close

Briefs for print

2 min read

Pac-12 football to start Sept. 26

The Pac-12 on Friday set Sept. 26 as the start of its 10-game, conference-only football schedule, joining the Southeastern Conference in pushing back its season by nearly a month because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Pac-12 announced three weeks ago it would eliminate nonconference games to give its 12 member schools a better chance to manage complications and disruptions caused by the health crisis. The plan approved by university presidents adds an additional cross-divisional game to each team’s slate and moves the conference championship game back two weeks from Dec. 4 to Dec. 18 or 19.

The game, originally set to be played for the first time at the new NFL stadium in Las Vegas, will now be hosted by the highest-seeded team. The two-year deal with Las Vegas will instead begin in 2021, commissioner Larry Scott said.

The conference also plans to start the season with a couple of rivalry games usually saved for the end of the season: UCLA will face USC and Arizona meets Arizona State on Sept. 26 – if they can play.

MNF announcers setSteve Levy, Brian Griese and Louis Riddick will be the new announce team for ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” according to a person familiar with the decision.

The person spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday because the network has not announced its decision.

The MNF booth has had frequent changes since Mike Tirico departed for NBC in 2016. Tirico was the play-by-play voice for 10 seasons (2006-15) and teamed with Jon Gruden for the last seven.

In golf

Danielle Kang went more than six months without competing and looked as though she had never been away, playing bogey-free at Inverness Club for a 6-under 66 and a one-shot lead in the LPGA Drive On Championship.

The LPGA Tour’s much-awaited return from the COVID-19 pandemic brought an immediate sense of its new world. Kang had no idea where she stood after a closing birde.

“There aren’t any leaderboards on the golf course,” Kang said.

CUSTOMER LOGIN

If you have an account and are registered for online access, sign in with your email address and password below.

NEW CUSTOMERS/UNREGISTERED ACCOUNTS

Never been a subscriber and want to subscribe, click the Subscribe button below.

Starting at $3.75/week.

Subscribe Today