UTC football will play at Western Kentucky on Saturday, Oct. 24, head coach Rusty Wright announced Monday. It is the lone game on the Mocs' 2020 fall schedule following the Southern Conference's decision to explore playing league games in the spring of 2021.
"We will have a fall camp leading up to the game and treat it like spring practice," stated Wright. "Instead of having a scrimmage at the end like we do in the spring, our guys will have a chance to compete against a quality FBS opponent."
The Western Kentucky game was supposed to be the season opener for both teams on Thursday, Sept.
3. However, continuing complications from the COVID-19 pandemic pushed that game back further into the season.
"The NCAA has shown a safe passage for return to play with strict guidelines we will be following," said UTC Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Mark Wharton. "In addition to the football team playing in the fall, our other fall sports are allowed to pursue limited competition as scheduling opportunities arise."
NCAA requirements for returning to play are outlined in its Resocialization of Collegiate Sport: Developing Standards for Practice and Competition document. The NCAA has also reiterated that any student-athlete can opt out of competing due to COVID-19 concerns, and fall sports student-athletes can compete in as many games as possible without losing a season of eligibility.