Cal Poly football season postponed as Big Sky Conference eyes spring return

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. - The Big Sky Conference has opted to postpone the fall football season.

Cal Poly, which plays in the Big Sky Conference, is among the 13 teams that are planning to play an eight-game conference schedule in spring 2021.

The Big Sky's Presidents’ Council voted to suspend football until the spring following a recommendation from Athletics Directors on Friday.

Cal Poly already had a pair of non-conference games canceled earlier this year. Those games were scheduled against the Cal Golden Bears and the San Diego Toreros.

The Mustangs had planned on starting the season on Sept. 5.

The university said it is unclear at this time if Big Sky teams will be allowed to schedule non-conference games in the spring.

"We look forward to playing our eight-game Big Sky Conference schedule in the spring," said Mustang athletic director Don Oberhelman in a press release. "The non-conference schedule is still to be determined."

The Big Sky Conference says it is likely that the FCS playoffs will be moved to the spring as well as more than half of participating schools have made modifications to the fall schedule.

“This is the right decision for our member institutions, even though we realize how disappointing it will be for all who represent and care about Big Sky football,” Big Sky Commissioner Tom Wistrcill said.

Cal Poly did not play any football games in 1918 due to a flu epidemic and in 1930 because of a polio epidemic, the university said. Cal Poly did not play any games in 1943 or 1944 due to World War II.