Two Illinois 8-Man Football Association teams recently announced they will not be fielding teams this season, leaving a question mark in the schedule for their opponents.

Rockford Christian announced Wednesday it does not have the numbers to safely field an 8-man team after having the same issue last season. The team has not won more than one football game since going 5-5 in the 2019-20 season.

“Although this was a very difficult and disappointing decision, our priority is and will always be the safety and well-being of our student-athletes,” Rockford Christian’s athletic director Ted Lawver said in a statement. ”Rockford Christian athletics will continue to commit resources to rebuilding the football program from the ground up through investment in strength and conditioning and the pursuit of establishing a solid middle school (6-8) football program, with the goal of restoring the high school football program when the timing is right.”

The Royal Lions were set to compete in the 8-Player Northeast Division against Peoria Heights (Aug. 29), Galva (Sept. 5), South Beloit (Sept. 12), Alden-Hebron (Sept. 19), Elgin Harvest-Westminster (Sept. 26), Christian Life (Oct. 3), Hiawatha (Oct. 11), Abundant Life (WI) (Oct. 17) and Milledgeville (Oct. 24).

Schlarman on Tuesday also announced that it will not field a team this season because of low numbers. The team was set to compete in the 8-Player East Division against Milford (Aug. 30), Peoria Heights (Sept. 6), Farmer City Blue Ridge (Sept. 12), St. Anne (Sept. 20), Hiawatha (Oct. 4), Christian Life (Oct. 10), Ashton-Franklin Center (Oct. 17) and Elgin Harvest-Westminster (Oct. 25).

If the teams do not find a new opponent, the missing game will count as a win via forfeit.