The Student Printz: October 14, 2020

SERVING SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI SINCE 1927 • WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM • OCTOBER 14, 2020 | VOLUME 106 | ISSUE 10

SUSTAINABILITY MONTH PG 3 MCCARTY HONORED PG 5

VP DEBATES

PG 7

Southern Miss deals with FAU game postponement

CHARLIE LUTTRELL SPORTS EDITOR Photo by Blair Ballou| Printz

After returning from its first victory of the season, Southern Miss looked to carry its momentum in a home matchup against Florida Atlantic University (FAU). Instead, Southern Miss now deals with the repercussions of its first postponed game this season due to COVID-19.

Southern Miss was scheduled to play FAU on Oct. 10. However, FAU postponed the game on Thursday night because of positive COVID-19 tests on its team. FAU Director of Athletics Brian White announced the decision in an online statement.

“The health and safety

of our student-athletes will always be our highest priority as we deal with this pandemic,” White said.

“We’ll continue to work diligently with Conference USA and Southern Miss to reschedule this game.”

According to Adam Rittenberg of ESPN, FAU Head Coach Willie Taggart

said that FAU had 18 players and nine staff members test positive for COVID-19. Six weeks into the 2020 college football season, FAU has only played one game. The Owls have now had three games postponed and two games CONT. ON PG 8

NEWS MEET THE STAFF Executive Editor

Brian Winters brian.s.winters@usm.edu

News & Features Editor Mary Murphy mary.s.murphy@usm.edu

Entertainment/Opinion Editor Meg Fuller meghan.fuller@usm.edu

Sports Editor

Charlie Luttrell charles.luttrell@usm.edu

Photography Editor

Meg Fuller meghan.fuller@usm.edu

Multimedia Editor

Blair Ballou blair.ballou@usm.edu

Social Media Editor

Bethany Morris bethany.morris@usm.edu

Design Editor

Marissa Haas marissa.haas@usm.edu

OCTOBER 14, 2020

WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM

Southern Miss releases procedures for game day events CHARLIE LUTTRELL SPROTS EDITOR n Aug. 25, the Southern Miss Department of Athletics announced special game day procedures for the 2020 football season. The procedures address various safety concerns of COVID-19 and reflect new guidelines put in place from Gov. Tate Reeves’ recent executive order on college football.

Fans should expect these conditions at Southern Miss football home games this year: -There will be a 25% seating capacity at M.M. Roberts Stadium, or approximately 9,000-

The views represented in The Student Printz’s columns and editorials do not represent those of the faculty, staff or administration of The University of Southern Mississippi. We welcome letters to the editor representing similar and contrasting opinions. To be eligible for publication, all submission must include name, class distinction, major, phone number and email address. Submissions should be emailed to printzeditors@ gmail.com by 5 p.m. on the Friday before publication. Please limit them to 500 words or less. The Student Printz reserves the right to refuse publication or edit any material on the basis of clarity, space or journalistic ethics.

Opinions expressed in The Student Printz are those of the writer and not necessarily those of The Student Printz, its publication manager, USM, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning or the USM Board of Student Publications.

Courtesy of Moffitt Health Center

10,000 fans, allowed into the stadium each game.

-Individual tickets are currently not available for sale.

Fans are encouraged to buy season tickets to attend games.

Season tickets are also limited due to attendance restrictions.

-There are 1,000 tickets available for students to sit in the student section.

-Fans in attendance will be required to wear face coverings at entry and at all times in the stadium. Face coverings will be recommended while seated too.

-Fans who do not live in the same household will be required to socially distance from each other by at least six feet.

-All tailgating and social gatherings on campus will be prohibited before games.

-There will be a limit on cash transactions at concession stands. Cashless payment will be accepted and encouraged.

-Hand sanitizing stations will be placed throughout the stadium. There will be signage and floor decals to encourage proper social distancing in waiting zones.

These procedures will apply for the seven home games at M.M. Roberts Stadium this year. The Southern Miss Golden Eagles will begin the season at home on Sep. 3 versus the University of South Alabama.

To read more information about game-days and to stay updated on the football season, visit www.southernmiss.com.

NEWS

OCTOBER 14, 2020 WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM Sustainability Month educates students, faculty on environment

JENNIFER SHIELDS PRINTZ REPORTER

ctober is Campus Sustainability Month for The University of Southern Mississippi.

This is a campus wide event hosted annually by the Office of Sustainability, which sees a greater push for an eco-friendly campus.

