Reversing an earlier decision to postpone the season because of the coronavirus pandemic, the Pac-12 will play football this season starting on Nov. 6.
The conference, which includes universities in Arizona, California, Colorado, Oregon, Utah and Washington, is planning to have a seven-game season that will be completed by December 20, the day the College Football Playoff selection committee will pick teams to play for the national championship.
“We want to be in the best position, quite frankly, to get ourselves in the CFP conversation, but also bowl game consideration at the very highest level,” said Arizona State athletic director Ray Anderson. “We want to play.”
In addition to football, the Pac-12 also decided men’s and women’s basketball can start on Nov. 25.
“The discussion among the presidents and chancellors was largely about the benefits as well as the cons of starting in the fall versus starting in January,” said University of Oregon President Michael Schill. “The consensus opinion was the benefits of starting in the fall were much greater than the benefits of starting in the … winter.”
Once the conference does return, no fans will be allowed at any games taking place on Pac-12 campuses.
Following the news about the Pac-12, the Mountain West conference announced it will play an eight-game football season starting the weekend of October 24.
Now, with the Pac-12’s plan in place, all of the Power 5 football conferences have their returns to the field plotted out (or already underway).
Big Ten — 9-game season, beginning Oct. 24
SEC — 10-game season, beginning Sept. 26
Big 12 — 10-game season with a non-conference game, began Sept. 12
ACC — 11-game season with a non-conference game, began Sept. 10
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