From the Post & Courier Today
FCS playoffs still alive this fall for The Citadel, Charleston Southern football
* By Jeff Hartsell jhartsell@postandcourier.com
* Jul 24, 2020 Updated 2 hrs ago
An FCS playoff berth is still a possibility for The Citadel and Charleston Southern football, at least for the time being.
The NCAA’s Board of Governors decided Friday to put off a decision on canceling or postponing 22 NCAA championships in fall sports, including the 24-team FCS playoffs, during the coronavirus pandemic.
A decision to not hold the FCS playoffs this fall would have been a blow to schools still hoping to play a fall season in football. The Southern Conference, which includes The Citadel, and the Big South Conference (where Charleston Southern plays), still are planning to play their seasons as scheduled.
A move to cancel fall championships in other sports also could leave the FBS and the College Football Playoff on its own amid the pandemic. The Board of Governors does not control the College Football Playoff for major college football.
“Today the Board of Governors and I agreed that we must continue to thoughtfully and aggressively monitor health conditions around the country and the implementation of the COVID-19 guidelines we issued last week,” said NCAA president Mark Emmert.
“The health and well-being of college athletes is the highest priority in deciding whether to proceed with our 22 NCAA championships beginning in late November. We all remain deeply concerned about the infection trend lines we see. It is clear that the format of our championships will have to change if they are to be conducted in a safe and fair manner.
We discussed other complexities in addition to the health and safety impacts,” Emmert said, “to include team availability, travel limitations and various local and state restrictions. We will continue our discussions in August.”
The 25-member Board of Governors will meet again Aug. 4.
Five of 13 FCS conferences have already decided to postpone fall sports, including football: The Ivy League, Patriot League, Southwestern Athletic Conference, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Colonial Athletic Conference. South Carolina State plays in the MEAC and will not play football this fall.
Ahead of the Board of Governors’ meeting, more than two dozen Division I conferences urged the board to hold off on making any decisions about conducting fall championships until a majority of the leagues determine whether to hold regular-season competition.
A letter from College Commissioners Association President Beth DeBauche, dated July 22 and obtained by The Associated Press, was sent to the board ahead of its Friday meeting. The CCA is comprised of commissioners from all 32 Division I conferences. The letter was supported by 27 conferences, including each Power Five conference and several that do not sponsor football. Five conferences abstained.
FCS playoffs still alive this fall for The Citadel, Charleston Southern football
* By Jeff Hartsell jhartsell@postandcourier.com
* Jul 24, 2020 Updated 2 hrs ago
An FCS playoff berth is still a possibility for The Citadel and Charleston Southern football, at least for the time being.
The NCAA’s Board of Governors decided Friday to put off a decision on canceling or postponing 22 NCAA championships in fall sports, including the 24-team FCS playoffs, during the coronavirus pandemic.
A decision to not hold the FCS playoffs this fall would have been a blow to schools still hoping to play a fall season in football. The Southern Conference, which includes The Citadel, and the Big South Conference (where Charleston Southern plays), still are planning to play their seasons as scheduled.
A move to cancel fall championships in other sports also could leave the FBS and the College Football Playoff on its own amid the pandemic. The Board of Governors does not control the College Football Playoff for major college football.
“Today the Board of Governors and I agreed that we must continue to thoughtfully and aggressively monitor health conditions around the country and the implementation of the COVID-19 guidelines we issued last week,” said NCAA president Mark Emmert.
“The health and well-being of college athletes is the highest priority in deciding whether to proceed with our 22 NCAA championships beginning in late November. We all remain deeply concerned about the infection trend lines we see. It is clear that the format of our championships will have to change if they are to be conducted in a safe and fair manner.
We discussed other complexities in addition to the health and safety impacts,” Emmert said, “to include team availability, travel limitations and various local and state restrictions. We will continue our discussions in August.”
The 25-member Board of Governors will meet again Aug. 4.
Five of 13 FCS conferences have already decided to postpone fall sports, including football: The Ivy League, Patriot League, Southwestern Athletic Conference, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference and Colonial Athletic Conference. South Carolina State plays in the MEAC and will not play football this fall.
Ahead of the Board of Governors’ meeting, more than two dozen Division I conferences urged the board to hold off on making any decisions about conducting fall championships until a majority of the leagues determine whether to hold regular-season competition.
A letter from College Commissioners Association President Beth DeBauche, dated July 22 and obtained by The Associated Press, was sent to the board ahead of its Friday meeting. The CCA is comprised of commissioners from all 32 Division I conferences. The letter was supported by 27 conferences, including each Power Five conference and several that do not sponsor football. Five conferences abstained.