“Sustainability Month gives us the opportunity to engage with the campus community not only on environmental aspects, but to educate them on the different facets of economic and social sustainability,” said Melissa Covington-Olsen, the Office of Sustainability’s Chief Coordinator.

Several events are being held either on campus or virtually for students, faculty and staff to raise awareness within the community about effective ways to maintain the environment.

“We feel it helps by bringing attention to those who are not fully aware of how wasteful we as people can be,” said Covington-Olsen.

The events include, but are not

Charlie Luttrell | Printz

limited to, the Bra-Vo Donation Drive, Global Climate Change week and the Virtual Recycle Trivia Game.

Since October is also National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the Bra-Vo Donation Drive, lasting throughout the entire month, is collecting gently used bras in bins around campus. By collecting these bras, the Office of Sustainability hopes not only to reduce the quantity of textiles being sent to landfills, but also to reuse them for a better purpose.

Global Climate Change Week will be held from Oct. 19 through Oct. 25. The goal during this week is to promote awareness about climate change and the efforts being made to prevent it. That is not the

only way students can bring awareness to climate change, however.

“Don’t take your car that week, you know take a bike or something if you can. Do public transit. If you have a good way to cut out carbon and waste that would be the week to really reflect and think about things that you could do,” said junior Claude Schaller, a contributor to the Office of Sustainability’s EcoEagle Newsletter.

From Oct. 26 through Oct. 30, there will be a Virtual Recycle Trivia game hosted on Kahoot.

Participants will answer questions pertaining to sustainability, in categories like landfill waste and climate change, as previously discussed. Whoever obtains the most points by the end of the night

wins. The winner of each category, with a new category available each night, will receive a currently unannounced prize.

Sustainability Month is not the only time to help the environment, however. There are some simple things everyone on and off campus can do after Sustainability Month ends, such as utilizing trash and recycling bins across campus.

“If you see a piece of trash[,] just pick it up off the ground and throw it away,” said Schaller..

By utilizing the information being given throughout October, the Office of Sustainability hopes that anyone can help the environment and promote an eco-friendly lifestyle.

“Be conscious of the waste you create, carry a reusable bottle and bags. Learn how to recycle properly for your area,” said Covington-Olsen.

To learn more about the events happening around campus, please view the flyer on the top of the page at www.usm.edu/sustainability.

Nannie Mac’s offers students a place to relax, unwind MORGAN LAWRENCE PRINTZ REPORTER annie Mac’s Snowballs, which is located just a half mile off-campus across from Strick’s Bar-B-Q and Catering, has already brought bright things to the McMullen family since it opened in the beginning of this year.

Owners Kye and Nannie McMullan, originally from Smith County, now live in Purvis and work in Hattiesburg. Nannie McMullan, who is an alumnus of Southern Miss, majored in business administration with an emphasis in management. Her degree allowed her the ability for financial freedom in owning her own business.

“For me, it’s been nice,” Nannie McMullan said. “[It] has been great to be your own boss.”

Both Nannie and Kye had different jobs prior to starting Nannie Mac’s. Nannie McMullan used to work at a bank, tending to customers’ financial needs. Kye McMullan used to work construction during the summer, but as time went on, this kind of work became much harder on his body. Uncertain weather conditions would sometimes wash

out construction sites, too, making wages inconsistent. During the winter season, Kye still works for Strick’s Specialty Meats, a meat processing store located in between Strick’s Bar-B-Q and a liquor store. They were able to get by, but money was tight.

With the success of Nannie Mac’s, however, the McMullans have enjoyed their newfound financial freedom. Opening Nannie Mac’s has also allowed the McMullans to spend more quality time together as a family. After having complications during birth with her firstborn child, Nannie is thankful for the opportunity to spend more time at home with her child.

The Nannie Mac stand, based out of an old crossfit building, has a wide variety of options on its menu. Not only does it have over 100 flavor combinations for snowballs, but it also serves ice cream, a frappe-like drink called a “snowcoffee”, candy, chips and nachos. Until colder seasons roll in later on this year, Nannie Mac’s is open from one to six p.m. every day and will offer catering for parties, fundraisers and more.

In the near future, the McMullans want to expand their business horizons. In addition to further diversifying their food options, Nannie Mac’s hopes to become a new go-to spot for Southern Miss students. Their main plan is to open a new cozy coffee shop

Morgan Lawrence | Printz in Hattiesburg soon. They hope to create a welcoming environment for everyday people and students. And, of course, give people the things they love.

