Pac-12 Could Return in Late October

• Plans have changed – there will be Big Ten football starting the weekend of October 24
• More hope than what was previously thought in terms of a possible Pac-12 season
• Top 5 College Football Power Rankings for Week 2

In the midst of this worldwide pandemic, the fate of the different college football conference schedules has been up in the air, more or less, but some good news has happened, especially for fans of Big Ten football, as in it’s actually happening.

For those who prefer the Pac-12, stay tuned, because as you’ll read below, there is still a chance of those football programs to play a schedule in 2020, but that could take as much as a month to happen.

Here we briefly go over some of the biggest college football news stories of the week – plans are constantly being updated and revisited by the powers that be so make sure to check in regularly to get all the latest news and highlights.

Big Ten Finally With a Plan for 2020

The original decision by Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren to postpone the football season, a decision that he said “will not be revisited” was, just days ago, revisited, and now it has been reversed, meaning there will be Big Ten football starting the weekend of October 24.

This reversal did not come easy – first, plenty of misinformation was slung, parents of students protested, there were even lawsuits being worked on – but after all that push back on a crisis poorly handled, Big Ten football fans will get what they want, which is a season despite the worldwide pandemic currently in play.

Says Warren, “Our goal has always been to return to the competition so all student-athletes can realize their dream of competing in the sports they love.”

Reportedly, it will be an eight-game regular-season schedule with “little to no room for COVID-19 disruptions” that will end with a “Champions Week,” and for now the Big Ten Championship is scheduled to take place on December 19, just one day prior to the College Football Playoff is announced.

Pac-12 Could Return in Late October

ESPN has been reporting a story that will be exciting for any fans of Pac-12 football, an update that gives more hope than what was previously thought in terms of a possible season despite the COVID-19 pandemic that the world is currently dealing with.

The story in the Mercury News stated that athletic directors from USC and UCLA “joined forces and held a joint Zoom call with Los Angeles County health officials Wednesday evening to clear a path for the football teams to begin practicing.”

Nothing solid just yet, but those types of discussions are a good sign that those in charge of making the call are at least considering more options than just canceling the Pac-12 season outright, with even California Gov. Newsome chiming in, saying, “Nothing in the state guidelines denies the ability for the Pac-12 to resume.”

Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott released this statement expressing his optimism that football could be returning:

Statement from Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott on positive developments from governors of California and Oregon: pic.twitter.com/bZVuGT6vuW

— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) September 16, 2020

Top 5 College Football Power Rankings for Week 2: Alabama, Clemson, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Florida

ESPN has released their college football rankings for Week 2 and there really are no surprises at the top:

1.Alabama Crimson Tide ( 0 – 0 )

After finishing last season with a rushing attack ranked 56th nationally, Crimson Tide will prioritize their run game in 2020, and helping offensive coordinator Steve Sarkisian achieve that goal will be returning running back Najee Harris, an elusive senior playmaker that will no doubt put up big numbers.

2.Clemson Tigers ( 1 – 0 )

The Clemson Tigers already have a win under their collective belt after head coach Dabo Swinney led his boys past Wake Forst in the season opener by a score of 37-13, a victory that gives them 23 straight wins against ACC opponents.

3.Oklahoma Sooners ( 1 – 0 )

The Sooners have yet another decent hurler under center in Spencer Rattler, who, under the tutelage of head coach Lincoln Riley, completed 14-of-17 passes for 290 yards and four touchdowns against Missouri State – and that was only in the first half, the final score of that first victory being 48-0.

4.Georgia Bulldogs ( 0 – 0 )

The Georgia Bulldogs play Arkansas on September 26, and new coordinator Todd Monken should bring a pro-level of excitement to the program, one that in 2020 features a 6’ 3” 200-pound star wide receiver named George Pickens, who as a freshman last season led the team with 49 catches for 727 yards and 8 touchdowns.

5.Florida Gators ( 0 – 0 )

Everybody in Florida is excited to watch weakside defensive end Brenton Cox finally do some damage after sitting out the 2019 season due to his transfer from Georgia, but now coordinator Todd Grantham and his best sacking unit in the league last year (86 total sacks) plan to use Cox to put the fear of tackle in every quarterback they face.