ORONO, Maine — The Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) has announced a new policy for its football teams ahead of the 2021 season.
Under the new rule, any team that cancels a game for reasons relating to COVID-19 will be forced to forfeit the game. The team that cancels would receive a loss in conference standings, and the opposing team would be awarded the win. However, the record for each team would not change, as the NCAA considers forfeited games a "no contest."
This new policy does come with an exception: the teams have a 24-hour window to make up the game before it's considered a forfeit.
Meanwhile, the University of Maine football team was sweating it out Thursday morning on the new turf at Alfond Stadium for their first intra-squad scrimmage of training camp.
Devin Young, a senior wide receiver, said he is ready to get back on the field with his team after opting out of the spring season this year due to the pandemic.
"It was definitely tough just watching the games at home... I'm just coaching at home like "Oh Trey, you gotta get this Trey!'... I've seen a lot of good things, I was very happy. I'm like, okay when we get back I know where we're gonna be," Young said.
Nick Charlton, UMaine Football Head Coach, said he is optimistic about the season after the performance he saw on both sides of the field Thursday.
"There was a lot of really good things. It was back and forth the whole time. You know, when you put the ball in the red zone the offense scores a touchdown, and then they get stopped on the next one and have to kick a field goal... that's more positive to me than just one side dominating the whole day, because that means you probably got a shot at having a good football team."
The Black Bears are set to play their first game of the season Thursday, September 2 at 7:00 p.m. at Alfond Stadium.