Pac-12 releases 2020 conference-only regular season schedule
It's official!
Utah will begin the 2020 college football season on Saturday, Sept. 26 when it travels to Pullman, Washington to face off with the Washington State Cougars.
The Pac-12 announced it's new 10-game conference-only regular season schedule on Friday afternoon — and sure enough it's filled with big-times games both at the beginning and at the end of the season.
“From the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, we have been committed to prioritizing the health and safety of our student-athletes and all those connected to our athletic programs,” Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said in a statement. “The schedule and plans approved today and path to return to competition are subject to public health orders and will be taken in accordance with the health and well-being guidelines developed by our Pac-12 Medical Advisory Committee. The schedule and return to play plans provide for maximum flexibility and the best opportunity to play all fall sports in an environment that prioritizes safety. At the same time, we will continue to evaluate the best available science, data and advice of public health officials as we make decisions and any required adjustments going forward.”
Week 1 will kick off with a bang as a pair of in-state rivalries headline the schedule with USC vs. UCLA and Arizona vs. Arizona State — both games were originally scheduled for the end of the season in November. The season then ends with a rematch of last season's Pac-12 championship game between Utah and Oregon.
Each team will play five home games and five road games. Games that have to be rescheduled due to any reason can be either made up during their bye weeks OR in week 12 of the season (Dec. 12). Week 12 was specifically designed as a makeup date with the regular season set to end on Dec. 5 and the conference championship scheduled for Dec. 18 or 19.
That championship game was originally set to take place at newly-formed Allegiant Stadium (home of the Las Vegas Raiders) in Las Vegas. But the conference decided that this year it would be a "home' game for the host team — the championship game will go back to Las Vegas next season.
The Pac-12 will also give schools the option to delay the start of the season by a week if needed.
Training camps can start as early as Aug. 17, depending on their allowance by their respective public health orders and medical advice.
The Athletic's Nicole Auerbach reports the conference pushed back the start of the season to "try to buy more time for the California and Arizona schools." Both states have recorded a high number of cases during the coronavirus pandemic, leading many colleges to decide to hold classes online this fall.
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