Iowa Football: Hawkeye Fans Expect No Football, Support Player’s Association

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Each week, we send out questions to the most plugged in Iowa Hawkeyes fans, and fans across the country. Sign up here to join Reacts.

The last week has been, without a doubt, one of the worst for many Hawkeye fans across the state of Iowa.

In just a few hours, the entire college football world was turned on its head as news broke that the Big Ten would be canceling their fall schedule on Tuesday afternoon. That was followed quickly by players announcing plans to form a football players association.

Worse yet, many fans across the state of Iowa were left in the dark, both figuratively and literally after a powerful derecho storm devastated the state from Des Moines to Cedar Rapids and Iowa City and east to the Quad Cities. In its wake, the storm left a path of mangled trees, crushed cars, caved in roofs and destroyed crops. More than a quarter million people, in a state of just three million, were left without power, internet and in most cases cell service.

Gas stations quickly sold out of gasoline and ice. ATMs were closed and retailers stopped taking anything but cash. With no electricity and no gas for generators, the darkness has lasted the rest of the week for hundreds of thousands of Iowans and the end may still be far off for some.

Put simply, Hawkeye fans in Iowa lost their fall football season and likely didn’t know it for hours or days. The question now is what will happen with the rest of football? Will the rest of the Power Five conferences follow the Big Ten and Pac-12 in pushing things to the spring, or will we see college football cancelled entirely?

SB Nation’s Reacts asked fans across the network what they think will happen to the 2020 season. The results show more than 80 percent think the entire college football season will be canceled or postponed.

While most fans remain doubtful on fall football, players and coaches have taken a stand with their desire to play and play now.

As the prospect of no fall football season grew closer to a reality, several Hawkeyes and players from around the country took to social media with the hashtag #WeWantToPlay in an effort to have their voice heard. It wasn’t long after we learned of players’ desires to form a college football players association to speak on behalf of the athletes themselves.

With the changing Name, Image and Likeness laws, as well as the health risks on the table due to COVID-19, concussions, and myriad other injuries, the push for player advocacy has never been stronger.

SB Nation asked fans whether they support the players forming an association. Roughly two-thirds said they would, although some would only do so if it meant games were played this season.

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