The FCS Kickoff Happening Saturday in Montgomery
In the wake of the pandemic, a bit of normalcy happening Saturday in the Capital City. The FCS Kickoff is back this year, the first college football game of the year.
The Central Arkansas Bears are taking on the Austin Peay Governors. With this being the first college football game in the country in 2020, Executive Director of the bowl, Johnny Williams said he’s ready to set the lead in Montgomery, “We’ve been a first for a lot of things. This is a very positive first we’re going to have. We’re going to show the country this is how we’re putting on our games.”
The Cramton Bowl Stadium holds 22,000 people, but Williams said they’re only using 9% of the seats. That’s roughly 2,000 people. Although tickets were not for sale to the public, the game is nationally televised on ESPN each year. The players will have they’re families, event sponsors and some City of Montgomery employees cheering them on.
“We have assigned seats. These seats have been segregated with six foot parameters around your seating. We’re requiring masks to be worn,” Williams explained.
And concessions will be available… prepackaged.
Williams said the players have worked all year for this, and COVID-19 is not keeping them from playing ball: “They’ve earned scholarships, a lot of them. They’re trying to make their way through college to get their degree, and now they’re going to get the chance to go ahead and play a game. They’ve already been playing for each other, getting tested every few days. They’re going through a lot.”
The Football Championship Subdivison- FCS- is a part of the NCAA’s Division 1. Williams explained although the pandemic is changing a lot of things, he’s confident the FCS Kickoff will be a success.
JOHNNY WILLIAMS:
“These student athletes do it mainly for the love of the game. That’s why the NC set this game up eight years ago… To profile the FCS level. These kids don’t play in front of 100,000 people. They’re lucky to have 5,000 people at a game. They’re playing for the love of the game.”
This is the 4th year The City of Montgomery has hosted the FCA kickoff. The game starts at 8:05 Saturday night
