The Mid-American Conference Council of Presidents, on the recommendation of the Medical Advisory Panel,
on Friday voted unanimously to resume the fall football season.
A six-game conference-only schedule will begin on Nov. 4, and the season will conclude on Dec. 18 or 19
with the MAC Football Championship game. A full schedule will be released at a later date.
“BGSU Athletics is thrilled for the student-athletes and coaches to have the opportunity to return to
competition safely,” said Bob Moosbrugger, BGSU athletics director in a statement. “This special
opportunity will not be taken for granted. We will continue our diligent path to our safe return to
competition.”
SCOT Loeffler, BGSU head football coach, said the university has been in constant communication with BGSU
President Rodney Rogers, Moosbrugger and team physician Dr. Jeff Noftz, who are providing guidance.
“I’m thrilled for the opportunity the MAC has provided to our team,” Loeffler said. “Our student-athletes
have been working hard to show that they deserve a chance to play football this fall. We will continue
to attack every day with relentless effort so that we can make BG proud. We can’t wait to kick off the
season.”
The Conference will implement a coronavirus testing program requiring four antigen tests per week with
all positive tests needing confirmation with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. Any student athlete
with a positive test will enter a cardiac screening protocol.
The MAC’s approved COVID-19 testing protocols, including four tests per week, will begin Oct. 5. The
complete set of protocols will be released next week.
“I am pleased to inform our student athletes, coaches, and fans, that the Mid-American Conference will
resume the fall football season,” said MAC Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher. “Our decisions, in August
and again today, have been guided by an overriding concern for the well-being of the student athletes,
institutions, and the community at large. Our medical advisory group, presidents, directors of
athletics, and others, have worked hard to develop a plan that provides the opportunity for student
athletes to compete. We will be diligent in monitoring the dynamic health environment across the
Conference footprint and the country.”
One of the primary changes that led to reconsideration was the availability of tests and timeliness of
receiving test results across the conference, in addition to the changes and improvements of testing
protocols. The MAC is establishing criteria relative to contest interruptions/cancellations, monitoring
and reporting of test results as well as other COVID-19 regulations consistent with the NCAA
resocialization guidelines. All football return to play is subject to national, state and local health
guidelines.
No general public attendance or tailgating will be allowed at games. The participation of marching band,
dance, cheer and spirit squads at football games will be guided by conference protocols at institutional
discretion consistent with public health guidance.
Dr. Roger Kruse, MD/FAAFP/FACSM, head team physician at the University of Toledo and chair of the Medical
Advisory Group said the return to football was made possible by the ability to obtain rapid “point of
care” testing.
“We will test four times a week to assure player safety. This protocol was unanimously approved by the
MAC Medical Advisory Group and we feel confident of a safe return,” Kruse said.
The Mid-American Conference suspended fall sports on Aug. 8. Football is the only sport being resumed
with all others (M/W soccer, M/W cross country, field hockey, volleyball) tentatively scheduled to
return during the spring sports season when their respective NCAA Championships will occur.