Pac-12 to play 7-game football schedule starting in November

Sept. 24 (UPI) -- The Pac-12 announced Thursday that it will play a seven-game, conference-only football schedule beginning in early November.

The decision -- voted on by the Pac-12's CEO group -- is an official reversal after the conference announced in early August that it would postpone all sports until at least Jan. 1 because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Pac-12 said teams with health approval can begin practicing immediately in preparation for the league's Nov. 6 start date. The conference's championship game will take place Dec. 18.

"The health and safety of our student-athletes and all those connected to Pac-12 sports remains our guiding light and number one priority," Pac-12 CEO group chair and Oregon president Michael Schill said in a statement Thursday.

"Our CEO group has taken a measured and thoughtful approach to today's decision, including extensive consultation with stakeholders on the evolving information and data related to health and safety."

In its statement, the Pac-12 said men's and women's basketball can start Nov. 25, while other winter sports can begin in line with its respective NCAA seasons. Utah athletic director Mark Harlan said other fall sports -- such as soccer, volleyball and cross country -- will continue to prepare for spring seasons.

No fans will be allowed to attend games on Pac-12 campuses. The conference said it will revisit that decision in January.

The Pac-12's move comes in the wake of a similar announcement last week from the Big Ten Conference, which will begin its football season Oct. 24.