The Pac-12 is set to kick off a seven-game football season Nov. 6 after it followed the Big Ten in overturning an August decision to punt on playing in the fall because of concerns about COVID-19.
With the conference having secured daily coronavirus testing for its athletes and having been given the green light from state and local health officials, the Pac-12 CEO Group voted unanimously Thursday to lift a moratorium on athletic competition that was set to continue until Jan. 1, 2021.
“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,” University of Oregon president Michael Schill said. “The consensus opinion was the benefits of starting in the fall were much greater than the benefits of starting in the … winter. Things changed from the first time we addressed this issue.”
Three hours after the Pac-12 announced its return, the Mountain West did the same, with the conference posting on Twitter that it is targeting an Oct. 24 start to an eight-game season.
The Pac-12s men’s and women’s basketball seasons can start Nov. 25, in line with the NCAA’s recently announced opening date. The league’s football championship game is set for Dec. 18, putting the conference in play for College Football Playoff and New Year’s Six Bowl selection – and the multimillion dollar payouts that come with them.