Mid-American Conference cancels fall football season

After a 9 a.m. meeting between leaders of the Mid-American Conference, the announcement came that they would be cancelling the fall football season in 2020.

The MAC says it will try to play a season in the spring, stating that the financial hit was too much for the conference to bear. After multiple Power 5 conference's cancelled non-conference games, the MAC was left with just 5 games remaining outside of conference play.

ESPN's Brett McMurphy first reported the story via The Stadium, and the 12-member conference is the first Football Bowl Subdivision opting not to play in the fall. The league's president's voted on the matter Saturday morning, pointing to the financial hit, along with player safety as reasons for the decision.

Northern Illinois President Lisa Freeman indicated previously that her school would not be playing this fall, and that did not sit well with the board. A source said they did not like the look it gave the conference that the Huskies would make that decision on their own.

The MAC was one of the hardest hit conferences financially due to the pandemic, with Power 5 conference cancelling games against MAC opponents. Central Michigan saw its games against Nebraska and Northwestern cancelled, costing them over 2 million dollars in payouts.

Several smaller FCS schools have cancelled their seasons and just last week the NCAA announced that Division II and III programs would not compete in fall sports this year.

This is a major blow for the MAC, and for Central Michigan University as it continues its search for a new Athletic Director. Former AD Michael Alford is remaining with the program through the month of August to aid in the replacement search.

The Chippewas will not be playing football this fall, and the brand new Chippewa Champions Center will have to wait for it's big debut.