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Pac-12 commissioner says conference preparing for multiple scenarios for college football season
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All the momentum towards an on-time start to the 2020 college football season has hit a rut recently. With spikes in COVID-19 cases in different regions of the country, there’s no growing concerns that officials involved in the sport will need to start considering alternate options.
Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott says his league is considering all options at this time. And while he’s still hopeful that things can proceed as scheduled, there are several contingency plans on the table.
“I was cautiously optimistic … but the last couple weeks have changed everyone’s outlook because of the extent to which restarting the economy and loosening restrictions has led to significant outbreaks,” Scott said, according to The Mercury News.
“I still want to be cautiously optimistic, but if there’s no change in society’s response and behavior, which results in a quick flattening of the curve and a decrease in the spread of the virus, that would lead to a much more pessimistic view about our campuses being able to open and our ability to play college sports.”
Some of the most common contingency options for the Pac-12 have been:
- Playing the season as planned
- Delaying the start of the college football season
- Conference-only schedules
- Moving the season to the spring
Scott also acknowledged that, while he hopes the entire Pac-12 can move forward, some schools may not be able to play, depending on the situation.
“There are scenarios where we move as a conference together,” Scott said, “and scenarios where not everyone can but most can.
“To be clear, I’m not saying we would go in that direction. I just want to underscore that we’re looking at everything.”
Many are expecting a decision on the 2020 college football season to be made by the end of the month. However, no league, college president or athletic director has placed a hard deadline on a decision date.
The first weekend of the college football season is scheduled for Aug. 29.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB