Mountain West releases modified 2020 fall sports schedule
The Mountain West Conference announced this evening a modified 10-game schedule for the 2020 college football season, consisting of eight conference games and two non-conference games with competition beginning no earlier than Sept. 26.
Updates regarding 2020 Football and Fall Sports have been announced. pic.twitter.com/tONFKLWlCC
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) August 5, 2020
Along with football shortening its schedule, other fall sports were affected. Fall olympic sports competition will consist of conference-only play, women’s soccer and volleyball
champions will be determined by regular-season competition, while options for men’s and women’s cross country are still being reviewed according to the statement.
“The health and welfare of our student-athletes and campus communities continue to be paramount in our decision-making process,” said MW commissioner Craig Thompson. “The modified fall structure as presently configured allows flexibility and time for our athletic programs to be in the best possible position to play collegiate sports this season. There is still a lot of work to be done and many important decisions to be made. Today’s announcement provides a path forward as we navigate the weeks ahead.”
Over the coming weeks, schedule modifications for those sports will be completed and released.
Unfortunately for men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, swimming and diving, indoor track and field, softball and baseball, their seasons have all been canceled for the 2020 year.
For Utah State football, this announcement should make things fairly easy to transition, as it can retain both the non-conference games it has — against Southern Utah and Brigham Young — and the existing 8 conference games after previously dropping games against Pac-12 opponents Washington and Washington State.
This is what the schedule looks like right as of now:
One reason for the two non-conference games, according to reports, is to allow Air Force to retain its usual matchups with Navy and Army and keep that historic tradition. But it will also prove to be a huge benefit for independent BYU who has three Mountain West teams on its schedule. Utah State and BYU will likely meet in Provo as scheduled for the 90th meeting of the Battle of the Old Wagon Wheel.
One thing to look out for is how Utah State will handle the SUU game. The Aggies are expected to pay the Thunderbirds $330,000 to come to Logan, but with ticket revenue inevitably going down due to the likelihood of there being limited capacity or no fans at all in Maverik Stadium this year, USU may feel less inclined to pay that sum. And missing out on the $1.5 million dollar paycheck from the canceled Washington game certainly does not help.
The Aggies were planning on commencing fall camp today, but that has been pushed back to an unknown date, according to Trent Wood of the Deseret News.
Got a little bit of Utah State football news. (I agree, it is shocking I am tweeting). The Aggies were supposed to start fall camp tomorrow (Wednesday, Aug. 5). That is no longer the case and there is no definitive date set for when fall camp will begin.
— Trent Wood (@trentdwood) August 4, 2020
Reasons for the delay are unclear but with the start of the Mountain West season confirmed to be delayed, naturally fall camp would be delayed as well.
Despite the scheduling announcements, uncertainty still looms over the season with FBS independent UCONN announcing that it is canceling its 2020 football season over COVID-19 concerns. In addition, both Division II and Division III championships have been canceled for the fall.
In the Pac-12 and Big 10, players across the conference have threatened to opt-out of the season amidst health concerns and racial injustice, sending out this list of demands to the heads of the conference: #WeAreUnited | By Players of the Pac-12, #BigTenUnited I By Players of the Big Ten.
Editor’s note: Changes have been made to reflect more accurate information.
@jacobnielson12@yahoo.com
@dren_sports
— sports@usustatesman.com
NCAA Division II and III athletics have not been cancelled. The championships have been cancelled. Schools can still elect to play their regular season schedules.