord, Sturgis, S.D. (3.8 seconds); barrel racer Megan Swint, Dunnellon, Fla. (17.57 seconds); and bull rider Denton Fugate, Niangua, Mo. (88 points).

David Fudge, executive director for NebraskalandDays, made a statement regarding the decision to not allow fans for the night’s rodeo and the next two nights.

"We've been in contact with health officials consistently since March,” Fudge wrote. “During the last 10 days those conversations have intensified as we've seen case counts steadily rise. When the risk meter was moved up today it became clear that having fans on site was the wrong decision. No fans will be allowed at the rodeo tonight and through the remainder of the week."

The third night of action at the Buffalo Bill rodeo takes place Friday, August 7. The rodeo starts at 8 pm. The rodeo is televised on the Cowboy Channel and on local radio station KODY 1240 AM.

Fast times/high scores from Thursday’s slack and the second performance, Thursday, August 6, 2020 –Buffalo Bill Rodeo, North Platte, Neb.

1. Zach Hibler, Wheeler, Texas 84.5 points

1. Kalane Anders, Bayard, Neb. 4.8 seconds;

2. Riley Wakefield, O’Neill, Neb. 11.0;

4. Hadley McCormick, Scottsbluff, Neb. 16.6

1. Jake Finlay, Goondiwindi, Australia 85.5 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Night Latch;

1. Syerra Christensen, Kennebec, S.D.2.3 seconds;

4. (tie) Samantha Jorgenson, Watford City, N.D. and Erin Johnson,&nbsp; 2.7 each.&nbsp;

1. Nelson Wyatt, Clanton, Ala./Levi Lord, Sturgis, S.D. 3.8 seconds;&nbsp;

2. Andrew Ward, Edmond, Okla./Buddy Hawkins II, Columbus, Kan.&nbsp; 5.0 seconds;

3. Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash./Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash. 15.1;

