CAA suspends fall football season, Villanova football affected

After a conference-wide vote, the CAA announced that the conference’s Board of Directors opted to suspend play for the Fall 2020 season.

However, the CAA is leaving the door open for the possibility of rescheduling the season for the Spring 2021 semester. No determination has been made yet, regarding that possibility, and it will be reassessed over time.

The CAA did give its football teams the option to pursue a Fall 2020 season with an independent schedule, if the school permits it. Schools like James Madison have already said that they will be looking into this alternative.

Villanova may be a Big East school, but its football team and women’s rowing program are the only exception, as they compete in the CAA.

It’s one of the newest decisions regarding college athletics this fall. On Thursday, the Big East announced it was eliminating non-conference games for fall sports.

Last year, Villanova’s football team went 9-4 and concluded the season ranked No. 15 in the STATS FCS Top 25 rankings.

The Wildcats returned to the NCAA FCS Playoffs for the first time since 2016, where they lost to Southeast Louisiana in a 45-44 opening round shootout.