Mid-South Conference Announces Football Decisions for 2020-21- Bethel to Play in Spring 2021
The Bethel Wildcats have officially announced that there will be no football this fall amid concerns of the growing coronavirus pandemic, and hope to play the 2020 season in the spring of 2021.
Two Mid-South Conference football divisions have postponed their fall divisional schedule while a third intends to play this fall, MSC Commissioner Eric Ward announced on Tuesday.
The Appalachian and Bluegrass Division’s administrative councils recommended — with a subsequent vote by those institutions’ presidents — to postpone the fall divisional schedule due to the ongoing concerns from COVID-19. The Sun Division leadership announced their intention to play its original divisional slate beginning on September 12. Bethel University is a member of the Bluegrass Division.
Each of the three divisions independently determined divisional play during the fall. With the football footprint spanning over seven states, each division’s administrative council was given the authority to make the decision on fall play based on state and federal regulations within its geographical area.
While the schedule is adjusted in the Appalachian and Bluegrass, institutions within those divisions retain the autonomy to play non-conference games or scrimmages this fall.
NAIA officials announced on July 31 that the NAIA Football Championship Series would be moved to spring 2021. The NAIA expects to announce the FCS dates later this month. The Mid-South Conference schedule for the Appalachian and Bluegrass will be announced following the NAIA’s release of the FCS dates.
