Report: CAA cancels fall sports competition, including Pitt's game against Richmond

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Report: CAA cancels fall sports competition, including Pitt's game against Richmond

Jerry DiPaola | Friday, July 17, 2020 10:46 a.m.

Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review

Pitt’s offensive lineman Jimmy Morrissey (67) works with teammates on offensive drills on Friday, Aug. 2, 2019 during Pitt Panthers football practice at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex in Pittsburgh’s South Side.

The Colonial Athletic Association will cancel its fall sports seasons to avoid covid-19 issues, likely leaving Pitt without an early-season nonconference opponent, FOX Sports’ Bruce Feldman has reported. An official announcement is expected later Friday.

SOURCES: The CAA conference is expected to announce tomorrow that the league will not be playing football this fall.

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) July 16, 2020

Pitt is scheduled to play Richmond of the CAA on Sept. 19 at Heinz Field.

The game might have been in jeopardy of being canceled in any event. The Big Ten and Pac-12 have canceled their non-conference games for this season, and the ACC, SEC and Big 12 may do the same. ACC Commissioner John Swofford has said his conference will make an announcment on its fall sports plan by the end of July. Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke has said conference opponents would be prioritized if games need to be rescheduled or canceled.

A total of eight Power 5 schools are scheduled to play CAA opponents, including Duke, Kansas, North Carolina, N.C. State and Wake Forest. There is also the possibility that some CAA schools would pursue an independent schedule.

Of those 13 games, eight were against Power Five teams. The William & Mary at Stanford game was previously canceled due to the Pac-12's decision to go with a conference-only schedule last week. pic.twitter.com/lSlZXCwG0T

— Yahoo Sports College Football (@YahooSportsCFB) July 16, 2020

The cancellation of CAA football will create significant financial fallout at its schools. Many FCS schools depend on payouts from games against FBS institutions to support their athletic programs. USA Today reported a combined total of at least $26 million is due to FCS schools in 2020.

There are 12 football-playing member institutions in the CAA, including James Madison, which played in the 2019 FCS National Championship Game and won the title in 2016.

The Ivy League, Patriot League and Carnegie Mellon also have canceled fall sports.

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