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College Football Takes Another Blow, As Mid-American Conference Postpones Fall Sports

Bruce Haring
·2-min read

In yet another sign that fall college football may not happen, the Mid-American Conference has postponed all fall sports, including football, because of concerns surrounding playing during a pandemic.

The MAC League presidents met Saturday morning and voted for the postponement. The MAC is the first FBS conference to opt not to play this fall. Earlier this week, FBS independent UConn became the first FBS program to cancel its season. Previously, the Ivy League said it would not play this fall.

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While considered a step down in competition from the bigger conference powers, the FBS schools (formerly known as Division I-A and I-AA) are an important part of college football schedules, and sometimes break through and upset the big school teams.

The MAC was one of the leagues that took a big hit when larger conferences eliminated out-of-conference games. The MAC had 11 games canceled against Big Ten members, resulting in loss of $10.5 million to the teams anticipating a large check for showing up.

“I’m heartbroken we are in this place,” MAC commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said during Saturday’s news conference. “The Council of Presidents unanimously voted to take this action with the health and safety of its student-athletes, coaches and community as its top priority. It is the intention of the membership to provide competitive opportunities for the student-athletes in these sports during the spring semester of 2021.”

The MAC said no decision was made on winter sports.

 

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