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The news that seemed likely for the last week became official Thursday afternoon, as the Pac-12's CEO Group voted to relaunch a delayed fall football season, the conference announced.
Men's and women's basketball are cleared to start on Nov. 25, which is consistent with the rest of the country.
All Pac-12 football teams will play six games leading into a seventh game that will either be the Pac-12 championship game or a separate matchup that same weekend for teams that don't reach the title game. The scheduled hasn't been determined yet.
Per the announcement, no fans will be permitted at any sporting competition taking place on Pac-12 campuses. The decision to not allow fans at competitions will be revisited based upon health and safety considerations in January 2021.
“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 in a statement. “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. 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.”
Scott and fellow Pac-12 leaders addressed further questions in a webinar with media Thursday evening.
As to the schedule question, he said: "We haven't determined anything in terms of an exact schedule. ... Certainly by next week we'll clarify an exact schedule."
RELATED: All the key comments and answers from USC AD Mike Bohn and Pac-12 leaders about Thursday's news
USC athletic director Mike Bohn released a statement of his own on Twitter.
"I am thrilled for our student-athletes, coaches and fans that the Pac-12 Conference presidents and chancellors voted to resume athletes practices and competitions for football, basketball, and winter sports seasons," Bohn wrote. "... It is a testament to the strength of the leadership in our football locker room and a symbol of the central role USC plays in the Pac-12 that the letter from our players to California Gov. Gavin Newsom galvanized our collective return to play efforts. We are appreciative of the leadership of the state of California for working with us and committing to revisions to public health guidelines that will allow us to practice and play safely and in competitive balance with our conference and national peers."
USC football coach Clay Helton released a statement as well:
"We are excited and appreciative for the decision that came from our presidents and chancellors today to start the 2020 football season. The patience that our University leaders showed has allowed us the time to produce the safest environment possible for our student athletes," Helton said. "We thank the Pac 12 Conference and their medical advisory team for not only supplying the daily testing needed but also the scientific knowledge and advice that led to today’s decision.
"From the outset of this pandemic USC has supported our student athletes with the necessary resources for them to remain healthy and safe while getting in good physical condition. It has put us in a very good place as a team to enter an upcoming training camp. We look forward to the preparation of a season and having the opportunity to compete for championships."
After making the decision back in August to cancel all sports until at least Jan. 1, the Pac-12 made progress on several fronts and surely felt some added pressure with the Big Ten recently reversing its decision to sit out the fall as well.
First, the Pac-12 announced a deal with Quidel Corporation on Sept. 8 to supply all of the conference's schools with the capability for rapid-result daily antigen testing of student-athletes. In theory, if a program can ensure (to whatever margin of error the testing equipment maintains) that no player takes the practice or game field infected by Covid-19, then there would be nothing to spread through contact practices or games.
Controlling the risk of spread also addresses the conference's stated concern about the potential long-term effects of Covid-19, such as the heart condition myocarditis.
It wasn't until last week, though, that the conference gained real momentum toward a fall season. It seemed no coincidence that it came on the heels of the Big Ten announcing it would start an eight-game regular-season on Oct. 24, joining the other three Power 5 conferences who have or are getting started this month.
The Pac-12 and its members, with USC playing a leading role, then focused efforts on petitioning the state of California (and Oregon) and respective counties for exemptions or changes to the public health guidelines that presently restrict college teams in California from practicing in groups larger than 12. That started with an open letter from USC football players to California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
While it has not been made clear what the new guidelines are or will be, Wilner confirmed allowances would be made to make some form of football practice viable.
Per the news release, Pac-12 universities with the necessary public health approvals may commence football practice immediately. A source said USC was still perhaps 7-10 days away from ramping up to full practice, as the Quidel testing equipment just arrived earlier this week.
The Trojans have been working out with minimal interruption since mid-June, first with voluntary individual workouts and more recently with coaches being allowed 12 hours a week around the team for strength and conditioning, meetings and individual drills. Some other schools in the conference, meanwhile, sent their players home for a period once the season was postponed indefinitely.
Additionally, Stanford had reportedly faced the toughest obstacles from its county regarding the restrictions on workouts/practice. And after a recent spike in Covid-19 cases, Boulder County in Colorado has a county order prohibiting public gatherings until Oct. 8, which of course directly impacts the Buffaloes' ability to hold practices or really any workouts, according to Boulder Daily Camera reporter Brian Howell.
The news release also noted that for universities utilizing daily antigen testing, at least one weekly PCR test will also be administered for each student-athlete, in addition to all positive tests to be confirmed with a PCR test. All testing recommendations will be reviewed and updated as needed on an ongoing basis.
“The health and safety of our student-athletes and all those connected to Pac-12 sports remains our guiding light and number one priority,” Pac-12 CEO Group Chair and University of Oregon President Michael Schill said in a statement “Our CEO Group has taken a measured and thoughtful approach to today’s decision, including extensive consultation with stakeholders on the evolving information and data related to health and safety.”
Even now that the Pac-12 has a start date, it remains at a disadvantage relative to the other conferences when it comes to potential College Football Playoff consideration.
The CFP selection committee announced a few weeks ago its adjusted schedule, with the final rankings to be announced on Dec. 20 and the CFP semifinals slated for Jan. 1.
That has set up the Dec. 19 weekend as the de facto cutoff for conference championship games to factor into playoff consideration.
The ACC, with Notre Dame, began play on an 11-game schedule (including one non-conference game) on Sept. 12, with their title game set for either Dec. 12 or Dec. 19.
The Big 12 also began play last weekend on a 10-game schedule, including one early non-conference game with conference play starting Sept. 26 and the league's championship game set for Dec. 12.
The SEC begins play Sept. 26 on a 10-game schedule with a conference championship game set for Dec. 19.
And the Big Ten, which reversed course earlier this week to be able to play this fall, will play eight games starting Oct. 24 with all teams playing a ninth game on Dec. 19 (either in the conference championship game or in a consolation game for the other schools).
If all goes as planned, though, the Pac-12 would be only a game behind the Big Ten -- and with many games already being postponed or cancelled in other leagues, it may well balance out more than that if the Pac-12's Quidel partnership can keep its new schedule on track.