4. Riley Wakefield, O’Neill, Neb./Cooper Brott, Gothenburg, Neb. 15.2;

2. Michelle Darling, Medford, Okla. 17.63;

3. Emily Miller, Weatherford, Okla. 17.65;

4. Korrina Lynn Hughes, Glenwood, Iowa 18.06.

1. Denton Fugate, Niangua, Mo. 88 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Roll Tide;

2. Clayton Sellars, Fruitland Park, Fla. 72;

North Platte, Neb. (August 6, 2020) – Even with no fans, the show must go on.And the Buffalo Bill Rodeo did.Less than three hours before the rodeo was to start, the decision was made to not allow spectators in the stands, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.But the rodeo competition was as strong as ever.Cowboy Jake Finlay scored 85.5 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Night Latch to take the lead in the saddle bronc riding.The Australian born and raised cowboy came to the United States as a high school senior, to compete at the National High School Finals Rodeo in 2013. He got recruited to ride for Panhandle State University&nbsp; in Goodwell, Okla., and sent to school there, helping the school win the men’s team title for the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association and winning a saddle bronc riding title as well.He never left the States. “I didn’t want to go home and work, so here I am,” he joked.Now, the 25-year old competes full time and last year, finished one spot from qualifying for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. “I was close to the Finals last year,” he said. This year, he’s sitting seventeenth in the world standings; the top fifteen, when the rodeo season ends Sept. 30, go to the Wrangler NFR.But he doesn’t keep track of standings. “I really don’t care to look at it,” he said. “There’s only one day of the year that it matters, and that’s October first. You just have to ride every horse, put 23 (points) on every one, and you can’t do much more than that.”The Buffalo Bill Rodeo hasn’t always been kind to Finlay. On his first trip, he got bucked off. The second time, he landed on his head, knocking him out. Last year, he made a qualified ride but it wasn’t good enough to win a check. Still, he likes coming to North Platte. “It’s a good rodeo with good hospitality.”He now makes his home in Canyon, Texas.The breakaway roping lead changed during slack on Thursday morning.Kennebec, S.D.’s C.Y. Christensen turned in a time of 2.3 seconds to top of the leaderboard.At 26 years old, she estimates she’s roped since the age of six. She competed at the National High School Finals three out of four of her high school years, making the short round in 2013.At Laramie County Community College, she made it to the College National Finals Rodeo in 2015.Now, as a crop adjuster, she can set her own hours and rodeo when it fits into her schedule.In addition to pro rodeos, she competes at the regional level, in the South Dakota Rodeo Association and the Nebraska State Rodeo Association and has qualified for the SDRA Finals the last six years.Christensen is grateful the&nbsp;Buffalo Bill Rodeo committee added breakaway roping to the rodeo. “It’s awesome,” she said. “A big thanks to the committee. It’s awesome we get to rope here.”Other fast times and high scores for the second night of the rodeo include bareback rider Zach Hibler, Wheeler, Texas (84.5 points); steer wrestler Kalane Anders, Bayard, Neb. (4.8 seconds); tie-down roper Trey Young, Dupree, S.D. (8.9 seconds); team ropers Nelson Wyatt, Clanton, Ala. and Levi Lord, Sturgis, S.D. (3.8 seconds); barrel racer Megan Swint, Dunnellon, Fla. (17.57 seconds); and bull rider Denton Fugate, Niangua, Mo. (88 points).David Fudge, executive director for NebraskalandDays, made a statement regarding the decision to not allow fans for the night’s rodeo and the next two nights."We've been in contact with health officials consistently since March,” Fudge wrote. “During the last 10 days those conversations have intensified as we've seen case counts steadily rise. When the risk meter was moved up today it became clear that having fans on site was the wrong decision. No fans will be allowed at the rodeo tonight and through the remainder of the week."The third night of action at the Buffalo Bill rodeo takes place Friday, August 7. The rodeo starts at 8 pm. The rodeo is televised on the Cowboy Channel and on local radio station KODY 1240 AM.- ### -Fast times/high scores from Thursday’s slack and the second performance, Thursday, August 6, 2020 –Buffalo Bill Rodeo, North Platte, Neb.Bareback riding1. Zach Hibler, Wheeler, Texas 84.5 points2. Will Martin, Goodwell, Okla. 81;3. Tim Murphy, Cleveland, Texas 744. Brian Brown, Labarge, Wyo. 73.Steer wrestling1. Kalane Anders, Bayard, Neb. 4.8 seconds;2. Gus Franzen, Kearney, Neb. 5.0;3. Nick Guy, Sparta, Wisc. 6.2;4. Brody Cleveland, Keystone, Neb. 14.8.Tie-down roping1. Trey Young, Dupree, S.D. 8.9 seconds;2. Riley Wakefield, O’Neill, Neb. 11.0;3. Zane Mikata, Byers, Colo. 14.4;4. Hadley McCormick, Scottsbluff, Neb. 16.6Saddle bronc riding1. Jake Finlay, Goondiwindi, Australia 85.5 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Night Latch;2. Logan Hay, 78 points;3. Ben Anderson, 69;4. Tate Thybo, Belle Fourche, S.D. 68.Breakaway roping1. Syerra Christensen, Kennebec, S.D.2.3 seconds;2. Katie Mundorf, Mullen, Neb. 2.4;3. Alyssa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D. 2.6;4. (tie) Samantha Jorgenson, Watford City, N.D. and Erin Johnson,&nbsp; 2.7 each.&nbsp;Team roping1. Nelson Wyatt, Clanton, Ala./Levi Lord, Sturgis, S.D. 3.8 seconds;&nbsp;2. Andrew Ward, Edmond, Okla./Buddy Hawkins II, Columbus, Kan.&nbsp; 5.0 seconds;3. Riley Minor, Ellensburg, Wash./Brady Minor, Ellensburg, Wash. 15.1;4. Riley Wakefield, O’Neill, Neb./Cooper Brott, Gothenburg, Neb. 15.2;Barrel racing1. Megan Swint, Dunnellon, Fla. 17.57;2. Michelle Darling, Medford, Okla. 17.63;3. Emily Miller, Weatherford, Okla. 17.65;4. Korrina Lynn Hughes, Glenwood, Iowa 18.06.Bull riding1. Denton Fugate, Niangua, Mo. 88 points on Beutler and Son Rodeo’s Roll Tide;2. Clayton Sellars, Fruitland Park, Fla. 72;3. Trey Kimzey, Strong City, Okla. 69.No other qualified rides.** All results are unofficial.&nbsp;

