The Southwestern Athletic Conference announced its member schools will postpone sports through the fall semester on Monday, calling off the Auburn football team’s season opener with Alcorn State originally scheduled for Sept. 5.
The move marks the first official blow to Auburn’s football schedule this fall. The move by the SWAC also affects Troy, which was scheduled to host Arkansas-Pine Bluff to open the season on Sept. 5.
Alcorn State and Arkansas-Pine Bluff are members of the SWAC along with in-state schools Alabama State and Alabama A&M. The conference’s presidents and chancellors met Monday afternoon before announcing the decision, calling on concerns over the spread of COVID-19 as coronavirus numbers continue to surge in the United States.