President Donald Trump on Wednesday urged the Pac-12 college sports conference to reopen football after the Big 10 conference reversed a decision to postpone their season.
“Pac-12, you’re the only one now,” Trump said at a White House press conference on Wednesday night. “Open up, Pac-12. Get going.”
The Pac-12 conference includes colleges in Arizona, Oregon, California, Washington, Utah, and Colorado.
Both Governor Gavin Newsom and Gov. Kate Brown said Wednesday that their coronavirus restrictions would not block Pac-12 teams from practicing and playing.
Pac-12 Commissioner Larry Scott welcomed the news.
“We are eager for our student athletes to have the opportunity to play this season, as soon as it can be done safely and in accordance with public health authority approvals,” Scott said.
Trump agreed.
There’s no reason why Pac-12 shouldn’t be playing now,” he said.
The president praised the Big 10 conference on Wednesday for finally reversing their decision to postpone their football season until the Spring. The season is expected to begin in late October.
“I want to thank the players, the coaches, for working along. They wanted it very badly,” Trump said.