Buffalo at NIU to be rescheduled as NCAA encourages athletes to vote

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Jarrett Huff

In this file photo, Mid-American Conference Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher addresses the media March 12 over the cancelation of the 2020 MAC Basketball Tournaments at the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland, Ohio. The MAC voted Friday to play a six-game schedule, starting Nov. 4.

By Mike Knapp

DeKALB — The Mid-American Conference and ESPN announced Friday that the Nov. 3 football game between the University at Buffalo and Northern Illinois University will be moved to another date.

Nov. 3 is the federal Election Day.

“The NCAA and its Board of Governors released a statement (Friday) relative to Tuesday, November 3 and athletic activities. The Mid-American Conference has one football game scheduled on that day — Buffalo at NIU,” MAC Commissioner Jon Steinbrecher said in a release Friday. “The MAC, member schools and ESPN are all working toward a new date for that game.”

This decision was made as the result of the NCAA coming out in favor of clearing the entire sports schedule for that day to give athletes the opportunity to go to the polls and cast their vote. This is part of a suggestion from the NCAA that college athletics should encourage its players to register and vote in the upcoming election.

Prior to the Buffalo game, NIU is scheduled to host Brigham Young University in the Huskie Chi-Town Showdown on Saturday, Oct. 24 at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeport and travel to Western Michigan University for a MACtion matchup on Nov. 10.