UCONN FOOTBALL SCHEDULE FURTHER ERODED AFTER OLE MISS GAME CANCELED

UConn is not yet giving up on its football season for 2020, but the upheaval the coronavirus has brought to college sports continues to erode what was expected to be an interesting first year as an independent program.

The Huskies, who have been on campus working since July 1, have lost four games due to other schools canceling or modifying their schedules, and could soon lose two more. According to a UConn spokesperson, it’s possible UConn could eventually replace some of the opponents it has lost with other independent programs, or teams from conferences that are allowing nonconference games.

Conference USA, for example, is allowing its teams to schedule up to four nonconference opponents. UConn’s former conference, the American Athletic Conference, could do the same.

The SEC’s decision this week to go to a conference-only, 10-game schedule means the Huskies’ game at Mississippi, scheduled for Oct. 24 is now off.

The Big Ten went conference only on July 9, wiping out UConn’s games against Illinois and Indiana.

Maine, and the Colonial Athletic Conference, canceled the football season on July 17, costing UConn another game.

Still up in the air are UConn’s two remaining games against Power Five schools, at ACC opponents Virginia on Sept. 19 and North Carolina on Nov. 7. The ACC is planning to allow its schools to play one out-of-conference game in addition to Notre Dame, which will be folded into the conference this season. But the nonconference games must be in their home states. North Carolina for now has out-of-conference UConn, James Madison, Central Florida and Auburn still listed on its schedule. The game vs. UConn is UNC’s homecoming.

Currently, Virginia lists no nonconfence games on its official schedule.

That leaves UConn with six other games still scheduled, however precariously: home games vs. UMass (Sept. 3), Old Dominion (Oct. 3), Liberty (Oct. 31), at San Jose State (No. 14) and at home vs. Middle Tennessee State (Nov. 21) and Army (Nov. 28). North Carolina would make it seven.