With many of the Power 5 conferences going to conference only schedules, the FBS Independents have been affected with lost games.
As the Independents attempt to keep their schedules together and replace games lost, here’s an update as to which games have already been lost.
Army
The Black Knights are actually in really good shape as they have only lost one game so far, Oct. 10 against Princeton. That game was lost when the Ivy League elected to forego the entire 2020 football season. Army has two games against fellow Independents that should be safe and they face MAC opponents three times. Their game against Oklahoma is now in jeopardy as the Big 12 announced it will go to a plus one model as well.
BYU
BYU has been affected more than just about any other FBS program as they have lost 6 games so far. The Cougars had 3 games get canceled when the PAC-12 went to a conference only schedule (9/3 @ Utah, 9/19 @ Arizona State, 11/28 @ Stanford) and two more when the Big Ten made the same decision (9/12 vs Michigan State, 9/26 @ Minnesota). BYU also lost a home game on Oct. 10 against Missouri when the SEC elected for a conference only schedule.
BYU’s remaining games:
10/2 vs Utah State
10/16 vs Houston
10/24 @ Nothern Illinois
11/6 at Boise State
11/14 vs San Diego State
11/21 vs North Alabama
NMSU
New Mexico State has lost 3 games so far – 8/29 @ UCLA, 11/14 vs Texas Southern, 11/21 @ Florida.
Notre Dame
Despite being an Independent in football, the Fighting Irish have been included in the ACC’s scheduling plans for 2020. Notre Dame will play 10 games against ACC teams, 1 non-ACC game, and will be eligible for the ACC Championship this season.
UConn
Like BYU, UConn’s schedule has been ravaged by other conference’s decisions to play conference-only schedules. The first year Independent, UConn has lost 6 games – Sept. 12 @ Illinois, Sept. 19 @ Virginia, Sept. 26 vs Indiana, Oct. 10 vs Maine, Oct. 24 @ Ole Miss, and Nov. 7 @ North Carolina.
Of course, those ACC games against Virginia and North Carolina could remain on their schedule if the Huskies are added as those teams’ plus one opponents.
UMass
UMass has lost two games as their home date on Sept. 19 against Albany was lost when the CAA canceled its 2020 football season, and the Minutemen also lost a Nov. 14 date at Auburn.
Many of these games that have been lost could end up being replaced by the Independents banding together to play one another this season, perhaps multiple times in order to keep full, or close to full, 2020 seasons.