“When I was in school, I would have enjoyed a new environment to study in,” Nannie McMullan said. “We’re looking at creating a lobby set-up with tables and chairs, maybe a couch where students can study. We really want to make a new environment where students can study and

branch out to.”

The future holds many more great things for the McMullan family. Nannie Mac’s is a rising dining spot students should definitely check out. Make sure to follow Nannie Mac’s Snowballs on social media to keep up to date on new snowball flavors, future plans and more. Stop by to experience some delicious treats, smiling faces and great times.

The Student Printz has an app now

Find it on the App Store by searching for ‘Student Printz’

NEWS

OCTOBER 14, 2020 WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM McCarty’s life, legacy honored with new statue

Brian Winters | Printz

MARY MURPHY NEWS/FEATURE EDITOR he USM Foundation unveiled a new statue of the late Oseola McCarty across from The Fountain to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her $150,000 endowment to the University.

The McCarty Foundation, which manages the endowment, worked with sculptor Ben Watts for three years to recreate one of Oseola McCarty’s most iconic photos. The bronze statue, a stone’s throw away from Cook Library, depicts McCarty with a big smile on her face and an even bigger Bible on her lap.

Watts took special care to depict McCarty’s life of hard work as a laundress, present through intimate details like the painstakingly rendered calluses on her hands.

The statue was unveiled at the end of this year’s celebration of McCarty’s endowment. Due to COVID-19 concerns, the celebration was relegated to a YouTube

video, which premiered on Oct. 9.

Various former friends and current staff members came together to talk about her long life and legacy.

Despite dropping out of school in sixth grade, Hattiesburg native Oseola McCarty recognized the importance of education throughout her life. So, in 1995, a then 87-year-old McCarty gave her life savings to The University of Southern Mississippi to help similarly underprivileged students get the opportunities she never could. The donation sparked national attention, with people celebrating her decades-long hard work as much as they did her generosity.

“When I leave this world, I can’t take nothing away from here,” McCarty once explained in an old interview. “Whatever I have, it’s going to be left right here for somebody.”

Jewel Tucker was an assistant to former Southern Miss President Aubrey Lucas when McCarty gave her gift to the university. Once the story of the endowment broke, Tucker traveled with McCarty to

various news stations and talk shows across the country. A personal friend of McCarty’s, Tucker shared multiple stories about their travels together, including when they met celebrities like Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton.

“One thing that she taught me was to give,” said Tucker. “I give away everything […] and expect nothing. […] That was one of the biggest lessons in life that I learned -- that, you know, you give, and it will be given back to you.”

J.T. Tisdale is the Director of Outreach and Special Programs for the College of Business and Economic Development. He met McCarty as a graduate student at Southern Miss just before the donation was announced. He claimed seeing her loving nature and humility in person still affects him to this day.

“I never would have done the things I did or saw the people that I saw or get to meet the people I meet if it weren’t for her,” said Tisdale. “And when you have someone like that makes such an impact on

your life without even trying to?

You know, that’s probably a pretty good person.”

Today, the McCarty Scholarship Program is designed to help low income Mississippi-born students get their degrees. 113 undergraduates have benefited from McCarty’s gift, allowing $568,158 in scholarships to be awarded. It was only fitting, then, to have the ceremony end with appearances from current McCarty Scholars Kaylin Toney and Destiny Johnson.

“I think I’d just have to keep saying ‘thank you’,” said Toney, when asked what she would tell McCarty if she were alive today. “I get to go to school and I get to stay on campus and be a part of something bigger than myself.” “[It’s] unbelievable that that’s real,” Johnson agreed. “Like, she actually did that, and she was generous enough to give her life savings to kids that she didn’t even know.”

To donate to the McCarty Foundation, please visit www.usmfoundation.com/givemccarty.

ENTERTAINMENT

OCTOBER 14, 2020

WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM

Bryson Tiller releases ‘ANNIVERSARY’ after three-year drought ERYKAH DRONE PRINTZ REPORTER

n Oct. 3, 2020, Bryson Tiller released his third album, ‘Anniversary’. This new album has come just in time for the cold months, featuring songs that inspire love and solitude like “Years Go By” and “Sorrows”.

The singer-songwriter has not released an album since his debut and deluxe albums, ‘TRAPSOUL’, three years ago. However, Tiller focused more on the issues going on in his hometown of Louisville, KY than the actual promotion of his album in the lead up to its release. Tiller bought and dedicated billboards to the fallen Breonna Taylor, who was also a native of the town. He also took to Instagram with posts about his city coming together at this time.