The show must go on

NORTH PLATTE, Neb.-The show at the Wild West Arena must go on, and it will, just without spectators.

At around 5:00 pm on Thursday, the Nebraskaland Days Board of Directors and Buffalo Bill Rodeo Committee met and made the difficult decision that the Buffalo Bill PRCA Rodeo should proceed without spectators.

Tickets bought for the rodeo for Thursday through Saturday will be refunded in full.

The Buffalo Bill Rodeo kicked off Wednesday night and will wrap up with Finals Night on Saturday.

Additionally, the Viaero Summer Jam Concert series featuring .38 Special and Granger Smith is also canceled.

The remaining Nebraskaland Days events are under review and decisions will be made soon.

The decisions were made due to an increase of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lincoln County. The West Central District Health Department raised the community risk level to Elevated on Thursday.

This is a developing story. Check back for details.

NORTH PLATTE, Neb.-The show at the Wild West Arena must go on, and it will, just without spectators.At around 5:00 pm on Thursday, the Nebraskaland Days Board of Directors and Buffalo Bill Rodeo Committee met and made the difficult decision that the Buffalo Bill PRCA Rodeo should proceed without spectators.Tickets bought for the rodeo for Thursday through Saturday will be refunded in full.The Buffalo Bill Rodeo kicked off Wednesday night and will wrap up with Finals Night on Saturday.Additionally, the Viaero Summer Jam Concert series featuring .38 Special and Granger Smith is also canceled.The remaining Nebraskaland Days events are under review and decisions will be made soon.The decisions were made due to an increase of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lincoln County. The West Central District Health Department raised the community risk level to Elevated on Thursday.This is a developing story. Check back for details.

Buffalo Bill Rodeo will proceed, without spectators

NORTH PLATTE, Neb.-On Thursday, the West Central District Health Department (WCDHD) raised their community risk dial to Orange or Elevated.

As area high school sports teams start to practice, we were curious as to how this would impact these practices.

According to North Platte High School Activities Director Jordan Cudney, with the switch to Orange, the high school teams are still allowed to practice. 

If we were to stay in orange, however, football would not be allowed to compete and all the other sports may be played with no spectators.

Earlier this week, the NSAA gave the go-ahead for Fall sports to begin across the state.

The increased threat level is due to a rise in confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lincoln County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596754091416.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NORTH PLATTE, Neb.-On Thursday, the West Central District Health Department (WCDHD) raised their community risk dial to Orange or Elevated.As area high school sports teams start to practice, we were curious as to how this would impact these practices.According to North Platte High School Activities Director Jordan Cudney, with the switch to Orange, the high school teams are still allowed to practice. If we were to stay in orange, however, football would not be allowed to compete and all the other sports may be played with no spectators.Earlier this week, the NSAA gave the go-ahead for Fall sports to begin across the state.The increased threat level is due to a rise in confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lincoln County.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596750464298.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

North Platte High School AD says teams can still practice with increased community risk level

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck">WHAT TO EXPECT @ PRACTICE: MASKS - Please watch this video as we explain some of the changes that will take place @ practice starting Monday! We understand these new measures are not what we are used to, but they aid help in keeping our teams &amp; athletes safe and able to compete! <a href="https://t.co/yMAiJgYuPX">pic.twitter.com/yMAiJgYuPX</a>&mdash; North Platte Public School District (@nppsd) <a href="https://twitter.com/nppsd/status/1291373690635132928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>

Restarting sports: What to expect at practice for NPHS

North Platte, Neb. (August 5, 2020) – The number one man in the PRCA world standings bareback riding was grateful to come to North Platte, and he left with the lead at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo.

