Coronavirus

Pac-12 And Big Ten Announce Conference-Only Fall Season

ESPN reports a major factor in Pac-12's decision was coronavirus cases in Los Angeles, where UCLA and USC are located.

Pac-12 And Big Ten Announce Conference-Only Fall Season
Ralph Freso / AP
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The Pac-12 announced Friday it will play a conference-only season for football and other fall sports this year. It comes a day after Big Ten chose to do the same.

The Pac-12's decision to delay the fall season came as the result of a vote among athletics directors, university presidents and conference officials. ESPN reports a major factor in the decision was coronavirus cases in Los Angeles. Officials were concerned UCLA and USC wouldn't be ready to play by early September.

Commissioner Larry Scott said: “Our decisions have and will be guided by science and data, and based upon the trends and indicators over the past days, it has become clear that we need to provide ourselves with maximum flexibility to schedule, and to delay any movement to the next phase of return-to-play activities.”

The conference announced later on Friday that Scott has tested positive for COVID-19. He plans to continue his conference commissioner duties while self-quarantining.