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North Alabama still plans on playing BYU this fall

FILE - This Oct. 8, 2016, file photo shows BYU players, including Austin Heder (42), Tuni Kanuch (78), Kesni Tausinga (94) and Hiva Lee, right, celebrate following a 31-14 win over Michigan State in an NCAA college football game, in East Lansing, Mich. A team can go on the road and play a Power Five conference team and earn $1 million-$2 million, often enough to keep other sports programs afloat or fund the training table or academic center. Perhaps no school faces a bigger challenge than independent BYU, which had five games fall off its schedule — Utah, Michigan State, Arizona State and Minnesota to start the season and a Nov. 28 game against Stanford.(AP Photo/Al Goldis)

With only three games left on the schedule, BYU received some relief on Wednesday when North Alabama said in a news release that the match up with the Cougars is still on the books.

The Big South Conference, which North Alabama belongs to, announced earlier Wednesday that it would delay its fall season, with intent of playing in the spring.

However, the Big South Football Members voted to allow up to four non-conference games in the fall at institutional discretion.

North Alabama's current fall schedule includes games against Western Illinois, Jacksonville State, Chattanooga and BYU.

“Our plan is to look at all of our options and hopefully have the chance to play a full slate of games, combining the fall and spring,” North Alabama athletic director Mark Linder said. “One of the biggest concerns of our players is not having the opportunity to play a full schedule. This plan provides the ultimate flexibility, to play four non-conference games in the fall and the Big South schedule in the spring.”

Along with the Nov. 21 game against North Alabama, BYU has Navy (Sept. 7) and Houston (Oct. 16) left on the schedule.