By the Associated Press:

The Big Ten and Pac-12 won’t play football this fall because of concerns about COVID-19, taking two of college football’s five power conferences out of a crumbling season amid the pandemic.

Less than an hour after the Big Ten’s announcement, the Pac-12 called a news conference to discuss a meeting with its universities’ presidents.

Two people involved in the Pac-12’s decision told The Associated Press the season would be postponed until the spring, along with all fall sports. The people spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the conference was still planning an official announcement.

The Big Ten’s announcement comes six days after the conference that includes historic programs such as Ohio State, Michigan, Nebraska and Penn State had released a revised conference-only football schedule that it hoped would help it navigate a fall season with potential COVID-19 disruptions.

Instead, all fall sports in the Big Ten have been called off and a spring season will be explored. The decision was monumental but not a surprise. Speculation has run rampant for several days that the Big Ten was moving toward this decision. On Monday, coaches throughout the conference tried to push back the tide, publicly pleading for more time and threatening to look elsewhere for games this fall.

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Massachusetts has become the latest school from the Football Bowl Subdivision, college football’s highest level, to cancel its fall season.

UMass is an independent in football and its decision affects only that sport. Most of UMass’ athletic teams compete in the Atlantic 10.

Athletic director Ryan Bamford says the school will try to conduct a football spring season if possible.