The season-opening football game between Colorado State and New Mexico scheduled for Saturday has been canceled, the Mountain West Conference announced Tuesday.
“Due to the prevalence of the COVID-19 virus in Bernalillo County and in accordance with state guidelines, the University of New Mexico is unable to participate in the scheduled football game on Saturday, Oct. 24, at Colorado State University,” the conference said. “Therefore, the Mountain West is canceling the game and declaring it a no contest. There is no plan to reschedule the game.”
Cancellations as a result of the coronavirus pandemic were part of the expectation for the Mountain West when it announced its eight-week return-to-play plan last month. Commissioner Craig Thompson made it clear when the conference announced it would play this season that he did not expect all 12 teams to complete their full schedule.
The conference will not be split into two divisions; instead, it will use a one-division format that will determine its conference championship game participants based on best winning percentage.