The Western Carolina Catamounts, ETSU Buccaneers, and Samford Bulldogs are among a three-team Southern Conference football schedule change for 2020, it was announced on Thursday.
Two of Western Carolina football’s Southern Conference road dates in October and the squad’s bye week in the 2020 schedule have been altered. WCU’s open date has been moved up two weeks from the original schedule to Oct. 10, bumping road trips to ETSU (Oct. 17) and Samford (Oct. 24) both back one week on the calendar.
The changes were facilitated by the Southern Conference office and mutually agreed upon by the three schools involved in the alterations. Dates for each of WCU’s five home games at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field remain unchanged.
Below is each teams 2020 football schedule following the changes mentioned above.
Western Carolina Football Schedule
- 09/05 – at Eastern Kentucky
- 09/12 – at Mercer
- 09/19 – Gardner-Webb
- 09/26 – at Furman
- 10/03 – Chattanooga
- 10/10 – OFF
- 10/17 – at ETSU
- 10/24 – at Samford
- 10/31 – Wofford
- 11/07 – VMI
- 11/14 – at Liberty
- 11/21 – The Citadel
- 09/05 – Mars Hill
- 09/12 – at Georgia
- 09/19 – Samford
- 09/26 – at Austin Peay
- 10/03 – at The Citadel
- 10/10 – OFF
- 10/17 – Western Carolina
- 10/24 – at VMI
- 10/31 – Chattanooga
- 11/07 – at Mercer
- 11/14 – at Wofford
- 11/21 – Furman
- 09/03 – Tennessee Tech
- 09/12 – at Florida State
- 09/19 – at ETSU
- 09/26 – Wofford
- 10/03 – at Kennesaw State
- 10/10 – at Furman
- 10/17 – OFF
- 10/24 – Western Carolina
- 10/31 – Mercer
- 11/07 – at The Citadel
- 11/14 – VMI
- 11/21 – at Chattanooga
Why was this needed the article gives no reason
I can tell you why. Originally ETSU was supposed to have a bye week on Oct. 17th. University of Tennessee’s bye week is Oct. 17th.
Many ETSU fans are also Tennessee fans. Tennessee not playing means people in East Tennessee are more inclined to attend an ETSU home game.
This was most likely a move initiated by ETSU. Samford and Western obliged or SOCON forced their hand.
Plus, I’m sure Western Carolina was cool having their bye week before their rivalry game with ETSU.
The SoCon gave no reason.