WAC, ASUN Announce Football Partnership for 2021 Season
2/23/2021 9:28:00 AM | Football
DENVER, CO – The Western Athletic Conference and ASUN Conference announced on Tuesday plans for a football scheduling alliance for the upcoming 2021 football season that will allow seven eligible institutions to vie for an automatic qualification into the 2021 NCAA FCS playoffs.
"This is a great opportunity for all institutions involved", said SFA Director of Athletics Ryan Ivey. "This alliance provides us the chance to position ourselves for a potential playoff opportunity, while at the same time solidifying our opportunities to compete for a WAC championship. This could not have been possible without the leadership from all of the involved institutions, and I am extremely proud of the way this came together."
The alliance will feature Abilene Christian, Lamar University, Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin from the WAC and Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State from the ASUN Conference. WAC members Dixie State and Tarleton will participate in the joint schedule but will not be eligible for the group's AQ due to their transition to NCAA Division I.
"I greatly appreciate all the AD's of the sevem different schools working together to do what's best for the student athletes", said SFA Head Football Coach Colby Carthel. "This alliance not only provides AQ status, but it allows for one of the more competitive FCS conference schedules in the country, which will in turn provide playoff opportunities for multiple teams. It's going to be fun!"
The seven eligible programs will be known as the AQ7 and will play a single round-robin featuring three home contests and three road tilts apiece. The team with the highest winning percentage among AQ7 games shall receive the automatic qualification to the FCS playoffs. In addition, a trophy will be presented to the conference that has the highest winning percentage against the other conference.
ASUN members Kennesaw State and North Alabama will continue to participate in the Big South Conference for the 2021 season and WAC member NM State will continue as an FBS Independent.
ASUN-WAC Challenge Schedule Dates
Sept. 25, 2021
Sam Houston at Central Arkansas
Abilene Christian at Lamar
Oct. 2, 2021
Central Arkansas at Abilene Christian
Tarleton at Eastern Kentucky - #
Sam Houston at Stephen F. Austin
Oct. 9, 2021
Abilene Christian at Eastern Kentucky
Stephen F. Austin at Jacksonville State
Lamar at Sam Houston
Oct. 16, 2021
Lamar at Abilene Christian
Eastern Kentucky at Central Arkansas
Tarleton at Dixie State - #
Oct. 23, 2021
Central Arkansas at Lamar
Stephen F. Austin at Dixie State - #
Jacksonville State at Sam Houston
Oct. 30, 2021
Abilene Christian at Stephen F. Austin
Central Arkansas at Jacksonville State
Lamar at Eastern Kentucky
Sam Houston at Tarleton - #
Nov. 6, 2021
Abilene Christian at Jacksonville State
Dixie State at Sam Houston
Eastern Kentucky at Stephen F. Austin
Lamar at Tarleton - #
Nov. 13, 2021
Tarleton at Abilene Christian - #
Stephen F. Austin at Central Arkansas
Eastern Kentucky at Sam Houston
Jacksonville State at Lamar
Nov. 20, 2021
Sam Houston at Abilene Christian
Central Arkansas at Tarleton - #
Jacksonville State at Eastern Kentucky
Stephen F. Austin at Lamar
# - Contests against Dixie State and Tarleton do not count towards alliance win percentage
"This is a great opportunity for all institutions involved", said SFA Director of Athletics Ryan Ivey. "This alliance provides us the chance to position ourselves for a potential playoff opportunity, while at the same time solidifying our opportunities to compete for a WAC championship. This could not have been possible without the leadership from all of the involved institutions, and I am extremely proud of the way this came together."
The alliance will feature Abilene Christian, Lamar University, Sam Houston and Stephen F. Austin from the WAC and Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky and Jacksonville State from the ASUN Conference. WAC members Dixie State and Tarleton will participate in the joint schedule but will not be eligible for the group's AQ due to their transition to NCAA Division I.
"I greatly appreciate all the AD's of the sevem different schools working together to do what's best for the student athletes", said SFA Head Football Coach Colby Carthel. "This alliance not only provides AQ status, but it allows for one of the more competitive FCS conference schedules in the country, which will in turn provide playoff opportunities for multiple teams. It's going to be fun!"
The seven eligible programs will be known as the AQ7 and will play a single round-robin featuring three home contests and three road tilts apiece. The team with the highest winning percentage among AQ7 games shall receive the automatic qualification to the FCS playoffs. In addition, a trophy will be presented to the conference that has the highest winning percentage against the other conference.
ASUN members Kennesaw State and North Alabama will continue to participate in the Big South Conference for the 2021 season and WAC member NM State will continue as an FBS Independent.
ASUN-WAC Challenge Schedule Dates
Sept. 25, 2021
Sam Houston at Central Arkansas
Abilene Christian at Lamar
Oct. 2, 2021
Central Arkansas at Abilene Christian
Tarleton at Eastern Kentucky - #
Sam Houston at Stephen F. Austin
Oct. 9, 2021
Abilene Christian at Eastern Kentucky
Stephen F. Austin at Jacksonville State
Lamar at Sam Houston
Oct. 16, 2021
Lamar at Abilene Christian
Eastern Kentucky at Central Arkansas
Tarleton at Dixie State - #
Oct. 23, 2021
Central Arkansas at Lamar
Stephen F. Austin at Dixie State - #
Jacksonville State at Sam Houston
Oct. 30, 2021
Abilene Christian at Stephen F. Austin
Central Arkansas at Jacksonville State
Lamar at Eastern Kentucky
Sam Houston at Tarleton - #
Nov. 6, 2021
Abilene Christian at Jacksonville State
Dixie State at Sam Houston
Eastern Kentucky at Stephen F. Austin
Lamar at Tarleton - #
Nov. 13, 2021
Tarleton at Abilene Christian - #
Stephen F. Austin at Central Arkansas
Eastern Kentucky at Sam Houston
Jacksonville State at Lamar
Nov. 20, 2021
Sam Houston at Abilene Christian
Central Arkansas at Tarleton - #
Jacksonville State at Eastern Kentucky
Stephen F. Austin at Lamar
# - Contests against Dixie State and Tarleton do not count towards alliance win percentage
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