Opinion: Pac-12 is only returning to action because of pressure

As we’ve seen this off-season, it was failed leadership and poor planning that caused the Pac-12 to feel pressured into reviving their football season.

It has been a whirlwind of events in college football this past week, especially for the Pac-12, as the conference still seemingly wrestles with the idea of even having a 2020 season.

As you may recall, everything seemed like a go for the conference to get their season re-started. Well, that is until this past Friday, when the Pac-12 CEO Group met and there was no consensus or vote made to reinstate the season.

Arizona Wildcats

Now keep in mind, it looks like when the CEO Group reconvenes on Thursday, a vote will likely be made to get the football season back on track. However, the damage of this year has already been done.

We’ve already seen some of the conferences’ best players opt out of the season to go pro, as well as numerous transfer to other programs (see Arizona Football for example). And as Oregonian reporter John Canzano writes, “They’re [Pac-12 leadership] having to answer questions in recruiting about how serious the conference is about competing nationally.”

I mean, what took the Pac-12 so long, to inevitably just follow the Big 10s’ lead? Did they need better access to and more frequent Covid testing? Not likely, since they already had a solution in place.

Remember, the Pac-12 made a deal with the Quidel Corporation not long ago, which would provide rapid testing for Covid.

What else could it have been? Worried about the bad optics? Fear of lost revenue? Who knows, but you got to think that the Pac-12 was feeling immense pressure, especially after they were the only Power Five conference not planning to compete any time soon. That is until the Big 10 decided to reverse course on their decision to play.

So even with the Pac-12 likely voting yes on Thursday, now you’re starting to see some teams even debate whether or not they will even play, in particular, Stanford.

If that happens, what does the Pac-12 decide then? Do they still have they have their season and start October 31? Or, do they start November 7?

Even then, if the conference has just a six-game season with a conference championship, is a potential 7-0 team good enough to even get into the College Football Playoff?

Call me crazy, but it seems like the Conferences’ image is deteriorating and quickly, and it is apparent that the leadership hasn’t been there from Larry Scott during this ordeal.

Where was the plan to get things on track earlier? And why the scramble now?

Again, it doesn’t seem like the Conference is making this decision in good faith, but rather because of being pressured.  Anyways, at Zona Zealots, we will wait in anticipation! As always, Bear Down Arizona!