Utah Football To Open 7-Game Schedule Nov. 7 Against Arizona

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Pac-12 announced the seven game slate for each member of the conference, including the University of Utah.

The Utes will begin their 2020 campaign on Saturday, November 7 when they take on Arizona at home. Their one crossover game with a north division opponent will be Oregon State at home on Saturday, December 5. It will be just the second time that Utah hosts a game at home in the month of December.

Utah will play three games at home and three games on the road. The seventh game is to be determined. Kyle Whittingham told the media earlier this week that fall camp will begin on Friday, October 9.

Utah’s 2020 Schedule

Week 1: Saturday, Nov. 7 vs. Arizona

Week 2: Friday, Nov. 13 at UCLA

Week 3: Saturday, Nov. 21 vs. USC

Week 4: Saturday, Nov. 28 at Arizona State

Week 5: Saturday, Dec. 5 vs. Oregon State

Week 6: Friday, Dec. 11 at Colorado

🚨 ANNOUNCED 🚨 The 2020 #Pac12FB Schedule‼️🏈

More info ➡️ https://t.co/is8iNnKAn8#BackThePac pic.twitter.com/EztU2bMgZe

— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) October 3, 2020

How We Got To This Point

A huge step to getting the season started earlier than January was a deal that the Pac-12 made with Quidel Corporations on September 3. The partnership allowed the Pac-12 do conduct COVID-19 tests for antigens with rapid results in a matter of 15 minutes. This would allow each athletic department in the conference to test the student-athletes daily.

On Wednesday, September 16, the Big Ten announced that they will begin their football season on the weekend of October 24. Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott released the following statement that morning after the Big Ten announcement.

“At this time, our universities in California and Oregon do not have approval from state or local public health officials to start contact practice,” Scott stated. “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.”

After that statement was made, California Governor Gavin Newsom spoke with Scott and allowed each county that the school resides in to give the approval to practice and have a season. The Southern California schools (USC and UCLA) received approval. Stanford and Cal are expected to be approved to begin play. Later on September 16, Oregon Governor Kate Brown granted exemptions to both Oregon and Oregon State as long as the conference provided written protocols to the local heath authority.

Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for sports.ksl.com and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports. You can download and listen to the podcast, here.