Big 12 moves ahead with fall sports plan

The Big 12 Conference reaffirmed its decision to press on with football and other fall sports Aug. 12, joining the ACC and SEC in taking the field amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The move came one day after the Big Ten and Pac-12 announced they would not be participating this fall. There is a chance the other two Power Five leagues will push their seasons to the spring, but that remains to be determined.

In the meantime, the Big 12 board of directors approved a plan to begin fall sports after Sept. 1 with football playing a schedule in which each team can play one nonconference game before league play begins Sept. 26. The schools will all play each other to give them 10 total games with the Big 12 title game scheduled for Dec. 12.

The league’s schools have agreed to enhanced COVID-19 testing that includes three tests per week in “high contact” sports such as football, volleyball and soccer. Rigorous testing that includes echocardiograms, a cardiac MRI and blood tests will be required before athletes can return to play. All non-conference opponents also must adhere to Big 12 standards.

NFL

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NBA

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