Pioneer Football League council approves plan for spring season

DAYTON — The Pioneer Football League will go forward with a plan to play a six-game conference only schedule in the spring, following a cancellation of the traditional fall season due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The plan was endorsed by the league’s Presidents Council Monday with a target to play and complete the season between March 13 and April 17, a conference spokesperson said in a media release.

“This model gives League teams the opportunity to earn the PFL championship title and the automatic qualifier to the NCAA FCS Playoffs,” the spokesperson said.

The league’s plan also allows for teams to schedule additional non-conference games at the discretion of the university.

“The League fully recognizes that this is an aspirational plan given the current severe state of the coronavirus pandemic and the many unknowns in the coming months for the country, the diverse set of states in which our schools exist, and the PFL institutions themselves,” the spokesperson said.

“Consequently, individual institutions may, at their sole discretion, choose to opt out of the PFL 2021 spring season at any time.”

The league announced the cancellation of the fall season in early August, just weeks before teams were set to take the field for their first games.

The Dayton Flyers completed off-season practices Saturday. The Flyers are coming off a second place finish in the PFL in 2019, with an 8-3 overall record and 6-2 conference record.

Cox Media Group