Pac-12 to resume athletic competition for football, basketball, winter sports

The Sun Devils will have a fall football season.

The Pac-12 CEO group voted to play a seven-game, conference-only season starting Nov. 6 during Thursday’s meeting, according to ESPN reporters Kyle Bonagura and Heather Dinich.

ESPN also learned the conference championship game will be played Dec. 18, although schedules have yet to be released. The date allows for Pac-12 teams to presumably remain eligible for the College Football Playoff, which has a cutoff date of Dec. 19.

The decision follows a similar announcement from the Big Ten last week, which will begin its season on Oct. 24.

No fans will be permitted to attend games, the conference announced.

The conference voted unanimously in August to postpone all fall sports until the beginning of 2021 due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic. Thursday’s announcement effectively reverses that decision to allow for a shortened season.

“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,” said Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott. “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.”

Additionally, Pac-12 men’s and women’s basketball teams will begin their respective seasons on Nov. 25, the official NCAA start date.

Each Pac-12 university will monitor their campus situations and work with local public health officials to decide when activities surrounding the Winter sports of wrestling, women’s gymnastics, and men’s & women’s swimming and diving can begin.

Several Arizona State Sun Devils took to Twitter to react to the Pac-12’s decision.

More details will follow. Stay tuned to House of Sparky for updates.