Despite a growing number of athletic conferences and individual athletic programs announcing the cancellation of fall sports for 2020, Tennessee State plans to play an eight-game all Ohio Valley Conference football schedule, according to a WSMV report.
The Tigers initially published an 11-game football schedule that included contests against Southern University (Sept. 5) in the Detroit Football Classic, Jackson State (Sept. 12) in the annual Southern Heritage Classic in Memphis, Tenn., and a home opener against Clark Atlanta on Sept. 19.
However, those games were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in a $750,000 loss in revenue from the first two games alone.
“We’re set without our conference games,” TSU athletic director Dr. Mikki Allen said. “Once we had the two Classic games canceled, that’s what we decided.”
With the revised schedule, the Tigers will play their first game of the season on Sept. 23 at home against Jacksonville State.
“We shouldn’t be where we are now as a nation. It’s alarming to see the numbers are trending in the wrong direction,” Allen said.
Members of the football team will not return to campus until Aug. 7.
