9/24/2020 football Edit

Pac-12 CEO Group Votes To Restart Season

Brenden Slaughter • BeaversEdge

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@b_slaught

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The Pac-12 fall and winter sports competitions are back!

Following a unanimous vote from the Pac-12 CEO Group on Thursday afternoon, the conference is set to move ahead with a seven-game football season that begins the weekend of Nov. 6th/7th.

The Pac-12 Championship Game will take place on December 18, enabling Pac-12 teams to be considered for selection by the college football playoff.

Pac-12 teams will be allowed to begin full-practices immediately following the go-ahead from local health officials.

Men’s and women’s basketball will begin on November 25 consistent with the NCAA’s official start date for these sports, and other winter sports consistent with the NCAA season dates for those sports.

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.

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.

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“The health and safety of our student-athletes and all those connected to Pac-12 sports remain our guiding light and number one priority,” said Pac-12 CEO Group Chair and University of Oregon President Michael Schill. “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.”

“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.”

In the sport of men’s and women’s basketball, the season will begin on the NCAA official start date of November 25. Further details regarding basketball schedules will be released in the near future.

For the winter sports of wrestling, women’s gymnastics, and men’s & women’s swimming and diving, each university will determine when the practice may commence in accordance with local public health official guidance and the situation on campus.

Final competition schedules will be released for those sports at a later date. Fall sports for which post-season championships were postponed by the NCAA until the spring will be conducted starting January 2021, with preparation and practice occurring during the fall as permitted by NCAA rules.

In all cases, competition with non-conference opponents will be contingent upon such non-conference opponents implementing minimum testing protocols in accordance with NCAA and Pac-12 COVID-19 Medical Advisory Committee recommendations.