Eight Nebraska football players sue Big Ten for postponing season

Since the Big Ten announced it was postponing the fall football season, the University of Nebraska has openly questioned the process by which the decision was made. Now, eight players from Nebraska are suing the Big Ten, seeking a reversal of the postponement along with "general clarity" in regard to why the conference decided to postpone the season in the first place.

Garrett Snodgrass, Garrett Nelson, Ethan Piper, Noa Pola-Gates, Alante Brown, Brant Banks, Brig Banks and Jackson Hannah are the Nebraska players filing the lawsuit. According to their attorney, Mike Flood, the lawsuit "isn’t about money or damages, it’s about real-life relief."

"Our Clients want to know whether there was a vote and the details of any vote, and whether the Big Ten followed its own rules in reaching its decision," Flood said. "Sadly, these student-athletes have no other recourse than filing a lawsuit against their conference."

The Big Ten is one of several conferences that has announced that fall sports are being postponed indefinitely due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Other conferences, such as the SEC, still plan to continue their seasons as scheduled, albeit altered given the current circumstances. 

After the decision was made, Nebraska considered playing football anyway before the Big Ten made it clear that the Cornhuskers would not be able to if they wanted to remain a part of the conference long-term. Nebraska chancellor Ronnie Green and president Ted Carter issued a joint statement making it clear that they would remain in the Big Ten, but this lawsuit shows that many at the school remain frustrated.