Richmond football game against James Madison postponed due to COVID-19 protocols
RICHMOND, Va. (BVM) — Richmond Spiders football fans will have to wait a bit to see their team return to action. On April 1, the Colonial Athletic Association announced the postponements of two upcoming matchups: the James Madison/Elon game scheduled for April 10 due to COVID protocols at Elon and the James Madison/Richmond game scheduled for April 3 due to COVID protocols at Richmond.
A decision on rescheduling the games will be made at a later date, according to a CAA press release.
A few more #CAAFB updates
Upcoming games involving @ElonFootball, @JMUFootball, and @Spiders_FB have been postponed
DETAILS ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Fl7WD3hKdA
— CAA Football (@CAAFootball) April 1, 2021
The timing is pretty unfortunate for the Spiders. Currently 3-0 and atop the CAA’s south division with a 3-0 conference record, the Spiders are in the driver’s seat for their playoff destiny. However, James Madison is nipping at their heels with a 4-0 record including a 2-0 CAA record. The Spiders were scheduled to play the Dukes on March 20 in Harrisonburg, Va., but saw that game delayed on March 15 due to COVID-19-related protocols within the James Madison program. With the delay of this game, which would’ve been hosted by the Spiders in Richmond, the idea of the two teams playing this season is in jeopardy.
This is critical not only for the Spiders and Dukes programs, but also for the FCS as a whole. Currently, James Madison is ranked No. 1 in the FCS Coaches Poll while Richmond sits not far behind at No. 15. With the potential playoff implications surrounding the game, it will be critical for the CAA to find a way for the two teams to meet on the field this season, otherwise things may get dicey moving forward.
Until that time, however, the Spiders will have to adjust and prepare for their next opponent, William & Mary, who they will meet in Williamsburg on April 10. With all the motion and movement surrounding the Spiders’ schedule, being able to play a game in just over a week’s time will be a welcomed moment for Richmond fans.
