A Grambling University spokesman told Sporting News on Friday night that the remainder of the Tigers' football season could be in jeopardy if the university does not resolve the weeklong protest by players that led to the cancellation of Saturday’s game at Southwestern Athletic Conference rival Jackson State.
Will Sutton, the university's acting director of public relations who has been dealing with the boiling controversy all week, said the school will not give up and will continue to work to end the crisis.
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“The president (Frank Pogue) and AD (Aaron James) have been working every day on this. As of now, there is no game at Jackson State on Saturday,” Sutton told SN's David Squires.
Asked whether the team will play again this season, Sutton said: “I have no clue. It’s been an hour-by-hour, day-by-day thing all week long. We had some guys show up for the bus (for Friday's road trip) ready to go.”
One person close to the situation said 20 players were ready to board the bus about 2:30 p.m., and that university officials waited another hour but still did not have enough players to proceed. The trip subsequently was canceled and the game was called off.
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Jackson State officials announced the cancellation Friday night. Athletic department spokesman Wesley Peterson told The Associated Press that Grambling officials contacted Jackson State to inform it of the decision.
SWAC commissioner Duer Sharp said that, according to league rules, Grambling will forfeit the game and the school will be fined. USA Today reported the fine will be $20,000.
"I've been in contact with the schools and they informed me the game is going to be canceled," Sharp told USA Today. "It's just a very disappointing situation when something like this happens. But we'll do everything we can with these schools to reach an understanding moving forward."
Friday's apparent player boycott only added to the upheaval within Grambling's program, which rose to prominence in the 1960s and '70s under coach Eddie Robinson. Several media outlets have reported that players did not attend practice Wednesday and Thursday following a contentious meeting Tuesday with program and school leadership.
Late Friday, the University of Louisiana System, which oversees nine state universities including Grambling, released a statement on behalf of system President Sandra Woodley and Board of Supervisors Chairman Wayne Parker, who stated they have been "closely monitoring" the situation at Grambling.
"The student athletes are our primary concern, and while we respect their right to protest, we are concerned about the unintended consequences resulting from this action," the statement read. The statement added that the university system is working closely with Grambling President Frank Pogue, the NCAA, and other advisers "to proceed in a compassionate manner that minimizes potentially harmful ramifications for our students and demonstrates pride and dignity for Grambling."
Grambling (0-7) has changed coaches twice since September. Doug Williams was fired two games into the season and replaced by running backs coach George Ragsdale, who was reassigned Thursday and replaced by Dennis "Dirt" Winston.
Saturday's game was to be Jackson State's homecoming, and a cancellation could hurt the school financially. The Grambling-Jackson State matchup usually draws very well—an announced crowd of more than 21,000 attended the game in Jackson in 2011.
Jackson State's athletic budget is about $6 million and the school relies heavily on football revenue.
Jackson State spokeswoman Jean Cook said the school would still have homecoming festivities, including the homecoming parade, as well as a football scrimmage and an extended performance by the marching band. The school said it is working on a process to provide refunds of ticket sales.
"It's not ideal," Cook said. "But we're trying to make the best of things."
Meanwhile, the mood of the Grambling campus has been greatly impacted, Sutton said.
“It’s pretty down right now,” he told Squires. “It’s pretty down in the dumps.”
Sutton said school officials have been working to resolve the matter all day "and will continue to work on this thing through the weekend.”
If the team does not take the field again this season, that means the school’s annual Bayou Classic, which is televised by NBC the Saturday after Thanksgiving at the Superdome in New Orleans, would also be canceled. Grambling plays SWAC rival Southern University in that game.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.