For the first time in its 82-year history, the Bowling Green football team will not play a scheduled regular season game. The news came late yesterday in a statement by BG Athletic Director Paul Krebs.
“Due to the many unanswered logistical questions regarding safe and timely air travel this weekend and the fact the President of the United States of America has declared Friday as a National Day of Prayer and Remembrance, we feel it is in the best interests of our institution to postpone our participation in this weekend’s football game at South Carolina,” Krebs stated in a formal announcement.
Krebs notified Mike McGee, the Athletic Director of South Carolina at 11:15 a.m. with the decision not to play. Krebs and BG football coach Urban Meyer said they had intended to play the game, but after considering possible travel troubles the team could face, they chose to postpone.
“There was no assurance of when we could get a plane,” Krebs said. “The plane that was scheduled to fly us actually has passengers that are stranded in the Caribbean that they are obligated to pick up first. The logistics began to mount. It’s hard enough playing Division I football, let alone worrying about if you’re going to get there safe and on time.”
While the press conference addressed the postponement, Tuesday’s tragedy was still on the minds of both Meyer and Krebs.
“This is a minor detail of what’s going on in the United States right now,” Meyer said. “I think the focus is to stick together as a team, a University and a country and look forward. Although the team is disappointed, they are understanding to what happened.”
“Coach Meyer and I recognize that what we are talking about pales in comparison to the national issue,” Krebs said. “This is a very minimal issue to the big scheme of life and we are very aware of that.”
The Falcons intend to either play South Carolina or another team available during their bye week of Oct. 27 or a week after their season finale with Toledo.
“I have no question in my mind that it was the right decision,” Krebs said. “I will never regret not playing the game. I may have regretted playing the game.”
