The Big Sky Conference is moving forward with plans to play an eight-game conference schedule in the spring due to conditions from the coronavirus pandemic, multiple sources confirmed to ESPN, a move that would likely result in the cancellation of the 2020 FCS playoffs.
Six other FCS football conference have already cancelled their fall seasons and without the Big Sky’s 13 teams, FCS would no longer have the number of participating teams necessary to conduct a championship event. On Wednesday, the NCAA announced “if 50% or more of eligible teams in a particular sport in a division cancel their fall season, there will be no fall NCAA championship in that sport in that division.”
NCAA officials did not immediately respond to an email seeking to confirm the FCS playoffs would be cancelled without participation from the Big Sky.
The Big Sky Presidents’ Council met Thursday to discuss the plan, which has not yet been finalized, and will reconvene Friday for further discussion about both football and the rest of the conference’s fall sports slate, sources said.
“We have no announcement at this time,” a conference spokeswoman said in an email Thursday.
The Ivy League, CAA, MEAC, Northeast and Patriot League have all cancelled their fall seasons, while the Southwestern Athletic Conference is planning for a seven-game spring football season. The NCAA announced Wednesday championships would be cancelled for both Division II and III sports in the fall.