Three-time world hcampoin Tim O’Connell, who leads the world standings by more than $22,000 over Kaycee Feild, scored 86.5 points on the New Frontier Rodeo horse Barn Buster to take the lead in his event.

O’Connell did a little research on his horse, and thought the five-year-old gelding would be a good one. The horse had only been bucked once at a pro rodeo, in July in Abbyville, Kan., where the cowboy Blaine Kauffman scored 87 points to win the rodeo. “I saw the video, and I was pretty impressed,” O’Connell said. “I was even more impressed today than I was by the video.”

The last two weeks the Zwingle, Iowa man hasn’t won any money, so he went home and worked on technique. “I’ve been pretty disappointed in my riding the last two weeks,” he said. “So I worked with my coach. We really slowed myself down on the bucking machine and really focused on perfect fundamentals.”

The horse, a bay, allowed him to hone his skills. “It was the perfect horse to get on, to do everything correctly. Sometimes you get to rodeoing and you try to do too much, with too many little bad technical habits that will cost you a point here or there.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has canceled more than 350 PRCA rodeos across the nation, totally stopping the sport from mid-March to late May and sidelining the contestants. But for O’Connell, it was a blessing. “I loved (the break),” he said. “My boy is two years old and I love spending time with my wife.” He and his wife, Sami, live near Marshall, Mo., and he experienced things that he usually misses, being on the rodeo trail. “I was there when my son went on the potty for the first time, and I’ve been able to swim with him. Just being there for the little things.&nbsp; I love rodeo with all my heart, but there’s an absolute sacrifice that people don’t understand.”

O’Connell is thankful to the Buffalo Bill Rodeo for rescheduling. “To do what they’ve done, to stick their neck out on the line for us, they have no idea how much we appreciate them keeping their prize money and having to move dates. These are the rodeos, from here on out, that I’ll support. These are the rodeos that mean the most to us. You really find out who the backbone of rodeo is.”

In the steer wrestling, an Oklahoma man jumped to the top of the lead.

Cody Devers, Balko, Okla., turned in a time of 3.6 seconds during Wednesday morning’s slack. It was on a steer he also ran at the Woodward, Okla. rodeo in June, where he tied for sixth place.

Devers is competing with a partially torn pectoral muscle, after injuring it at a rodeo last week. He’s ranked twenty-first in the world standings, and with the rodeo season ending Sept. 30, there’s no time for rehab or surgery. Sports medicine experts have told Devers that so long as he doesn’t injure it any further, it should heal within a month. He gets it taped before competition, but when it’s not taped, it hurts.

This is the fourth time the 25-year-old has competed at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo.

After the morning’s slack and the evening competition, other leaders are tie-down roper Macon Murphy, Keatchie, La. (7.8 seconds); saddle bronc rider Ty Manke, Rapid City, S.D. (79 points); breakaway roper Misti Brown, Valentine, Neb. (2.7 seconds); team ropers Steven Duby, Hereford, Ore./Evan Arnold, Stephenville, Texas (4.6 seconds); and barrel racers Amanda Welsh, Gillette, Wyo. and Tiany Schuster, Krum, Texas (17.51 seconds each). There were no qualified bull rides.

The Buffalo Bill Rodeo continues on Thursday, August 6 at 8 pm. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to&nbsp;show awareness of breast cancer, with proceeds donated to the Callahan Cancer Center in North Platte. Tickets range in price from $15 to $20 and are available online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nebraskalanddays.com/" target="_blank">www.NebraskalandDays.com</a>&nbsp; and at the gate.

