Lafayette College has canceled its Sept. 12 football game at Navy as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, it was announced Friday.
In a statement, Navy said Lafayette is unable to play the game because its team would not be back on campus with enough time to meet FBS medical advisory guidelines. The Midshipmen are exploring a replacement opponent for that date.
"We're actively engaging with some possibilities, and that's all it is right now -- possibilities," Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk said. "But I think over the next week or two, there will be some availabilities out there. And if we're allowed to go forward in the state of Maryland, and college football moves forward as we all hope, my expectation is we'll be able to find someone who needs a game."
This is the second time Navy's schedule has been impacted because of the pandemic. Its opener against Notre Dame was supposed to be in Ireland on Aug. 29, but it was moved to the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, and will be played on Labor Day Weekend, either Sept. 5 or Sept. 6.
Lafayette plays in the FCS Patriot League, which announced last month that teams would not be allowed to fly to games -- placing several matchups against FBS opponents in jeopardy.
Though Lafayette -- located in Easton, Pennsylvania -- is about a three-hour drive from the Naval Academy, its late return to campus was the determining factor.
Colgate, also in the Patriot League, was scheduled to play Western Michigan on Sept. 4, but that game was also canceled. Western Michigan announced it would play Stony Brook instead.
Other Patriot League games remain up in the air, including Fordham at Hawaii on Sept. 12.
As the season draws closer, there could be more alterations to nonconference games across the country. In addition to these specific FBS games, other contests between FCS and Division III schools have already been canceled.
ESPN's Heather Dinich contributed to this report.
