PITTSBURG — Missouri Western State University, the University of Nebraska-Kearney and Pittsburg State University have announced today (Sept. 22) a non-conference scheduling alliance that will allow the three Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association member institutions to play a partial 2020 football schedule beginning in late October.
 
The "scheduling alliance" was created following the cancellation of the 2020 football season by the MIAA and the 2020 NCAA Division II fall championships by the NCAA to create an avenue for the Griffons, Lopers and Gorillas student-athletes to play a limited number of games this fall.
 
In the scheduling alliance, MWSU, UNK and Pitt State will each play two games against one another while filling out the remainder of their schedules with other NCAA-II and FCS institutions.
 
Pitt State will host UNK in Pittsburg on Oct. 31 at 1 p.m. The Gorillas and MWSU will face one another at St. Joseph on Nov. 7 at 3 p.m., while the Lopers and Griffons will meet at Kearney at 1 p.m. on Nov. 21.
 
Pitt State has additional non-conference match-ups scheduled Nov. 14 at Nacogdoches, Texas against FCS member Stephen F. Austin (4 p.m.) and Nov. 28 at Canyon, Texas against D2 member West Texas A&M (time TBA).
 
UNK has additional non-conference match-ups scheduled Nov. 7 in Kearney against Chadron State (time TBA) and Nov. 14 at Rapid City, S.D., against South Dakota Mines at 2 p.m.
 
MWSU will travel to Conway, Ark., on Oct. 31 to face FCS member Central Arkansas at 3 p.m. and will travel to Canyon, Texas to take on West Texas A&M on Nov. 14 (time TBA).
 
"We are excited to make this announcement today and be able to bring football back for the 2020 season," PSU athletic director Jim Johnson said. "I am thankful to Josh Looney at Missouri Western and Marc Bauer at Nebraska-Kearney for all their efforts in making this possible.
 
"At this time, we believe it is possible to play football in our community and we are planning this with the interest of the physical and mental wellness of our student-athletes at the forefront. We believe, for many reasons, it is in the best interest of our institution, our community and our fan base to have football this fall.
 
"There is still room to add a fifth game to our schedule on Nov. 21. We are working to secure a second home game to be played at Carnie Smith Stadium that day."