The Pac-12 announced Thursday that any conference team “unable to play a contest through its own fault” this season will be forced to forfeit. New Pac-12 commissioner George Kliavkoff will ultimately make the decision.
Any forfeited contest will be considered a loss for the team at fault.
The policy marks a return to the conference’s long-standing rules on forfeiture. But with COVID-19 likely to impact college football through 2021, the rule could come into play this season far more than before.
Last season, the Pac-12 was forced to step in and declare USC’s critical November matchup with Colorado a no-contest after three positive COVID-19 cases left the Trojans without the necessary number of players to field its offensive line.