Eight of the 13 NCAA Division I football championships Subdivision (FCS) conferences have now announced that they will not play conference football this fall – meaning the annual FCS playoffs to determine a national champion will not be held this fall.
Formerly known as Division I-AA, the FCS is separate from the NCAA’s top division, NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), which uses the College Football Playoff.
The Big Sky said in a press release that it has begun exploring modified versions of a conference football schedule to be played in the spring and supports the NCAA fully moving from the FCS playoffs to the spring.
“This is the right decision for our member institutions, although we realize how disappointing it will be for all those who represent and care about Big Sky football,” said Big District Commissioner Tom Wistrcill. “We will now turn our attention to doing everything in our power to give our football student-athletes and coaches a conference schedule and a championship opportunity in the spring. We have already actively started our fellow FCS conferences and the NCAA to participate then for what will be a unique opportunity to return to competition and compete for an FCS championship. “
According to the NCAA Board of Governors’ guidelines, if any NCAA Division chooses to postpone fall sports championships, the decision to hold the championships at later dates should be based on the currently available scientific data, as well as an assessment. of the operational, logistical and financial impact of continuing.
If a championship is set at a new date, an additional assessment must be made with the same factors (scientific data available at the time and operational, logistical and financial impact), and the division will report its findings to the Board of Governors for his review.
On Wednesday, separate press releases from the NCAA announced that the seven championships of the fall of 2020 had been canceled, and Division III canceled fall sports championships for 2020-2021.
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