JSU completes fall football schedule; home game policy announced

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. (WBRC) - UPDATE: Jacksonville State University announced their fall football schedule on Thursday.

Officials say the slate will start at Florida State on Oct. 3 in Tallahassee, Fla., before the Gamecocks host Mercer on Oct. 10 in the only home game during the fall. Oct. 17 will feature JSU’s first trip to North Alabama’s Braly Stadium in Florence, Ala., since winning the 1992 Division II National Championship there. The FIU game in Miami will wrap up the Gamecocks’ non-conference schedule.

“We are excited to be able to find another date to be able to reschedule our game at Florida International,” JSU Athletics Director Greg Seitz said. “Playing at home and keeping those previously scheduled games were very important to us, and we were able to get all of those things done. To be able to add a trip to Florida State to that schedule was really the icing on the cake and a huge game for our program and for Jacksonville State University. We couldn’t be happier with our four-game fall schedule.”

JSU also released information regarding what game day will look like at Burgess-Snow Field on Oct. 10:

• JSU Stadium will operate at a significantly reduced capacity for the 2020 season (unless state policy changes during the season); this will allow for season ticket holders and for JSU students to be accommodated for the season. Additionally, the Marching Southerners and JSU Cheerleaders will also be present and involved in all home games.
• Face coverings are required to be worn at all times while in JSU Stadium with the exception of when eating or drinking.
• All game day workers, vendors and staff will wear face coverings at all times in JSU Stadium and will be temperature checked and screened prior to the entrance into the stadium.
• Gates to JSU Stadium will open two (2) hours prior to the announced kickoff time to allow fans to safely enter the stadium and to help limit overcrowding of gate areas. Entrances to the Stadium Suites will open three (3) hours prior to the announced kickoff time, while Club Level guests will be allowed to enter two (2) hours before kickoff.
• To ensure social distancing for our season ticket holders, a three (3) seat buffer will be added around each ticket block. Season ticket holders will have their seats placed as close as possible to their normal seat locations and will retain the right of first refusal for their traditional seat location for the 2021 season.
• Fans will be required to sit in the seat listed on their respective ticket; clustering in unassigned seating areas will be prohibited.
• Check-in for the Stadium Club and Suites will take place outside the main entrance of Meehan Hall under JSU branded tents for patrons to check in before entering JSU Stadium.
• Suite holders will not be allowed to move between suites and floors on game day. Movement outside of the suites should be limited to using the restroom only.
• Additional social distancing sections will be available in select general admission sections where fans can move to at any time if they choose.
• Concessions, merchandise stands and catering protocols will be modified according to public health recommendations.
• All concessions and merchandise stands will feature credit card readers as fans are highly encouraged to go cashless throughout JSU Stadium on game day.
• Concessions will have prepackaged food and drink items. Lids will be used for fountain drinks and condiments will be prepackaged. Dividers will be used at points of sale and stanchions will be used to form lines.
• Proper queuing and social distancing will be required in all common areas, such as concession stands and restrooms. Social distancing markers will be located in these areas to assist fans achieve proper spacing. All restrooms will feature one-way entrances and one-way exits in order to provide proper spacing while in line as well as while in the restroom facilities.
• Free hand sanitation stations will be setup on the concourses and throughout the concourse area of JSU Stadium.
• Tailgating on campus will be permitted with social distance guidelines in place. Face coverings will be required while tailgating when not eating or drinking. RV parking will be allowed with the appropriate parking pass and will remain in the RV parking area.
• Ohio Valley Conference guidelines have placed strict restrictions on who has access to the playing field. For the 2020 season, the Marching Southerners and the JSU Cheerleaders will remain in the stands. These outstanding auxiliary groups will still perform during pregame, halftime and throughout the game.
• In order to promote social distancing and to protect the game day bubble around the team, Gamecock Walk will not take place for the 2020 season.

For additional information about the 2020 football season, and for FAQs, click this link.

JSU Athletic Director Greg Seitz announced Friday Jacksonville State is working hard to schedule the four non-conference games they will be allowed to play after their conference, the Ohio Valley Conference postponed the fall season for in-conference games.

The Gamecocks have some days off for practice right now.

Seitz posted the OVC has moved championship competition to the spring.

Seitz said they hope to have an ‘exciting and meaningful’ schedule and they hope to have it posted soon.

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