The Pac-12 now appears to be on its own island.

Wednesday’s much-anticipated decision by the Big Ten to reverse course and start its football season on Oct. 24 leaves the Pac-12 as the only Power 5 conference with no plan to return to the field this calendar year.

And pressure is mounting on the Pac-12.

On Tuesday, USC football players posted a letter on Twitter to California Gov. Gavin Newsom asking him to ease public health restrictions so they could move closer to being able to play this fall.

Several other Pac-12 players have tweeted their support, including Arizona State sophomore quarterback Jayden Daniels, along with Cal quarterback Chase Garbers, Utah quarterback Jake Bentley and Oregon wide receiver Mycah Pittman.

The Big Ten’s formal announcement on Wednesday adds to that pressure.

Its plan allows for both a conference title game and a potential spot in the College Football Playoff. Returning to the field would significantly impact the national picture. The preseason Amway Coaches Poll included six Big Ten teams led by No. 2 Ohio State. This week, all of those schools were dropped from the poll.

The Big Ten was the first major conference to make the decision to postpone the fall, doing so just ahead of the Pac-12.

The key to the Big Ten’s reversal appears to be a partnership for rapid testing with Quidel Corporation, the same company with whom the Pac-12 contracted a week earlier. The ability for daily testing has led to some optimism that the Pac-12 also could return earlier than expected.

The Pac-12, however, is facing obstacles other conferences and schools are not. Half of the conference footprint — the four schools in California and two in Oregon — are still dealing with effects of the coronavirus, with mandates in place prohibiting workouts of any kind.

Complicating matters have been the fires that have ravaged much of the West Coast, so even if the restrictions from COVID-19 were lifted, air quality would likely prevent any outdoor activity.

Pac-12 Commisioner Larry Scott issued a statement Wednesday morning after hearing the declaration from the Big Ten.

“At this time, our universities in California and Oregon do not have approval from state or local public health officials to start contact practice. We are hopeful that our new daily testing capability can help satisfy public health official approvals in California and Oregon to begin contact practice and competition. We are equally closely monitoring the devastating fires and air quality in our region at this time. We are eager for our student-athletes to have the opportunity to play this season, as soon as it can be done safely and in accordance with public health authority approvals.”

The Pac-12 is one of three FBS conferences not playing. The others are the Mid-American and  the Mountain West.

Reach the reporter at [email protected] or 602 444-4783.  Follow her on Twitter @MGardnerSports.

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