More FCS Games Canceled by SEC, NEC Decisions

The FCS level takes another hit this week after decisions by the Southeastern Conference and Northeast Conference led to more cancellations.

The SEC will reportedly shift to a 10-game, conference only schedule, which will not only cause cancellations but may also impact the athletic departments of the schools playing SEC programs this season. An additional 12 games featuring FCS teams against SEC opposition have been canceled with those contests listed below. The SEC Presidents voted to adopt the 10-game, conference only schedule on Thursday afternoon.

Date	Away	Home
9/5	Abilene Christian	Texas A&M
9/5	Central Arkansas	Missouri
9/5	Eastern Washington	Florida
9/5	Mercer	Vanderbilt
9/12	East Tennessee State	Georgia
9/12	Southeast Missouri State	Mississippi
9/19	Furman	Tennessee
10/3	Charleston Southern	Arkansas
10/3	Nicholls	LSU
10/10	Eastern Illinois	Kentucky
11/14	Tennessee Martin	Alabama
11/21	Wofford	South Carolina

The NEC is also reportedly canceling fall sports including football. An additional 41 games featuring NEC teams have been canceled are listed below. The Northeast Conference confirmed the postponement of fall sports on Wednesday evening.

Date	Away	Home
9/5	Duquesne	Air Force
9/5	Long Island	Montana State
9/5	Wagner	Central Connecticut State
9/12	Duquesne	Youngstown State
9/12	Sacred Heart	Long Island
9/12	St. Francis	Buffalo
9/19	Merrimack	Wagner
9/19	Duquesne	Coastal Carolina
9/19	St. Francis	Sacred Heart
9/26	Bryant	Central Michigan
9/26	Central Connecticut State	Toledo
9/26	Merrimack	St. Francis
9/26	Virginia Lynchburg	Duquesne
10/3	Duquesne	Central Connecticut State
10/3	Long Island	Bryant
10/3	St. Francis	Robert Morris
10/10	Long Island	Merrimack
10/10	Bryant	St. Francis
10/10	Robert Morris	Duquesne
10/17	Duquesne	Wagner
10/17	Merrimack	Sacred Heart
10/17	Central Connecticut State	St. Francis
10/17	Robert Morris	Long Island
10/24	Virginia Lynchburg	Merrimack
10/24	Central Connecticut State	Bryant
10/24	Sacred Heart	Duquesne
10/24	Wagner	Robert Morris
10/31	St. Francis	Wagner
10/31	Long Island	Duquesne
10/31	Bryant	Sacred Heart
11/7	Sacred Heart	Central Connecticut State
11/7	Wagner	Long Island
11/7	Merrimack	Bryant
11/14	Sacred Heart	Wagner
11/14	Bryant	Duquesne
11/14	Central Connecticut State	Robert Morris
11/14	St. Francis	Long Island
11/21	Duquesne	St. Francis
11/21	Long Island	Central Connecticut State
11/21	Robert Morris	Sacred Heart
11/21	Wagner	Bryant

The two newest additions to the FCS level are also hard by the cancellations. The following four games involving Dixie State and Tarleton State are no longer happening.

Date	Away	Home
9/12	Western New Mexico	Dixie State
9/19	Texas-Permian Basin	Tarleton State
10/3	Eastern New Mexico	Tarleton State
11/7	Western Colorado	Dixie State

Western Colorado is part of the Division II Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, which moved to a conference only schedule. The move also claimed the Fort Lewis–Northern Colorado contest for the upcoming season.

Western New Mexico, Texas-Permian Basin, and Eastern New Mexico all play in the Division II Lone Star Conference, which delayed the start of fall competition until September 21 at the earliest. Eastern New Mexico subsequently decided they will not have sporting events this fall.

Two other games – Texas A&M-Kingsville and Midwestern State – are also uncertain though not yet canceled. Both teams are also part of the Lone Star Conference but no decision has been made on whether they will complete the games or if the LSC will adopt a conference only schedule.

One final change was that of Idaho State and New Mexico’s game scheduled for Week Zero. Originally scheduled for Saturday, August 29, their game is now scheduled for Saturday, September 19.

Up next is the Big 12’s impending decision on how to approach the season. Spoiler: it does not look good for the FCS teams if Brett McMurphy’s report comes to fruition. A total of 431 games involving FCS teams have been canceled or postponed as of this writing.

Photo courtesy of Wagner College Athletics.