Pac-12 allowing football teams to schedule nonconference opponents

Amid rising coronavirus cases and fears of schedule postponements and cancellations, the Pac-12 has loosened restrictions regarding which opponents football teams can play through the end of the season held amid the COVID-19 pandemic. 

The conference confirmed on Thursday that it has approved programs to schedule non-conference games. 

"The Pac-12 is committed to maintaining maximum flexibility to provide our football student-athletes with an opportunity to compete, while continuing to ensure that health and safety remains our number one priority,” Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott said in the prepared statement. 

Any future non-conference opponent must follow the league's testing and COVID-19 protocols and also agree to be the road team for a game broadcast by a Pac-12 television partner. A Pac-12 team that becomes available by the end of Thursday of any week can and will replace a non-conference opponent under the new guidelines. 

The Pac-12 was left scrambling last week when Cal Golden Bears-Arizona State Sun Devils and Utah Utes-UCLA Bruins games were canceled because of COVID-19 issues within the Utes and Sun Devils. To account for those disruptions, the league scheduled a showdown between Cal and UCLA for this past Sunday. 

UCLA defeated Cal 34-10.