Big Ten will release 4 player availability reports per week for games matching conference teams

Audio By Carbonatix

ROSEMONT, Ill. (AP) — The Big Ten announced the expansion of its player availability reporting process for the 2026 college football season Friday, requiring teams to submit four reports per week instead of one for games matching conference opponents.

Schools will submit availability reports beginning three days before a contest and concluding with a gameday report. For a Saturday game, reports would be due by 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and two hours before the scheduled kickoff on Saturday.

Midweek status designations will identify players as probable, questionable, doubtful, out or out for the first half. Gameday reports will include three categories: game-time decision, out and out for the first half. Players not listed on a report are considered available.

Because of travel party limitations, visiting teams will indicate the availability status of players who were part of the travel squad or were not part of the travel squad but are (or have been) included in the two-deep on offense, defense, or special teams or otherwise regularly participate in games.

The policy applies for competition against conference opponents only, with the first reports of the season due in advance of the Southern California-Rutgers and Purdue-UCLA games on Sept. 19. Availability reports will be published on BigTen.org.

The Big Ten began requiring availability reports in 2023.

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