Today’s the day.
The Pac-12 is set to vote Friday on whether to start a football season. The season-opener would likely be held in late October or early November with the season wrapping up before the College Football Playoff Selection Show on Dec. 20–assuming the presidents vote to play a season this fall.
The Big Ten voted to start its season earlier this week and the Pac-12 could follow similar protocols to what the Big Ten put in place.
The biggest difference between the Big Ten policies and the rest of college football is the number of COVID-19 tests student-athletes will undergo. The Big Ten will test before every practice and game, while the SEC—for example—is currently testing once per week but will test twice per week once the season starts.
The Pac-12’s partnership with Quidel Corporation will allow schools to test student-athletes daily, which should help to reduce outbreaks by identifying infected individuals before they become contagious. The Pac-12 should see fewer postponements because of this.
by my count this is the 15th FBS game that's been canceled/postponed since the season started. by comparison there have only been 29 games actually played https://t.co/9koUSOBw2p
— Rodger Sherman (@rodger) September 18, 2020
The Big Ten also outlined its policy for if a student-athlete is infected. If an individual tests positive for COVID-19, he or she won’t be allowed to compete for 21 days. Big Ten teams are playing eight games in eight weeks, so anybody who tests positive will miss a significant portion of the season.
But remember: the NCAA is granting an additional year of eligibility to every fall student-athlete this year, regardless of whether he or she competes this season. So, in effect, this is a bonus season for student-athletes.
If a Big Ten team has more than 5% of its team test positive in a seven-day span, that team will have to pause all activities for seven days. This is one of the rules that the Pac-12 may not implement. Each conference has different rules regarding how many players have to be available in order to play. The SEC, for example, will require 53 scholarship players to be available to play, and at least one quarterback, seven offensive linemen and four defensive linemen. If a team cannot meet these requirements, it has the option to play or request a postponement.
There’s a wide gap between the Big Ten and SEC requirements and the Pac-12 could wind up somewhere in the middle. With daily, rapid testing this rule shouldn’t come into play for most of the conference though.
The Big Ten also decided not to allow fans in the stands, though they did allowed the possibility of family and friends to be permitted inside of stadiums. The Pac-12 could do the same or allow schools to bring in fans if local guidelines permit. The Broncos will host fans beginning with their second home game of the season, so Colorado may be able to find a way to let fans in.
