The 2020 Sun Belt Football Championship Game has been canceled, the conference announced on Thursday evening.
The contest was set to match the 19th-ranked Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns against the 12th-ranked Coastal Carolina Chanticleers at Brooks Stadium in Conway, S.C. The game was canceled due to “…a positive COVID-19 test within the Coastal Carolina football program. Because of contact tracing, an entire position group would not be available to play due to possible exposure and therefore the game cannot be played in accordance with health and safety protocols.”
The Sun Belt Championship Game will not be rescheduled.
“We are very disappointed that the championship game cannot be played, but we are so proud of all of the players and staff members and their hard work during this truly challenging season,” said Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill. “We will honor both teams as 2020 Sun Belt Conference Co-Champions.”
“We are all obviously devastated with this development and hurt for the student-athletes from both institutions in that they will not have a chance to compete for a conference title,” Coastal Carolina Director of Athletics Matt Hogue said. “However, the adherence to health and safety protocols for our student-athletes has been and remains the first priority. Those protocols and guidance from our medical team fully governs this decision.”
Coastal Carolina finishes the 2020 regular season 11-0 overall and 8-0 in Sun Belt action, while Louisiana finishes 9-1 overall and 7-1 in Sun Belt play. Both schools will likely play in a post-season bowl game.
“We are severely disappointed for our student-athletes and staff to not have the opportunity to play in what would have been a truly exciting championship game for the Sun Belt Conference,” said Ragin’ Cajuns Director of Athletics Bryan Maggard. “For our football program, fans and alumni, we look forward to learning of our bowl destination this weekend.”
“We are very disappointed that the championship game cannot be played, but we are so proud of all of the players and staff members and their hard work during this truly challenging season,” said Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill. “We will honor both teams as 2020 Sun Belt Conference Co-Champions.”
Although the game has been canceled, Brett McMurphy of Stadium reports that the two schools could possibly meet in a bowl game.
With Sun Belt title game canceled, Louisiana open to discussion of playing Coastal Carolina in a bowl game, sources told @Stadium. Sun Belt potentially could stage it in Cure or Camellia Bowl if a team from another conference could be switched to another bowl
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) December 18, 2020
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