Results, 1st&nbsp;Performance and slack, August 5, 2020

North Platte, Nebraska – Buffalo Bill Rodeo

1. Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa – 86.5 points on New Frontier Rodeo Co.’s 520 Barn Buster;

1. Cody Devers, Balko, Oklahoma 3.6 seconds;

2. (tie) Cole Edge, Durant, Okla. and Tanner Milan, Cochrane, Alb. 3.8 each;

4.&nbsp; Jace Melvin, Ft Pierre, S.D. 4.0;

1. Macon Murphy, Keatchie, La. 7.8 seconds;

2.&nbsp; Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas 8.0;

4. Ben Robinson, Red Deer County, Alberta 8.7.

1. Ty Manke, Rapid City, S.D.79 points on 781 Drop Kick Murphy Brown;

1. Misti Brown, Valentine, Neb. 2.7 seconds;

1. Steven Duby, Hereford, Ore./Evan Arnold, Stephenville, Texas 4.6 seconds;

2. Douglas Rich, Herrick, Ill./Zane Thompson, Cheyenne, Wyo. 5.0;

3. (tie) Jake Orman, Prairie, Miss./Brye Crites,Welch, Okla.and Aaron Tsinigine, Tuba City, Ariz./Kyle Lockett, Visalia,Calif. 5.1 seconds each;

1. (tie) Amanda Welsch, Gillette, Wyo. and Tiany Schuster, Krum, Texas 17.51 seconds each;

