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These times we are living in are unstable and confusing from a pandemic point of view or economically.
Since this is a college football website and we are all college football writers, the livelihood of everyone from the journalist to the guys who spray paint the field hang in the balance.
Many FBS and FCS teams are holding camp but the proverbial black sails of a possible lost season are on the horizon. Some schools can afford a non-existent 2020 (though they’d like to keep the padding of their wallets a couple of inches thicker) while some programs will inevitability go the way of the Carlisle Indian School and Crystal Pepsi without a football season.
We got our first taste of that grim prospect when the Mid-American Conference cancelled their 2020 season. A fan favorite conference famous for playing their scrappy conference games on Tuesdays (#MACtion) their absence not only leaves a void on the second-most hated day of the week but also leaves quite a few vacated games for out-of-conference opponents.
That includes Texas State.
The Bobcats had planned to host the Ohio Bobcats on September 26th but with the cancellation of the game Texas State can schedule a replacement opponent. So let’s take a look at who Texas State can play in their week four spot.
Army
The Black Knights had their September 26th game against Oklahoma cut when the Big 12 decided to forgo non-conference road games. The Sooners were to travel to Michie Stadium in West Point, New York.
Army itself already has three games removed from their schedule. Bucknell and Princeton were nixed off the Army schedule as the Patriot and Ivy leagues decided to forgo their 2020 football season amidst the virus pandemic.
Texas State vs. Army would be an intriguing match up as the Bobcats have never faced an opponent from New York. Not only that, the styles of offensive play would be intriguing as Texas State would take on flexbone triple option.
Wyoming
The Mountain West conference has proposed having a conference schedule with only two OOC games. Until then Wyoming’s empty September 26th spot is still up for grabs.
The week four match up pitting the Cowboys against Ball State of course will not happen. Ball State is a part of the MAC and would’ve hosted Wyoming.
But Wyoming and Texas State are very familiar with each other. The Cowboys and Bobcats met four times last decade with the most recent game taking place last year in San Marcos.
Bryant/Central Connecticut
Two FCS teams left stranded in the wake of the MAC cancellations are Bryant and Central Connecticut. Bryant had been scheduled to visit Central Michigan while C.C. would have been a guest to Toledo.
I’m looking at both of their schedules and most of their games have been cancelled or postponed. Bryant’s first four games included teams from the aforementioned Patriot, MAC and Ivy leagues leaving their OOC schedule wrecked like a Billy Joel luxury vehicle.
More than likely neither team will play non-conference opponents as they try to survive the vicissitudes of a shortened football season but hey, the gates to Wacker Field are always open.
Texas
Like I mentioned before, Texas and the Big 12 will not play non-conference road games. But with a free spot September 26th and Texas State just a swift 30 minutes away, why not?
Okay, Texas wants their money and even at 25% capacity at Royal-Memorial; throw some change at the Bobcats to come for an early visit (they meet in 2026) and the Longhorns get an extra game of revenue.
Plus the intrigue of a cross-county meeting pitting two schools so close to each other but solar systems apart in terms of football. It’s like Chucky from the Child’s Play franchise fighting the Leprechaun from the, well Leprechaun movies. It’s weird and never really been mentioned but why haven’t these two met more often?
Conclusion
The Sun Belt may relegate to a conference-only schedule like many other conferences in the FBS are proposing but Texas State’s out-of-conference games are geographically closer than their conference games (we need conference realignment). More than likely no game will be rescheduled and the Bobcats may just use that extra time for preparation purposes but a boy can dream.