The opening song, “Years Go By”, begins the album’s inner story. Using sound effects like an alarm clock ringing, Tiller gives us an inspiring, wonderful opener about all the things that can or has happened as time passes.

The way he rides the beat on this track with his internal-end rhyme and word play is very enticing to the ear.

On “Sorrows”, Tiller dives into the

Illustration by Marissa Haas | Printz

feelings of a love lost in a surprisingly fun way. While one would expect this to be one of the slower songs, the beat is more upbeat than sorrowful, as if he is accepting where this love has ended up.

Tiller’s word play shines on tracks like “Things Change”. He changes up his pace and word play while rapping

over a steady beat, making the song that much catchier. He slows it down on tracks like “Keep Doing What You’re Doing,”, and does a great job of riding the beat throughout. He laces vocals on top of his rapping, which proves to be a very satisfying listen.

Tiller also gives us a timeless track with his “Timeless Interlude”. The

smooth sounds of this track allow Tiller to get very raw and honest with his audience. He speaks on the sacrifice he has made to get to where he is now, as well as the things that keep him grounded, like taking care of and keeping his brother around.

Tiller includes only one feature on ‘Anniversary’, R&B superstar Drake, on the one of the last songs, “Outta Time”. Drake is a nice addition, as he adds a nice flavor to the song. Both artists perform over a nice, bouncing beat, coming together to make a song with a good groove in it. The fading throughout the song keeps a listener into the track and waiting for more. However, I did wonder if there was any particular reason that Drake was Tiller’s only feature.

The closer, “Next to You”, is just as strong as ‘Anniversary’s’ opener.

It gives off a PartyNextDoor aura throughout, but Tiller’s vocals remain unique and poignant. His voice compliments the musicality of the track very well as he talks about an almost unrequited love that most of us could probably relate to.

‘Anniversary’ shows off Tiller at his best. The album only has ten songs, but packs a pretty good punch throughout for listeners who like soft and sultry lyrics over rhythmic beats.

Mac Miller’s family announces new box set SKYLA LANGLEY PRINTZ REPORTER ac Miller’s family recently announced plans to release a double-disc vinyl box set, ‘Swimming in Circles’, of the rapper’s final two studio albums on Dec. 18.

The deluxe box set, which will compile songs from ‘Swimming’ and ‘Circles’, will also include a booklet featuring production images, a poster and a six-panel lyric scroll.

Warner Records will release the box set under its record labor, and it is now available to pre-order.

Miller’s two albums were originally made as companion pieces. ‘Swimming’ released on Aug. 3, 2018, almost a month prior to Miller’s death, and the posthumous album ‘Circles’ released on Jan. 17, 2020. Both albums reflect on Miller’s struggle with mental health and drug abuse, as well as reflect on his life in general.

An American rapper, singer, songwriter and record producer, Mac Miller was born Malcolm McCormick in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Jan. 19, 1992. His career began in 2007, when he was only 15. In 2010, he signed a record deal with the Pittsburgh-based independent label Rostrum Records. It was through this label that he released his first mixtape, ‘K.I.D.S.’, in 2010, and a follow-up, ‘Best Day Ever’, in 2011.

Miller’s debut studio album, ‘Blue Slide Park’, released on Nov. 8, 2011, and became the first independently distributed album to hit number one in 16 years. Miller’s new-

found fame led him to create the record label REMember Music in 2013, which allowed him to serve as a producer for various artists under the pseudonym Larry Fisherman.

In 2014, Miller left Rostrum to sign with Warner Bros. Records. Through Warner Records, Miller released his four studio albums: ‘GO:OD AM’ (2015), ‘The Divine Feminine’ (2016), ‘Swimming’ (2018) and ‘Circles’ (2020). However, in the middle of this growth, Miller died of an accidental drug overdose on Sept. 7, 2018.

After Miller’s death, ‘Swimming’ was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album. ‘Circles’, Miller’s sixth and final album, debuted at number three on the Billboard Top 200 and became his sixth Top 10 album. “‘Swimming’ hinted at an artist who’d finally cleared his mind and found his footing,” Pitchfork contributor Sheldon Pearce said in a review of Miller’s last two albums. “‘Circles’ provides some resolution and helps finish Miller’s final thoughts. Miller seemed to envision ‘Circles’ as the completion of a loop. [...] “Both records are about working through depression, how the bad days are long and the good days feel fleeting, but the tone is more optimistic here [in ‘Circles’].”

