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SALT LAKE CITY — The Mountain West could be on the verge of returning to the 2020 college football season.
League officials will vote later this week to return their football programs to the field. The conference’s athletic directors met Monday and discussed the final steps in returning, as first reported by Yahoo Sports.
One source confirmed to KSL.com that officials from the conference, which includes Utah State, are working to resume play. An announcement could come as early as this week, according to the source.
A formal announcement of this week would be on pace with the league’s reported aim of returning to play by Oct. 24, as first mentioned by Stadium college football reporter Brett McMurphy and Fox Sports' Bruce Feldman. That report included plans to host an eight-game league schedule, culminating in a Mountain West championship game Dec. 19.
"They're optimistic that they could start their season on October 24"@BruceFeldmanCFB has the latest surrounding the @pac12 on #BigNoonKickoffpic.twitter.com/pwt8h7rGbs
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) September 19, 2020
The Mountain West joined several other conferences, including the Big Ten, Pac-12 and Mid-American, in postponing the 2020 season due to concerns surrounding COVID-19 and testing for the virus, back on Aug. 10.
The Big Ten reversed course last week, announcing Saturday its own schedule with games beginning Oct. 24.
If the Mountain West joins the rest of the conferences — including the SEC, ACC, Big 12, American Athletic — and BYU in returning to play, the league could be eligible for a spot in a New Year’s Six bowl game, with a season that syncs up with the Big Ten in pursuit of a College Football Playoff bid.
Contributing: Roy Burton, KSL.com
