Pac-12 football schedule changes: USC vs. Alabama opener among scrapped nonconference matchups
The Pac-12’s decision to play a conference-only football schedule in 2020 on Friday will wipe several marquee nonconference games from this year’s college football slate. Among the casualties is the much-anticipated USC vs. Alabama game that was scheduled for Sept. 5 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Alabama leads the all-time series 6-2 and won the last meeting in Arlington 52-6 back in 2016. This year’s meeting was among the most anticipated nonconference games on the 2020 schedule with the Trojans returning star quarterback Kedon Slovis and registering as a potential preseason favorite to win the Pac-12 South.
The SEC itself has made no announcement yet about whether it will follow the lead of the Big Ten and Pac-12 and move to a league-only slate. But Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne released a statement Friday addressing the loss of the USC game from the Crimson Tide’s schedule.
“As I’ve said before, USC AD Mike Bohn and I had multiple conversations over the last several months, and we were both planning on playing the football game on September 5 in Arlington,” Byrne said. “With the Pac-12’s decision to move to a conference-only schedule, we will do our best to adjust. What that looks like is to be determined.”
Below is the full list of nonconference games wiped out by the Pac-12’s decision to move to conference-only scheduling on Friday.
*Game was already canceled by Big Ten’s move to a conference-only schedule.
Sept. 5 vs. North Dakota State
Sept. 12 vs. Ohio State*
Sept. 19 vs. Hawaii
USC
Sept. 5 vs. Alabama (in Arlington, Texas)
Sept. 12 vs. New Mexico
Nov. 28 vs. Notre Dame
Sept. 5 vs. Michigan*
Sept. 12 vs. Sacramento State
Sept. 19 vs. Utah State
Sept. 3 vs. Northern Arizona
Sept. 12 at UNLV
Sept. 19 vs. BYU
Sept. 3 vs. BYU
Sept. 12 vs. Montana State
Sept. 19 at Wyoming
Aug. 29 at UNLV
Sept. 5 vs. TCU
Sept. 12 vs. Cal Poly
Sept. 5 vs. William and Mary
Oct. 10 at Notre Dame
Nov. 28 vs. BYU
Sept. 3 at Utah State
Sept. 12 vs. Houston
Sept. 19 vs. Idaho
Sept. 5 at Colorado State
Sept. 12 vs. Fresno State
Sept. 19 at Texas A&M
Aug. 29 vs. New Mexico State
Sept. 5 at Hawaii
Sept. 19 at San Diego State
Sept. 3 at Oklahoma State
Sept. 12 vs. Colorado State
Sept. 19 vs. Portland State
Aug. 29 vs. Hawaii
Sept. 5 vs. Portland State
Sept. 19 at Texas Tech