The producer of the album ‘Circles’, Jon Brion, explained that the albums were a part of a planned trilogy. Miller partnered with Brion to create early versions of songs from the last two albums, and after Miller’s death, Brion committed to finish ‘Circles.’

In an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Brion explained the creative process behind Miller’s posthumous album. Brion reflected on working with Miller for the first

Courtesy of macmillerwebsite.com

time, commenting on Miller’s creative insecurities throughout its creation, describing his work as a “lyrical wonder of honesty”.

“I don’t think there was a grand design,” Brion said. “[Miller] liked the idea of there being a connective tissue.”

After Miller’s tragic death, his family created the Mac Miller Fund in 2018 to help finance art programs for underprivileged youth and provide resources for young artists struggling with addiction. Over the last two years, the fund has raised over one million dollars.

“He cared very much about working to make the world a kinder place[,] and we

will continue to do just that,” Miller’s family collectively said in a statement.

Along with the deluxe box set, Miller’s family also released a behind the scenes video of Miller’s recording process for the albums ‘Swimming’ and ‘Circles’ on Monday. The video, shot in Hawaii during 2017, celebrates the final moments and memories of Miller’s life.

“There’s no point in just locking yourself up anymore, bro,” Miller said in the video.

“There’s just too much in the world to see.

The working title right now is ‘Circles’, but I don’t know. […] It just feels good. Kinda comforting in this weird way.”

OPINION

OCTOBER 14, 2020

WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM

Vice-Presedintial Debate should have covered more major issues DIPIN SUBEDI PRINTZ REPORTER enator Kamala Harris of California and Vice President Mike Pence participated in a less raucous debate on Oct. 7 to bring their campaign plans to the foreground.

The highly anticipated debate saw 57.9 million people tune in, an unusually high number for a Vice Presidential debate. Despite these ratings, however, the debate was anything but interesting.

It would have been worth watching if different issues were covered instead of reiterating the agendas discussed in the first presidential debate. For example, the moderator could have asked Harris and Pence about their opinions on working across the aisle to pass the second COVID-19 stimulus bill.

It has been eight solid months since the first stimulus checks were distributed. With unemployment rates through the roof and unemployment benefits sinking low, the hardworking American people are tired of the acrimony between President Donald Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.

Pence could have been questioned about why the Trump administration is more concerned about the controversial appointment and confirmation of potential Chief Justice

Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court before the election, but is indifferent about passing another stimulus bill.

The debate should have included education among the issues that are of utmost importance in a post-pandemic world.

Since COVID-19 has taken over the nation, schools and colleges have been hit the hardest. The enrollment rates, especially among the minority population, has plummeted. If this continues, middle-class American families who earn a decent income will decrease, and so will the national living standards.

Since the debate’s focal point was COVID-19, the psychological cost of COVID and the excessive drug use as a result could have also been included in the discussion. Ignoring these issues could become costly for the next administration and increase its budget on health expenditures.

This debate was the second in the history of VP debates to feature a woman candidate.

Harris also belongs to a minority group and is the daughter of two immigrants. Taking advantage of such a rare occurrence, the debate could have included issues such as sexism, racism and the lack of diversity in the American workplace. According to a poll conducted by the Pew Research Center, 52% of U.S. adults expressed their concerns that race and ethnic equality was important to them while considering whom they would vote for in the November elections. These

Illustration by Marissa Haas | Printz

issues were also ignored in the presidential debate, but their absence was more egregious here.

Additionally, the issue of immigration has been ignored in all of the debate so far.

Trump has silently campaigned to reduce the inflow of legal immigrants by raising the concern of “importing” COVID. The hope for legal immigrants to have a stable working condition in the U.S. seems bleak if Trump gets reelected. Thus, this issue must have been included in the Wednesday night debate.

Finally, the gun policy was also a top issue

that 55% of the surveyed adults believed would impact whom they would vote for that was not addressed. Not focusing on fixing policies that take many innocent American lives each year was a major disappointment, especially since Harris and Pence stand in stark opposition to each other.

All in all, the vice presidential debate was no different than the presidential debate.

Both were filled with lies, empty compassion and erroneous reasonings. Voters normally do not base their votes according to the winner of the vice presidential debate, though.

How National Coming Out Day celebrates pride SARAH BURSE PRINTZ REPORTER ct. 11, 2020, otherwise known as National Coming Out Day, is special for the queer and LGBTQ+ community.

