The boat is moving offshore and it appears now that all the Power Five conferences want on board. When the Big Ten and Pac-12 went lock-step and postponed the fall football season because of concerns about safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it was assumed the other three big ticketed conference would follow suit.
Instead, the SEC, ACC, and Big 12 decided to move forward and left those two conferences behind. But not for long.
The Big Ten faced mounting pressure from all angles and then got comfortable with advances in testing and monitoring for myocarditis and reversed course. It’ll be kicking off on October 23 and 24.
And now, after some reconsidering — and probably not wanting to be the only Power Five conference left out — the Pac-12 to also put fall football back on the field for fall.
OFFICIAL: Pac-12 announces resumption of football, basketball & winter sports seasons. Full information below.
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) September 24, 2020
According to a release from the conference, it will begin a fall season consisting of seven games beginning on November 6. The conference’s CEO group also announced the reinstatement of winter sports, including basketball on November 25, which falls in line with the NCAA’s agreed upon beginning date.
“The health and safety of our student-athletes and all those connected to Pac-12 sports remains our guiding light and number one priority,” said Pac-12 CEO Group Chair and University of Oregon President Michael Schill in a statement. “Our CEO Group has taken a measured and thoughtful approach to today’s decision, including extensive consultation with stakeholders on the evolving information and data related to health and safety.”“From the beginning of this crisis, our focus has been on following the science, data and counsel of our public health and infectious disease experts,” said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott. “Our agreement with Quidel to provide daily rapid-results testing has been a game-changer in enabling us to move forward with confidence that we can create a safe environment for our student-athletes while giving them the opportunity to pursue their dreams. At the same time, we will continue to monitor health conditions and data and be ready to adjust as required in the name of the health of all.”
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