Mountain West sets schedule, but will Bulldogs be playing football in the fall?
With its games against Power Five opponents canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including some that came with budget-boosting seven-figure guarantees, the Mountain West also has scaled back on a potential 2020 football season.
The conference announced Wednesday that its members will play eight conference rivals this season with an option to play up to two non-conference games, if they chose to do so. The season will start no earlier than the week of Sept. 26, with a conference championship game to be played Dec. 5, Dec. 12 or Dec. 19.
A full schedule is under consideration and will be released at a later date.
The question now is whether Fresno State will take part in football and its other fall sports – women’s soccer, women’s volleyball and men’s and women’s cross country.
The university and athletics director Terry Tumey released a statement following the Mountain West announcement as it continues to evaluate its next move through the coronavirus pandemic:
“We appreciate the determination made by the Mountain West Conference Board of Directors. As it relates to Fresno State athletics specifically, we, alongside our campus leadership, continue to evaluate all possible scenarios related to fall sports and the resumption of athletic activities on our campus, including but not limited to:
▪ Our student-athletes returning to campus in a safe environment.
▪ Resuming athletic activities following all recommended safety protocols.
▪ Adjusted fall sport schedules.
▪ Fan attendance.
▪ Athletic staffing adjustments.
“We anticipate further determinations in each of these areas will be made and communicated in the near future.”
Fresno State not practicing yet for short seasons
While other Mountain West schools have student-athletes back on campus for workouts and practices, some since June 1, the Bulldogs have yet to make that move.
The football program already had to pass on two mandatory two-week periods of workouts, the first eight hours per week and the second 20 hours per week. The Bulldogs were scheduled to start fall camp on Friday, but with players out the team remains in a waiting game with university President Dr. Joseph I. Castro and university officials.
The COVID-19 cases in the valley, obviously, are playing into the process.
“As we’re looking at our student experience, the priority has to be the health and well-being of the student,” Tumey said. “We have to take into consideration the guidelines that have been set by not only our state but also our local authorities. As stated by our governor, the Central Valley is in a different position as the other membership within the Mountain West Conference.”
By pushing the start date for fall sports back to Sept. 26, the Bulldogs do have more time to get its student-athletes back on campus and in workouts ahead of a potential 2020 football season.
A fall camp starts 29 days before the season-opening game and includes 25 practices – the Bulldogs would have to be on the field on Aug. 28 for a Sept. 26 start to the season.
The Bulldogs are one of the Mountain West programs that lost out on a big payday when the Big Ten, Pac-12, ACC, SEC and Big 12 all went to conference-only schedules, or a conference plus one. Fresno State was to receive $1.3 million to play at Texas A&M and $600,000 to complete a 2-for-1 series with a game at Colorado.
The Bulldogs have two non-conference home games on the schedule – Fresno State was to open the season against FCS Idaho State on Sept. 5 and play New Mexico State on Oct. 17.
The original schedule has Fresno State at home on Sept. 26 against Air Force.
Soccer, volleyball and other fall sports
The Mountain West’s revised plan for its fall sports also has women’s soccer and women’s volleyball playing only conference games, with the champion to be determined by regular-season competition. Options for the men’s and women’s cross country seasons continued to be evaluated.
Fall competition in men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s tennis, swimming and diving, indoor track and field, softball and baseball have been canceled.
“The health and well-being of our students, student-athletes, coaches, staff and overall communities remain the first and foremost priority,” said San Jose State President Dr. Mary Papazian, chair of the MW board of directors.
“An incredible amount of thought and discussion from multiple perspectives went into making this decision. The modified fall structure supports the measures being taken by each of our institutions to ensure responsible return to play. We will continue to gather the best medical information available and lean on advice from public health professionals, as well as state and local officials, as we make decisions and necessary adjustments in the future.”
This story was originally published August 5, 2020 at 5:29 PM.