Mountain West Football To Start Season October 24

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Mountain West Conference presidents and chancellors voted on Thursday night to play an 8-game football season.

They will kickoff the 2020 season on October 24. The Mountain West Championship game is scheduled for December 19.

This is all subject to approval from state, county and local officials.

WE'RE BACK. pic.twitter.com/kZTEGDJXPz

— Mountain West (@MountainWest) September 25, 2020

Utah State is a member of the Mountain West Conference. The conference announced on August 10 the postponement of all fall sports including football. They were one of two group of five conferences to do so, joining the MAC.

pic.twitter.com/FrkXRqwNus

— Mountain West (@MountainWest) September 25, 2020

It is expected that the 8-game schedule will be a conference-only model. Over the last two hours, the state of Utah went from having one college football team in BYU to now having three teams with the Utes and Aggies joining the mix following announcements from both the Pac-12 and the Mountain West.

On September 8, the Mountain West released a statement that they were working on plans to return to competition with fall sports and football.

“The August 10 decision by the Mountain West Board of Directors to postpone 2020 fall sports and MW championship events due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis was based on multiple challenges,” the statement read. “Widespread and increasing prevalence of the disease in parts of the MW footprint, unknowns regarding the health outcomes related to the virus, testing capacity limitations and variable travel restrictions were among the primary considerations. Nearly a month later many of these same challenges remain, such as virus spread and the status of state and local guidelines, and continue to be beyond the control of the Conference and its member institutions.

“Within that environment, however, the Mountain West has been working diligently to identify a viable path forward to resume athletic competition at the appropriate time,” the statement continued. “Physical and mental health and well-being for the Conference’s student-athletes and staff remains the priority in these efforts. The MW Board of Directors, Athletic Directors, Health & Safety Advisory Committee, Conference staff, institutional athletics administrators, coaches and student-athlete representatives have been meeting frequently to consider new scheduling models, enhanced medical protocols and revised management plans that can facilitate a responsible return to play.

“These concepts are being adapted to fit within NCAA parameters expected to be acted upon by the NCAA Division I Council during its September 16 meeting, including frameworks for football, men’s & women’s basketball and rescheduled fall sports,” the statement read. ” Other winter sports and spring sports seasons are currently expected to proceed as originally planned and would be conducted concurrently with the rescheduled sports in what would be a robust spring offering. On a parallel track, negotiations are ongoing to secure the necessary testing arrangements and put in place appropriate health guidelines. Every effort is being made to overcome the existing multi-slate obstacles within this complex issue to enable a data-driven decision that maximizes the opportunity for the Mountain West’s student-athletes to compete.”