The American Athletic Conference announced on Thursday that it will test football players at least 72 hours prior to each game. The rule will apply throughout the regular season and bowl season.
"With guidance from our COVID-19 Medical Advisory Group, our conference has established pre-competition testing protocols for football that will require all teams to be tested at least 72 hours prior to each competition," AAC commissioner Mike Aresco said in a statement. "The testing protocols will apply throughout the regular and bowl seasons. Our overall operational protocols will be finalized shortly and may be revised as circumstances and new information warrant. In addition, we are finalizing our Olympic sports testing and operational protocols."
The specific testing protocol is an indication that the football season still could be played, whether that be as scheduled or in conference-only formats is still to be determined.
"We are committed to meeting or exceeding all guidelines and standards recommended by the NCAA and its member institutions in all fall sports, including football," Aresco said.
The announcement from the AAC comes one day after reports surfaced that the NCAA and Power Five commissioners are expected to release their specific guidelines for testing during the 2020 football season.
"I think we're moving toward a destination for those protocols," SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said during an appearance on the Paul Finebaum Show. "I know that we as the five (power) conferences have been working diligently."
The Big Ten and Pac-12 announced earlier this month that they intend to play conference-only schedules in 2020, with the specific number of games to be determined at a later date. The SEC, ACC and Big 12 haven't announced alterations to their schedules other than the out-of-conference games vs. Big Ten or Pac-12 opponents being canceled.
