After Big Ten and PAC-12 cancel, Big 12 announces fall sports season will roll on

The ten college athletic programs in the Big 12 Conference will continue on with a fall sports season, according to an announcement from the conference Aug. 12.

“Our student athletes want to compete,” said TCU Chancellor Victor Boschini, who serves on the conference's board of directors. “And it is the board’s collective opinion that sports can be conducted safely and in concert with the best interests of their well-being.”

The announcement came one day after two other major athletic conferences, the Big Ten and the PAC-12, announced they would postpone their fall sports seasons.

The Big 12 announced a revision to its football schedule the will push back the start of conference play to Sept. 26, with the conference championship game tentatively scheduled for Dec. 12. The schedule features nine conference games for each team with at least two bye weeks. Non-conference match-ups are up the each program.

According to a release from the Big 12, stadium capacities will also be determined by each of the conference’s 10 member institutions, working with local government officials. No plans have been set for how UT will handle fans this fall.

Last month, interim President Jay Hartzell said in a letter to the community the school has been “exploring a range of scenarios” bound by a maximum capacity of 50%.

In his annual State of the City address, Austin Mayor Steve Adler said allowing a large gathering of this sort could be dangerous for the community. Dr. Mark Escott, the Austin-Travis County interim health authority, has also objected to any proposal that would allow fans to gather at the stadium.

The Longhorns will open their conference football season at home Oct. 3 against TCU, according to the updated schedule, while the Horned Frogs’ Big 12 home debut will be Sept. 26 against Iowa State.