ASU Football: Big Ten to Play Football. Hurdles for Pac-12
In the metaphorical high five of not playing college football, the Big Ten has left the Pac-12 hangin’. On Wednesday, it was announced the Big Ten would begin an eight-game season on October 24th with a championship game on December 19th. After an 11-3 vote to not play a little more than a month ago, a unanimous vote was cast to begin play because of medical advancements. The Pac-12 has been running parallel with the decisions of the Big Ten, and now, for better or worse, the line ends here.
The medical advancements seen for both schools should be celebrated not only for their use in helping bring sports back but also for making campuses safer. The Pac-12 announced last week a partnership with Quidel in hopes of playing before 2021.
The Big Ten will not only administer rapid testing but also release new information on myocarditis screenings. Myocarditis has been linked as a result of viruses infections and is often undiagnosed. COVID-19 has resulted in cardiac issues for people of all ages, and combating this is huge for the safety of the players.
So why can the Big Ten take all of this information and play while the Pac-12 is stuck in the weight room? COVID-19 has become almost a secondary problem with the wildfires across California and Oregon. The Bobcat fire in Los Angeles has burned over 36,000 acres and has made the air quality dangerously unhealthy, according to Airnow.gov. The Holiday Farm fire just outside of Eugene, too, has made the air quality dangerous. No amount of testing will solve this, only time or a change in legislation.
Larry Scott has said he has been talking with both state governors to find a safe way to let the schools begin to play, but until then, the Pac-12 and ASU will be forging their own path.