North Platte, Neb. (August 5, 2020) – The number one man in the PRCA world standings bareback riding was grateful to come to North Platte, and he left with the lead at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo.Three-time world hcampoin Tim O’Connell, who leads the world standings by more than $22,000 over Kaycee Feild, scored 86.5 points on the New Frontier Rodeo horse Barn Buster to take the lead in his event.O’Connell did a little research on his horse, and thought the five-year-old gelding would be a good one. The horse had only been bucked once at a pro rodeo, in July in Abbyville, Kan., where the cowboy Blaine Kauffman scored 87 points to win the rodeo. “I saw the video, and I was pretty impressed,” O’Connell said. “I was even more impressed today than I was by the video.”The last two weeks the Zwingle, Iowa man hasn’t won any money, so he went home and worked on technique. “I’ve been pretty disappointed in my riding the last two weeks,” he said. “So I worked with my coach. We really slowed myself down on the bucking machine and really focused on perfect fundamentals.”The horse, a bay, allowed him to hone his skills. “It was the perfect horse to get on, to do everything correctly. Sometimes you get to rodeoing and you try to do too much, with too many little bad technical habits that will cost you a point here or there.”The COVID-19 pandemic has canceled more than 350 PRCA rodeos across the nation, totally stopping the sport from mid-March to late May and sidelining the contestants. But for O’Connell, it was a blessing. “I loved (the break),” he said. “My boy is two years old and I love spending time with my wife.” He and his wife, Sami, live near Marshall, Mo., and he experienced things that he usually misses, being on the rodeo trail. “I was there when my son went on the potty for the first time, and I’ve been able to swim with him. Just being there for the little things.&nbsp; I love rodeo with all my heart, but there’s an absolute sacrifice that people don’t understand.”O’Connell is thankful to the Buffalo Bill Rodeo for rescheduling. “To do what they’ve done, to stick their neck out on the line for us, they have no idea how much we appreciate them keeping their prize money and having to move dates. These are the rodeos, from here on out, that I’ll support. These are the rodeos that mean the most to us. You really find out who the backbone of rodeo is.”In the steer wrestling, an Oklahoma man jumped to the top of the lead.Cody Devers, Balko, Okla., turned in a time of 3.6 seconds during Wednesday morning’s slack. It was on a steer he also ran at the Woodward, Okla. rodeo in June, where he tied for sixth place.Devers is competing with a partially torn pectoral muscle, after injuring it at a rodeo last week. He’s ranked twenty-first in the world standings, and with the rodeo season ending Sept. 30, there’s no time for rehab or surgery. Sports medicine experts have told Devers that so long as he doesn’t injure it any further, it should heal within a month. He gets it taped before competition, but when it’s not taped, it hurts.This is the fourth time the 25-year-old has competed at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo.After the morning’s slack and the evening competition, other leaders are tie-down roper Macon Murphy, Keatchie, La. (7.8 seconds); saddle bronc rider Ty Manke, Rapid City, S.D. (79 points); breakaway roper Misti Brown, Valentine, Neb. (2.7 seconds); team ropers Steven Duby, Hereford, Ore./Evan Arnold, Stephenville, Texas (4.6 seconds); and barrel racers Amanda Welsh, Gillette, Wyo. and Tiany Schuster, Krum, Texas (17.51 seconds each). There were no qualified bull rides.The Buffalo Bill Rodeo continues on Thursday, August 6 at 8 pm. Fans are encouraged to wear pink to&nbsp;show awareness of breast cancer, with proceeds donated to the Callahan Cancer Center in North Platte. Tickets range in price from $15 to $20 and are available online at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.nebraskalanddays.com/" target="_blank">www.NebraskalandDays.com</a>&nbsp; and at the gate.Results, 1st&nbsp;Performance and slack, August 5, 2020North Platte, Nebraska – Buffalo Bill RodeoBareback riding1. Tim O’Connell, Zwingle, Iowa – 86.5 points on New Frontier Rodeo Co.’s 520 Barn Buster;2. Pascal Isabelle, Okotoks, Alb. 82;3. Jesse Pope, Marshall, Mo. 78;4. Spur Lacasse, Calgary, Alb. 73.Steer wrestling1. Cody Devers, Balko, Oklahoma 3.6 seconds;2. (tie) Cole Edge, Durant, Okla. and Tanner Milan, Cochrane, Alb. 3.8 each;4.&nbsp; Jace Melvin, Ft Pierre, S.D. 4.0;Tie-down roping1. Macon Murphy, Keatchie, La. 7.8 seconds;2.&nbsp; Cory Solomon, Prairie View, Texas 8.0;3. Ryan Jarrett, Comanche, Okla. 8.5;4. Ben Robinson, Red Deer County, Alberta 8.7.Saddle bronc riding1. Ty Manke, Rapid City, S.D.79 points on 781 Drop Kick Murphy Brown;2. Dylan Schofield, Philip, S.D. 77;3. Chuck Schmidt, Keldron, S.D. 74.5;No other qualified rides.Breakaway roping1. Misti Brown, Valentine, Neb. 2.7 seconds;2. Mable McAbee, Ansley, Neb. 4.4;3. Caydee Johnson, Manhattan, Mont. 5.0;2. Anna Bahe, Grantsville, Utah 12.2;Team roping1. Steven Duby, Hereford, Ore./Evan Arnold, Stephenville, Texas 4.6 seconds;2. Douglas Rich, Herrick, Ill./Zane Thompson, Cheyenne, Wyo. 5.0;3. (tie) Jake Orman, Prairie, Miss./Brye Crites,Welch, Okla.and Aaron Tsinigine, Tuba City, Ariz./Kyle Lockett, Visalia,Calif. 5.1 seconds each;Barrel racing1. (tie) Amanda Welsch, Gillette, Wyo. and Tiany Schuster, Krum, Texas 17.51 seconds each;3. Cindy Smith, Lovington, N.M.17.58;4. Jana Bean, Ft. Hancock, Texas 17.70.Bull ridingNo qualified rides.** All results are unofficial.&nbsp;

BUFFALO BILL RODEO KICKS OFF

The announcements came within 40 minutes of each other Wednesday morning, one bleak, the other providing a glimmer of hope for a college football season that is looking iffy at best right now.

