d3photography.com file photo by Ronnie Glover

Occidental has pulled the plug on the rest of its 2017 football season. After cancelling its second game of the season, vs. Pacific, and its conference game with La Verne this past weekend, the Tigers have called off the remainder of the season.

"A decision of this magnitude was not made lightly," said college president Jonathan Veitch in making the announcement. "No one wanted or expected the season to end this way. Making this decision now provides needed clarity to players, their parents, coaches, and other SCIAC members. After canceling two of our first five games because of a depleted roster, including last weekend's Homecoming game, the need to address the viability of the season became unavoidable."

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The roster of healthy players numbered in the low- to mid-30s, with just one defensive lineman healthy and available to play.

"With regard to the future of Tiger football, this decision allows us to turn our full attention to next season as the college works toward rebuilding the roster," he said.

As recently as Sunday, the program was talking in positive terms about not giving up the season. The last school to cancel such a large portion of its football season was Lewis & Clark, which played its entire non-conference schedule of four games in 2005 but pulled out of all five of its Northwest Conference contests.

The decision means that Occidental will not play Pomona-Pitzer. The series started in 1895, and the teams have met for The Drum every year since 1944. Other than the war years of 1942, 1943 and 1944, Occidental and Pomona have met in football every season since 1899.

"This decision falls hardest on our players and coaching staff, whose competitive spirit has never waned. I want to commend first-year Oxy head coach Rob Cushman for his character and grit, having been thrust into the most challenging of circumstances this season," Veitch said. "His players have demonstrated the same resilient, never-say-die attitude. I ask that we all lend our support and appreciation to these members of the Oxy community. We also regret the inconvenience this has caused to our fellow SCIAC members who have been most supportive."

It's not clear whether the seven seniors, or any of the Occidental football players on the roster, will be able to reclaim this year of eligibility. In addition, multiple requests to the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for information about how Occidental's games will be treated in the conference standings have come without a response.