On Tuesday evening, the Big 12 Board of Directors agreed to proceed with a fall sports season in 2020. This means that 60 percent of Power Five conferences are planning to have fall sports, including football, of course. The ACC and SEC are still on track, too; however, the Big Ten and Pac-12 have decided to postpone.
The ACC hopes to play an 11-game schedule: 10 conference games, one non-conference matchup. While the ACC plans to start the week of Sept. 12, the Big 12 will launch on Sept. 26 — two weeks later. There will be no more Week 0 games for the Big 12.
According to Board of Directors Chairman and TCU Chancellor Victor Boschini:
The Board continues to believe that the health and well-being of our student-athletes must guide all decisions.
To that end the Board has consistently relied on the advice and counsel of top medical experts to determine the viability of available options. Our student-athletes want to compete, and it is the Board’s collective opinion that sports can be conducted safely and in concert with the best interests of their well-being.
The Big 12 has also committed to testing athletes in “high contact” sports for COVID-19 three times per week. This includes football, soccer and volleyball.
Big 12's enhanced COVID-19 testing includes three tests per week in “high contact” sports, like football, volleyball and soccer. Additionally, return to play protocols after positive occurrences will include an EKG, troponin blood test, echocardiogram, and cardiac MRI.
— Nicole Auerbach 😷 (@NicoleAuerbach) August 12, 2020
Dr. Cameron Wolfe, the ACC’s top medical advisor, told the Sports Business Journal that he sees a path for a safe 2020 football season amidst COVID-19. However, ACC presidents were scheduled to meet Wednesday; among their talking points will be the same medical data the Pac-12 used as evidence to call off its 2020 season.
Bob Bowlsby doesn’t seem super confident in getting through the season so I think the CFB Playoff questions might be a bit moot right now.
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) August 12, 2020