People all over the U.S. will be celebrating this holiday and showing off their pride.

Though we know that love has no barriers, it took a long time for the U.S. to accept LGBTQ+ love. National Coming Out Day commemorates Oct. 11, 1987, where 500,000 people gathered in Washington D.C. to protest for Lesbian and Gay rights. According to National Today, this inspired others to create a national holiday to celebrate coming out. Thirty years later, the holiday remains, and is designed to support those who can and cannot come out as LGBTQ+.

Even though this holiday is a point of pride for the LGBTQ+ community, it also serves as a reminder that they still didn’t have many rights. Gay marriage was only legalized in 2004, and would not be recognized nationally until 2015.

It is still hard for some people to come out even today. There is still a big stigma surrounding the LGBTQ+ community. Coming out may still mean that families get torn apart, jobs are lost and friendships are ruined.

Discrimination still kills many queer

Marissa Haas | Printz

people each year.

This is the importance of National Coming Out Day. Closted LGBTQ+ people need our support to finally stop hiding behind a fake persona and live as they truly are.

Hattiesburg recognizes the importance of National Coming Out Day, too. This year, it will be holding its sixth annual Pride March on Oct. 17, 2020. The march will be hosted by The Spectrum Center and Pine Belt Pride. For those who don’t know, The Spectrum Center is a resource for the LGBTQ+ community to access mental,

physical and financial support. This year’s march in particular will focus on justice for transgender women of color.

“The march will consist of a chant of the thirty transgender and gender non-conforming individuals we lost in the US this year,” explained one Spectrum Center representative.

Being Black is hard enough. Being queer and transgender on top of that can be horrific.

As a Black queer woman myself, I can say from experience that is a difficult to come out. I go through enough oppression and discrimination from

being a Black woman, but being queer just makes my life that much harder. I feel like I must hide that part of me or my mental health will be destroyed.

Coming from a religious household, I don’t have the luxury to “come out”. I have no sense of self and individuality in my family. National Coming Out Day is an important holiday for me because it helps me realize that I am not alone in this journey.

Though some people may still not support LGBTQ+ rights or don’t accept transgender people, everyone should support saving a human life.

Trans people of color are not safe from the government, their communities, the economy, their families and even themselves. Imagine having to fight the battle between your skin color and your gender identity and sexuality. Just as Black Lives Matter, Trans and Trans People of Color also Matter.

So, I encourage readers to look more into supporting the LGBTQ+ community to honor National Coming Out Day. There are other ways to support than donating money or marching.

The Spectrum Center is always open to inform people on how to support the community, and there are a lot of great resources online to explore.

And, if you want to show your pride in person, just remember that the Hattiesburg Pride March is on Saturday, Oct. 17. Happy National Coming Out Day!

SPORTS canceled due to issues with COVID-19.

Southern Miss Director of Athletics Jeremy McClain released a public statement about the game’s postponement.

“We understand this COVID-related decision made by Florida Atlantic to not play our game this weekend and appreciate the consistent communication with our athletic department during the week,” McClain said. “We are disappointed for our student-athletes who will not get a chance to participate[. However,] we will work with Florida Atlantic and Conference

OCTOBER 14, 2020 USA to reschedule this game for later in the season.”

Though Southern Miss and FAU plan to reschedule the conference matchup, that date has yet to be decided due to conflicts. Southern Miss has already had its bye week and FAU is currently on its bye week. FAU has an open slot on its schedule due to Old Dominion’s postponement of its football season, but Southern Miss is scheduled to play the University of Texas at San Antonio that week.

This is the first time Southern Miss has dealt with a COVID-postponement during this season, but not

WWW.STUDENTPRINTZ.COM

the first time a COVIDrelated scare has happened.

Louisiana Tech had 38 positive COVID-19 tests a week before playing Southern Miss. So far, there have been 11 other postponed games within the Conference USA this season due to COVID-19.

Before the start of the season, the Conference USA Board of Directors released a statement that addressed the possibility of extending the regular season to allow teams to reschedule postponed games.

“The C-USA Championship remains scheduled for Dec. 5, with

the flexibility of possibly moving later, depending on the need to potentially reschedule regular-season games,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, Southern Miss now prepares for its next game, which is at the University of Texas at El Paso on Oct. 17. The Miners have played all five of its scheduled games so far and have a 3-2 (0-1 Conference USA) record. The Golden Eagles (1-3, 1-1 Conference USA) aim to improve above .500 in conference play in its hopes to compete for the Conference USA Championship.