The NCAA is allowing all major college football teams to begin their seasons as early as Aug. 29.
The association confirmed that the football oversight committee had requested a blanket waiver to permit any school to push up the start of its season to the so-called Week Zero.
The official start of the season had been Labor Day weekend, with a few games scheduled for Aug. 29. That was before the coronavirus pandemic put the season in peril and schedules were remade to deal with potential disruptions of covid-19.
Arkansas' season opener against Nevada is still scheduled for Sept. 5. None of the Razorbacks' games have been affected by schedule changes.
Some schools and conferences are working on delaying the start of their football seasons while others are trying to get a head start. Kansas and Oklahoma from the Big 12 have both recently moved up their opening games against FCS opponents to Aug. 29.