Friday Quickies: Return of Pac-12 Edition

It may only be seven games, but it still football this fall.

By John Morgan Francis@MonJorgan Sep 25, 2020, 6:40am EDT

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NCAA Football: Pac-12 Conference Championship-Oregon vs Utah

Finally, college football is getting back to normal, sort of.

The Pac-12 announced Thursday evening that they’ll play a seven game schedule this fall. Back in August, the conference voted to suspend all athletics until January 1st of 2021. However, the Pac-12’s CEO group voted on Thursday to reverse that notion and prepare for seven games beginning Friday, November 6th.

Larry Scott, commissioner of the Pac-12, claims scientific updates changed their opinions on playing this fall. And while Scott didn’t touch on the matter, the fact that all of the other power-five conferences are playing this fall may have also had an implication.

One question that remains is if the teams of the Pac-12 will be eligible for the College Football Playoff. While there isn’t a contender that naturally stands out, there is a theoretical scenario where a Pac-12 team could post an impressive resume over their seven games and possibly be considered for a spot. The answer to the question of teams being eligible is still pending.

One thing that’s for certain is absolutely no fans will be allowed to attend Pac-12 games this fall. The situation will be revisited in January, but no indication has been given of which way a future decision could go.

Overall, it’s certainly a positive vibe to have all power-five conferences playing football this season. One might credit the SEC for sticking with it throughout COVID-19...