CLEVELAND — With the start of the college football season just over a week away, Delta State is making plans to play its opener at Cleveland Central High School instead of its own home field on campus.
Delta State will play its opener on Sept. 2 against Tarleton State.

The move is being made because of problems with the artificial turf surface at Delta State’s Parker-McCool Stadium. The current surface was installed in 2014, but school officials said it has had numerous issues and repairs since then.

Earlier this month, the school said that the field had been declared unplayable and that the surface would be replaced. Work began on Aug. 8 and is scheduled to be completed on Sept. 9.

Delta State officials remain hopeful that the project will be completed in time for the season opener, but are making contingency plans anyway. Delta State’s first three games are all at home.

“We remain hopeful that Hellas Construction may complete the project ahead of schedule and allow us to keep the game on our campus, but we also have to have a plan in the event that does not happen,” DSU director of athletics Ronnie Mayers said in a statement. “Let us be clear, it the field is ready next week, we will play at Parker Field-McCool Stadium.”