Mountain West, Mid- American look to follow
A day after the Big Ten changed course from its decision to postpone fall sports becaise of the pandemic and set a late October start for football, the Mountain West is trying to do the same and there even is some movement in the MidAmerican Conference toward reconsidering a fall season.
“The board has asked for a plan,” Mountain West Commissioner Craig Thompson said. The conference’s university presidents next meeting is next week.
Meanwhile, early Thursday, it was announced that another FBS game could not be played because of COVID- 19 issues with one of the teams. Charlotte at No. 12 North Carolina scheduled for Saturday had to be canceled because the 49ers did not have enough available offensive linemen.
State and local authorities in California signaled they would be willing to ease COVID- 19- related restrictions that have made it nearly impossible for Mountain West teams to prepare for a football season in the Golden State.
“The real trigger on this is the rapid- result testing,” Thompson told AP. “And that’s the key, if we can get that. We’re talking to a number of manufacturers and providers. That has to be done really before any decisions can concretely be made.”
Thompson said the goal in the Mountain West is also to have a season in place that could wrap up on Dec. 19 and allow its teams to be selected for the playoff and lucrative New Year’s Six bowls.
“You come up with a model and then you move it backwards and forwards depending on where you stand with some of the other issues, particularly testing,” Thompson said.
Another immediate concern for both the Pac- 12 and Mountain West is wildfires raging in California and Oregon that have led to unsafe air quality in some areas.
The Mid- American Conference, which was the first FBS league to postpone its fall sports season, indicated earlier in the week it was still focused on a winter/ spring season. But some MAC players have followed the lead of their peers in Power Five conferences by pushing for a fall season on social media.