Pac-12 hits restart, ends six-month shutdown
Conference returns as CEOs vote to restart 2020 season
The Pac-12 ended a six-month shutdown Thursday as the presidents and chancellors approved a restart of competition, including an abbreviated football season that begins the weekend of Nov. 6-7.
Each team will play seven games. The conference championship is scheduled for Dec. 19 and will be played on campus of the division winner with the best record. The move to Allegiant Stadiumin Las Vegas for the title game has been delayed until next year.
The champion will be eligible for the College Football Playoff but is unlikely to be selected if compared to teams that have playedmore games. The Pac-12’s best hope to produce a semifinalist is disruption in other conferences that leave multiple champions with fewer than eight games played.
Fans will not be permitted.
The schedule will be released in coming days.
In addition, the presidents and chancellors lifted the postponement of Pac-12 basketball, paving the way for teams to begin competition on or near Nov. 25, the start date established by the NCAA.
The news Thursday was largely expected after a frenzied few weeks that saw the conference secure daily antigen tests, state health officials in California and Oregon agree to loosen restrictions and the Big Ten — the Pac-12’s partner in postponement — announce its return.
Nonetheless, Pac-12 fans were anxious that the presidents, considered less passionate about football than their counterparts in other leagues, would balk on the chance to return to the stage.
The conference has facedmore severe challenges than its peers because of the wildfires and the state and local health restrictions throughout the footprint.
The most significant obstacle, however, was cleared three weeks
ago when the Pac-12 announced a partnershipwith Quidel Corp. that will provide athletic departments with rapid-response an
tigen tests that, based on computer modeling, could reduce infectiousness by 100 percent.
The deal with Quidel — for 15,000 tests per week — was hailed as a gamechanger by commissioner Larry Scott, but it took two weeks for momen
tum to build.
“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 giv
ing them the opportunity to pursue their dreams,” commissioner Larry Scott said.
“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.”