Just hours after the Pac-12 announced their return, the Mountain West Conference joined the party! The Mountain West will return to play in 2020 and will begin an eight-game football schedule the week of October 24.
WE'RE BACK. pic.twitter.com/kZTEGDJXPz
— Mountain West (@MountainWest) September 25, 2020
The eight conference opponents for each Mountain West school will presumably be the same opponents they were set to face before the season was postponed last month. The Mountain West Championship Game is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020.
Air Force is the the only Mountain West school that will play non-conference opponents this fall. The Falcons are slated to host Navy on Oct. 3 and travel to Army on Nov. 7 to battle for the annual Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. With the Mountain West set to resume, the date of the Army game could change.
“The health and well-being of our student-athletes continue to guide all decisions,” said Dr. Mary Papazian, San José State University President and Chair of the MW Board of Directors. “The availability of rapid testing addresses one of the main concerns that was expressed by our Board, the MW Health and Safety Advisory Committee, as well as by student-athletes and coaches. Our student-athletes have voiced their desire to compete, and it is the Board’s shared opinion that football can be conducted with appropriate mitigation. We continue to learn more about the virus each day and will continue to monitor the pandemic moving forward. We will be ready to change course if necessary should new information come forth, or we feel an appropriate environment cannot be sustained on our campuses.”
Stadium capacities will be determined by each member institution in accordance with state, county and local health ordinances in consultation with government officials. A complete 2020 Mountain West football schedule will be forthcoming.
“This is a great opportunity to get our student-athletes back on the field of competition in a cautious and regulated fashion,” commented MW Commissioner Craig Thompson. “We appreciate the efforts our Board, Directors of Athletics, Health and Safety Advisory Committee and Conference staff have put into developing the necessary parameters for our students-athletes to return to competition. The rapid testing element was critical for us to provide an effective solution for our athletes, coaches, officials and event staff.”
Football Schedules
a shame air force isn’t going play in the mountain west this year :(
I think you misread it. They will play in the Mountain West this year. It says says they are the only team that will play non-conference games this year (in addition to their MW schedule).
Correct.
Looks like the only option for Army would be to see if they could move the Citadel game.
The easiest thing to do is set the schedule like they normally would. Whatever game Air Force was to play on 11/7 gets moved to 10/17. MW was willing to let AF play Army/Navy when they were shut down they will probably be ok with AF and their opponent playing a week early.