First,&nbsp;Connecticut canceled&nbsp;what was supposed to be its first season as a major college football independent because it could not endure the strains of the coronavirus pandemic.

Then the&nbsp;Big Ten unveiled the conference-only schedule&nbsp;it devised to withstand COVID-19 disruptions, with football games slated to kick off in a month.

Those two decisions epitomized the current state of college sports and help explain why the NCAA Board of Governors on Wednesday directed each division of the association to decide independently by Aug. 21 whether it will be able to safely conduct championship events in fall sports such as soccer and lower-division football.

NCAA President Mark Emmert told The Associated Press that whether college sports, and more specifically major college football, can play through the pandemic is likely to be determined not by the association or even conferences.

“It’s actually going to have to be each institution,” Emmert said. “You have to look at the huge variability around the country. When you look at what are the facts on the ground in Syracuse, New York, versus Miami, Florida, they’re very, very different. And those schools are going to have to operate consistent with their local municipal policies, their state policies, federal policies, and then also whatever they decide collectively in the conference.

“So it really isn’t the time where you can say we’re going to have one rule to govern all of football or all of any sport in that sense.”

Instead of making a broad decision across three divisions, the Board of Governors set parameters for each to make its own call.

Within hours of the board’s announcement, presidents councils from both Division II and III canceled fall sports championships and determined they will not be made up in the spring.

According to the board’s decision,&nbsp;at least 50% of teams competing in a fall sport in any division must conduct a regular season this fall for a championship to be held.

The board emphasized that all fall sports activity, whether it be preseason practices, regular-season games or postseason national championship tournaments,&nbsp;must follow the NCAA’s return-to-sport guidelines.

“What we did today with the board is we said, look, you have to meet these kinds of standards and you have to provide these kinds of opportunities and this kind of information to students to even move forward on this,” Emmert said.

The NCAA has little, if any, control over the highest tier of Division I football, where the Big Ten competes with the other Power Five conferences, the Big 12, Atlantic Coast Conference, Southeastern Conference and Pac-12.

Those leagues along with the five other FBS conferences have methodically put&nbsp;plans in place&nbsp;to play a season that will be worth billions in revenue — most of it landing in the Power Five.

The commissioners of those conferences talked a lot about collaboration, but in the end each league did what was in its best interest.

The NCAA’s main role has been to provide guidelines for how to attempt to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 as athletes return to campus, practice and ultimately competition.

The NCAA cannot stop regular-season competition. When the board considered pulling the plug on fall championships last month,&nbsp;conference leaders throughout all of Division I pushed&nbsp;back. There was even discussion among the most powerful conferences that they could stage their own championship events without the NCAA.

The pandemic has exposed college sports’ lack of clearly defined, top-down leadership, though Emmert said the current problems wouldn’t be easier to solve with a different structure.

