Two of the remaining three MEAC football-playing schools currently participating in spring football — Howard and South Carolina State — will not meet this season.
That’s because pandemic-related travel restrictions in the District of Columbia means previously scheduled games Saturday and again on April 10 are canceled, both schools announced Tuesday.
South Carolina State has reportedly replaced Alabama A&M on its schedule.
That game, made possible because Alabama A&M had its Saturday game with Mississippi Valley State postponed due to COVID-19 issues within the Delta Devils program, will be played at 1:30 p.m. in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
Howard will not play again until March 27 against Delaware State.
Also read: ‘Shot at a season’: Remaining MEAC schools to press on after league suspends spring football season
Current D.C. COVID-19 travel restrictions apply to anyone coming into the area from a jurisdiction with more than 10 cases per 100,000 people. Visitors are asked to get tested 72 hours or less before traveling to D.C.
South Carolina, according to health department data, is averaging 30 cases per 100,000 residents, which far exceeds restriction thresholds.
The shift in the schedule now means teams will once again have to adjust on the fly to compensate. Six other MEAC schools — Bethune-Cookman, Florida A&M, Morgan State, North Carolina A&T, and North Carolina Central — all opted out of spring competition.
[…] Also read: Pandemic-related travel restrictions end Howard-South Carolina State season series […]