SALT LAKE CITY — BYU’s 2020 football schedule has its first impact from COVID-19.
The Cougars’ game against Northern Illinois on Saturday, Oct. 24, is moving to Huskie Stadium on NIU’s campus, Northern Illinois announced Wednesday. The contest was scheduled to be played at SeatGeek Stadium — a soccer-specific stadium in Bridgeview, Illinois, that serves as the home of the Chicago Red Stars of the National Women’s Soccer League.
NIU cited stadium capacity limits and safety measures in place from the state of Illinois due to the COVID-19 pandemic as the reason for the venue change.
“Our team and staff were looking forward to the opportunity to play the 2020 Huskie Chi-Town Showdown versus BYU at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview this October,” NIU associate vice-president and director of athletics Sean T. Frazier said in a statement. “COVID-19 has obviously brought about many changes for all of us, and we continue to adapt and make the best decisions possible for NIU, our student-athletes and fans. Thanks to the leadership of the City of Bridgeview and SeatGeek Stadium, who have continued to be great partners in this process. We hope to continue our relationship and will look for an opportunity to bring a game to SeatGeek Stadium in the future.”
In February, BYU announced the game would be played at SeatGeek Stadium, with the contest dubbed the 2020 Huskie Chi-Town Showdown. It would have been the Cougars’ first game ever played at a stadium specifically built for professional soccer.
The Cougars have never played at NIU. The two teams’ only previous meeting came in 2018, when the Huskies beat BYU 7-6 at LaVell Edwards Stadium.