(Stats Perform) – FCS programs Abilene Christian and Mercer don’t jump to mind as natural opponents for Army West Point, but the shuffling of schedules due to the COVID-19 pandemic has led to matchups this season.
Army will host Abilene Christian for the first time on Oct. 3 at Michie Stadium, while Mercer will visit the service academy on Oct. 10 for a second all-time meeting, according to the Times Herald-Record of Albany, New York, on Tuesday.
While all FCS conferences will not play league games this fall, Abilene Christian (Southland) and Mercer (Southern) play in conferences that are allowing limited games out of conference. If health conditions allow for it, teams hope to play the majority of their games in the spring semester.
Abilene Christian and Mercer, though, are actively seeking other opponents for their fall schedules.
“There’s a lot of people in my position that don’t think playing spring football is gonna happen,” Abilene Christian coach Adam Dorrel said. “And they feel like it’s a way for people to kick the can down the road and just try to ease people down slowly. It seems very challenging to do, to play football in the spring.”
Army beat Mercer 19-6 in 1933.
Two other FCS programs, Bucknell and Princeton, pulled out of games with Army because their conferences are not allowing any sports this fall. The Black Knights have beaten their last eight FCS opponents, with their last loss to Fordham to open the 2015 season.
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