Sept. 24, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — The Pac-12, which includes the University of Utah Utes, will play a seven-game conference football season beginning Nov. 6, it was announced Thursday.
The decision, voted on by the Pac-12’s CEO group, represents an official reversal after the conference announced in August that it would postpone all sports until at least Jan. 1, citing health concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic.
The conference championship game will be played Dec. 18. The Pac-12 will release its full schedule of games in the next few days, a news release said.
No fans will be allowed to attend Pac-12 games taking place on campuses. That decision will be revisited in January, the news release said.
Men’s and women’s basketball can begin Nov. 25 while other winter sports can begin in line with their respective NCAA seasons, the news release added.
“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,” Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said. “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.”
Earlier this month, it was announced the Big Ten will kick off its football season the weekend of Oct. 24 after the league’s presidents and chancellors unanimously voted to resume competition.
Each team will attempt to play eight games in eight weeks before the Big Ten championship game on Dec. 19, according to a news release. That date will also feature an extra cross-division game for each school, with seeded teams in each division squaring off.
The Big Ten would complete its season before the Dec. 20 Selection Day for the College Football Playoff.
