Report: Pac-12 athletic directors focusing on Halloween start for football season

As the Pac-12 looks to change course and play college football in the fall, athletic directors around the conference have honed in on a Halloween start date (Oct. 31), one week after the Big 10 is expected to begin competition, per Jon Wilner of the Mercury News. 

The Pac-12's targeted date will allow the conference to play eight games and contend for a spot in the College Football Playoff. However, the decision to play football in 2020 falls on the shoulders of university presidents and Pac-12 CEO Group in response to local health officials alleviating restrictions. 

“It might be a challenge, but many of us would like to play then,” an anonymous source said in Wilner's report. “We think it’s possible.”

California governor Gavin Newsom said Wednesday the current health guidelines in place doesn't affect the state's four Pac-12 schools, USC, UCLA, Stanford and Cal. 

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"I want to make this crystal clear: Nothing in the state guidelines denies the ability for the Pac-12 to resume," Newsom said. "That’s been a misrepresentation of the facts."

Oregon governor Kate Brown also OK'd Oregon and Oregon State to have football seasons, but will not proceed until the Pac-12 provides a written plan for state officials. The Bay Area schools (Cal and Stanford) are the final teams awaiting approval from health officials. 

If the season were to begin on Oct. 31, the Pac-12 presidents would need to vote for the restart plan on Friday so teams can have six weeks to prepare for the season, which will include a two-week period of workouts and four weeks of full contact practice.