Covid-19 surge makes college football season unlikely

College football this autumn looks increasingly doubtful.

The Big 10 announced Thursday that only conference games will be played, and the Ivy League scrapped its season. Big 10 Commissioner Kevin Warren admitted that football is endangered.

Other power conferences are expected to follow the Big 10, which left open the possibility of canceling its entire season.

The benefits of the Big 10's move are puzzling. Within the conference, teams still have to make long road trips, increasing their risk of Covid-19 exposure. Ohio St. now won't travel to Eugene to play Oregon, but will go to East Lansing, Mich., Champaign, Ill., and State College, Pa.

All of the major conferences span huge geographical areas. If the aim is to protect players' health, rather than save money, a national rush to inter-conference play won't reduce the travel danger.

For example, an ACC move to inter-league play would scrap Georgia Tech's annual game with Georgia, 80 miles away. But the Yellow Jackets would still take long trips to play ACC foes Pittsburgh and Syracuse.

If the major conferences follow the Big 10, athletes and coaches will still risk their health traveling long distances.

With the Covid-19 pandemic worsening, the college football season should be postponed, as the Ivy League has done.