Pac-12 Conference Permits Non-Conference Football Games
Conference will prioritize in-league matches but allow non-conference match-ups on schedules
Non-conference football match-ups may be coming soon to the Pac-12 Conference.
The Pac-12 CEO Group, the collection of the chancellors and presidents of the Pac-12 Conference’s member-universities, approved the “flexibility” to schedule non-conference football games Thursday.
“The Pac-12 is committed to maintaining maximum flexibility to provide our football student-athletes with an opportunity to compete while continuing to ensure that health and safety remain our number one priority,” Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott said in a prepared statement.
Football teams from other conferences must meet the Pac-12 Conference’s testing and protocols intended to limit the spread of Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.
The Pac-12 Conference will always be the home team, and a Pac-12 opponent will have priority over an out-of-conference opponent if available by end-of-day Thursday in any given week.
Since the Pac-12 Conference started its football season on Nov. 7, five games have been canceled and declared a no-contest:
Arizona at Utah, originally scheduled for Nov. 7
Washington at California, originally scheduled for Nov. 7
California at Arizona State, originally scheduled for Nov. 14
Utah at UCLA, originally scheduled for Nov. 14
Arizona State at Colorado, originally scheduled for Nov. 21
The California Golden Bears and UCLA Bruins managed to schedule a last-minute game at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., in which the Golden Bears lost, 10-34.
But other Pac-12 members have not been as lucky, especially with an abbreviated and tight football season this year.
It may be difficult for Pac-12 teams to find a new non-conference opponent willing to travel on short notice, but the conference deserves credit for trying.
I like this considering if games are canceled and certain teams line up to take their place. I would love to see us play San Jose State, I love what Coach Brennan is doing there in building that program.
Yeah it's worth a shot. Maybe we can still play the Horned Frogs.