The Mid-American Conference (MAC) officially canceled its 2020 college football season on Saturday because of concerns about the health and safety of its players amid the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, the 12-member league will become the first FBS conference to decide not to play this fall.
Liberty was scheduled to play one member of the MAC this season, traveling to Bowling Green on Oct. 3 in the first game of the home-and-home series. The Falcons are scheduled to make the return trip to Lynchburg on Sept. 2, 2023.
This is the second game of the week Liberty has lost, following Wednesday’s announcement of UConn canceling its 2020 season, the first FBS member to do so.
The Flames opened fall training camp on Friday, and Liberty head coach Hugh Freeze said the team was moving forward with plans to start the season on Sept. 12 against an FCS member to be named later. Liberty was originally scheduled to face North Carolina A&T on that date in the team’s home opener, but North Carolina A&T lost its 2020 fall season when the MEAC postponed all fall sports.
The likelihood of Liberty adding an FCS opponent continues to dwindle as on Friday the Division I subdivision lost the FCS playoffs with plans for a spring season. James Madison, who had previously announced it would pursue a full 2020 fall season as an Independent following the CAA canceling the 2020 fall football season, paused its workouts and officially canceled its attempt at a fall season Friday, as well.
Liberty is still scheduled to face FCS member Western Carolina in Lynchburg on Nov. 14. The Southern Conference has yet to announce plans for the fall season.
Liberty’s current 2020 football schedule:
09/19 @ Western Kentucky
09/26 vs FIU
10/03 OPEN
10/10 vs Louisiana-Monroe
10/17 @ Syracuse
10/24 vs Southern Miss
10/31 OPEN
11/07 @ Virginia Tech
11/14 vs Western Carolina
11/21 @ NC State
11/28 vs UMass
