Sources: MAC presidents to vote Friday on fall football season

Mid-American Conference presidents will meet Friday and vote on whether to have a fall football season, which likely would be six games, sources told ESPN.

The league's presidents also met Tuesday but did not hold a vote on the season, which likely would begin the weekend of Oct. 24. The MAC on Aug. 8 became the first FBS league to postpone the fall football season because of concerns about the coronavirus pandemic.

Yahoo first reported Friday's presidents meeting and vote.

The MAC is exploring daily rapid antigen testing, which has been adopted by the Pac-12, Big Ten and others around college football. Sources said the cost of rapid testing programs is the central issue for the league, which this spring eliminated conference championships in eight sports and restructured championships in other sports as part of long-term cost-cutting measures. The league also is prohibiting home football teams from staying in hotels the night before games and trimming travel rosters for league games from 76 to 70.

All three FBS conferences not scheduled to play fall football are voting this week on a possible fall season. The Mountain West presidents moved their meeting from Friday to Thursday, when they're expected to vote on a fall season starting Oct. 24. The Pac-12 presidents are set to meet Friday and vote on a season that could begin as early as Oct. 31.