RIPON, Wis. - The Ripon College football game with Lawrence University has been canceled, Director of Athletics Ryan Kane announced today.

The Midwest Conference game, originally scheduled for November 13 on Ron Roberts Field at the Banta Bowl, was canceled due to COVID-19 protocols. The game had been postponed and rescheduled for November 20 before the decision was later made to cancel the contest.
 
"COVID Protocols have made the game a no contest," Kane said, "It will not affect either team's record and is an unfortunate ending to what was an otherwise successful season for our team."

This marks the second consecutive season that Wisconsin's oldest college football rivalry has been put on hold. The entirety of the 2020 season, including the traditional regular-season finale between Lawrence and Ripon, was wiped away by the pandemic."

The first meeting between these teams came in 1893 and the two schools have met 119 times on the gridiron during the past 129 years. The rivalry, which saw multiple interruptions during the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, also has been halted due to a pair of World Wars and the current pandemic. The teams met every year from 1945 to 2019, the longest streak of continuous play in one of the oldest college rivalries in the nation, before the pandemic halted play in 2020.

"I, along with our players and coaches are disappointed that we won't be able to continue the Ripon / Lawrence rivalry. It's a game we all look forward to, and has provided great memories over the years," Ripon College Head Football Coach Ron Ernst said. "I want to thank our seniors for their unbelievable efforts, leadership, and character over the past four years, as well as our parents for their great support and following. This is a tough way to end the season, but we will move forward and look ahead to 2022."

Ripon finishes its season with a 6-3 overall record, including a 5-3 mark in the MWC.