POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – The Pioneer Football League announced plans for a six-game league schedule on Monday.
 
The schedule model was endorsed by the PFL Presidents Council, and advanced by the league's directors of athletics and coaches. The plan provides a meaningful competitive experience for the league's student-athletes.
 
The model features the following elements:
 

• Dates of competition are each Saturday from March 13 through April 17.
• Competitors include the nine continuing PFL members (Marist, Butler, Davidson, Dayton, Drake, Morehead State, San Diego, Stetson, and Valparaiso), and also includes incoming member Presbyterian.
• The league champion will earn the automatic qualifier to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision Playoff. The FCS selection show is set for Sunday, April 18. The playoff, which has been reduced from 24 to 16 teams this year, will last four weeks with the national championship game set for the weekend of May 15.
• Teams can schedule non-league games at institutional discretion.
• The league schedule has not been set at this time.

 
Marist College and the Pioneer Football League recognize that the plan for spring football is aspirational based on the state of the coronavirus pandemic, the unknowns that lie ahead in the upcoming months, the geographic diversity that exists within the league, and the circumstances at the league's institutions. Individual institutions may, at their sole discretion, choose to opt out of the 2021 spring season at any time.
 
Any decision made by Marist College will be in the best interest of the health and safety of our student-athletes and the broader Marist community. We will continue to monitor coronavirus developments locally and nationally, and will adapt to any circumstances presented.
 
The Marist football program joined the PFL in the 2009 season, and won a share of the league championship in 2013.