With their football program and athletic department already embroiled in controversy, the CSU Rams took another body blow on Monday.
They are not playing football this fall.
Athletic director Joe Parker on Monday told Stadium and ESPN that Mountain West has chosen to suspend football in the fall due to growing concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.
“This is certainly a disappointing development for our student-athletes, coaches and staff who have devoted their full attention to preparing them for an autumn season,” Parker said through the university statement. “Yet, because the global COVID-19 pandemic has changed our landscape, we have always insisted that the health and safety of our student-athletes and community is by far the most important factor that makes our decisions.
“By postponing fall sports, we will devote our full attention to ensuring that our student-athletes have the most meaningful experience they rightfully deserve.”
The MW, which also includes Air Force and Wyoming, will be the second FBS conference to officially kick off a fall 2020 football season, following the announcement of the Mid-American Conference this past Saturday for similar reasons.
The future of the CU Buffs football season now hangs in the balance as the only local major college still considered a fall 2020 schedule of late Monday afternoon. But a decision on that front could come soon, as Pac-12 presidents will meet Tuesday to discuss their plans.
Several media outlets reported that the league would decide, in tandem with the Big Ten, to miss a fall football season, but CU athletics department officials told The Post that no formal decision had been made on Monday afternoon.
Student athletes from CSU were told Monday by Rams officials that the MW goal is a springboard for the fall sports affected by the decision.
When CSU kicks off in March or April, it will be the last opening weekend ever for the Rams football program. CSU launched its 1893 campaign on January 7th. A short, two-game season 1918, when meetings were also discouraged due to a pandemic, began on November 16 of that fall.
This calendar year will be the first without CSU football matches planned since 1944.
Meanwhile, a surreal August for Rams players, and fans, is now taking on even more uncertainty – especially as far as the fate of Parker and football coach Steve Addazio is concerned.
The football program is currently being paused by Parker due to allegations of racism and abused language, accusations that have been denied by CSU players and assistant coaches.
Parker and Addazio are also currently being investigated by universities for allegations that the football program and department violated COVID-19 protocols and endangered the health of student-athletes. Parker and Addazio have denied the allegations and have agreed to cooperate in the investigation, which will be led by the Kansas City-based law firm of Husch Blackwell.
The Mountain West last week was moved to a shorter, 10-game schedule model that would have begun Sept. 26, with eight conference games and up to two non-league games.
