1. The Pac-12 schedule – what’s going to happen?
As if the decision by the Pac-12 to go to a Pac-12-only schedule wasn’t enough, things took a downturn on Friday evening when it was announced that Commissioner Larry Scott tested positive.
Statement from the Pac-12 Conference (July 10, 2020): pic.twitter.com/odEoOL20XO
— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) July 11, 2020
The Pac-12 is in one of the more interesting overall positions among the Power Five conferences.
Arizona is one of the nation’s biggest coronavirus hot spots, and few places on the planet are having more issues lately than Los Angeles.
The University of California system – including Cal and UCLA from the Pac-12 – are looking hard into going mostly remote for classes this fall, and the California State University system – which doesn’t have any Pac-12 schools – already said it’s doing the remote thing.
It’s not that the Pac-12 doesn’t love its football or want a season, but when it comes to the politics, the hot spots, and the current climate, the conference likely won’t be facing quite as much pressure as the other four Power Five conferences to move heaven and earth to play college football.
The other option on the table is the idea of playing in the spring. That’s a tough one for other parts of the country – okay, so Pullman isn’t exactly Balmy in February – but for the most part, the weather aspect isn’t going to be as big of a factor.
Like everyone else, the Pac-12 is trying to buy time.
Realistically, to make a ten-game season with a whole lot of breaks work, the season has to start no later than mid-September. No one’s thinking about bowl games right now, but economically – ESPN is going to need programming in December – that might become a factor.
Simply getting on the field and safely playing college football is the first step. Scratch that – simply getting back to campus and practicing without an outbreak is the first step.
Check back in early August.
However, if the SEC and/or ACC decide in late July that they can’t figure it out, watch out for the Pac-12 to follow the lead if everything isn’t perfectly in place.
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