By RALPH D. RUSSO - Associated PressThe announcements came within 40 minutes of each other Wednesday morning, one bleak, the other providing a glimmer of hope for a college football season that is looking iffy at best right now.First,&nbsp;Connecticut canceled&nbsp;what was supposed to be its first season as a major college football independent because it could not endure the strains of the coronavirus pandemic.Then the&nbsp;Big Ten unveiled the conference-only schedule&nbsp;it devised to withstand COVID-19 disruptions, with football games slated to kick off in a month.Those two decisions epitomized the current state of college sports and help explain why the NCAA Board of Governors on Wednesday directed each division of the association to decide independently by Aug. 21 whether it will be able to safely conduct championship events in fall sports such as soccer and lower-division football.NCAA President Mark Emmert told The Associated Press that whether college sports, and more specifically major college football, can play through the pandemic is likely to be determined not by the association or even conferences.“It’s actually going to have to be each institution,” Emmert said. “You have to look at the huge variability around the country. When you look at what are the facts on the ground in Syracuse, New York, versus Miami, Florida, they’re very, very different. And those schools are going to have to operate consistent with their local municipal policies, their state policies, federal policies, and then also whatever they decide collectively in the conference.“So it really isn’t the time where you can say we’re going to have one rule to govern all of football or all of any sport in that sense.”Instead of making a broad decision across three divisions, the Board of Governors set parameters for each to make its own call.Within hours of the board’s announcement, presidents councils from both Division II and III canceled fall sports championships and determined they will not be made up in the spring.According to the board’s decision,&nbsp;at least 50% of teams competing in a fall sport in any division must conduct a regular season this fall for a championship to be held.The board emphasized that all fall sports activity, whether it be preseason practices, regular-season games or postseason national championship tournaments,&nbsp;must follow the NCAA’s return-to-sport guidelines.“What we did today with the board is we said, look, you have to meet these kinds of standards and you have to provide these kinds of opportunities and this kind of information to students to even move forward on this,” Emmert said.The NCAA has little, if any, control over the highest tier of Division I football, where the Big Ten competes with the other Power Five conferences, the Big 12, Atlantic Coast Conference, Southeastern Conference and Pac-12.Those leagues along with the five other FBS conferences have methodically put&nbsp;plans in place&nbsp;to play a season that will be worth billions in revenue — most of it landing in the Power Five.The commissioners of those conferences talked a lot about collaboration, but in the end each league did what was in its best interest.The NCAA’s main role has been to provide guidelines for how to attempt to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 as athletes return to campus, practice and ultimately competition.The NCAA cannot stop regular-season competition. When the board considered pulling the plug on fall championships last month,&nbsp;conference leaders throughout all of Division I pushed&nbsp;back. There was even discussion among the most powerful conferences that they could stage their own championship events without the NCAA.The pandemic has exposed college sports’ lack of clearly defined, top-down leadership, though Emmert said the current problems wouldn’t be easier to solve with a different structure.“We’re at a place where all of the answers to all of the questions are complicated because they are very complicated questions,” Emmert said. “And so I guess I understand people that say, ‘You know, somebody make a decision.’ And I would hope that those same people would recognize that I and my board are more than willing to make decisions. We did it in March (canceling the NCAA basketball tournament).“This isn’t about any one person or any one group not wanting to take leadership. It’s about trying to find the right answer for our student-athletes and it’s complicated. And anybody that doesn’t recognize that is not paying attention.”Around the same time the NCAA made its announcement Wednesday regarding fall championships and other issues related to COVID-19′s impact on college sports, a second players’ rights movement announced its formation.#BigTenUnited&nbsp;joined the “&nbsp;WeAreUnited” group of Pac-12 players&nbsp;in making an organized call for more transparency, oversight and monitoring of COVID-19 testing and standards.The Big Ten players focused solely on COVID-19 protocols and targeted the NCAA more than their conference.The NCAA’s directive addressed some of the issues raised by both groups, including retention of scholarships and eligibility if an athlete opts out of the coming season because of COVID-19 concerns.The NCAA is also setting up an email address and phone hot line to allow athletes, parents and others associated with college athletic departments to report “alleged failures” of COVID-19 protocols and guidelines.“When we as players are united, our voices will be heard. These are important victories but players still don’t have any uniform, enforceable COVID standards to keep players safe,” Washington State defensive lineman Dallas Hobbs said in a statement released by #WeAreUnited.Emmert said the burgeoning player movements were not discussed by the board and neither group has communicated with the NCAA.“But that’s not to say that this wasn’t the result of a lot of conversations with students,” Emmert said.Later in the day, the College Football Playoff put another piece to this jigsaw puzzle of season in place by announcing that the selection of the four teams to compete for the national title would be delayed two weeks to Dec. 20.It was another sign of hope — coming not long after Louisville announced it had suspended team activities in men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey and volleyball after 29 athletes tested positive for COVID-19.“There is no guarantee,” Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren said on Big Ten Network, “that we’ll have fall sports or a football season.”