Division III Earlham College in Indiana is in the middle of a historic 53-game losing streak — the longest in D3 history.

Coming off a fifth-straight winless season, it appears Earlham will simply call it quits with the football program, at least for the 2019 season.

According to a Pal-Item.com story, Earlham interim president Avis Stewart said that the 2019 season has been suspended so the college can take a fresh approach to building a squad:

“As President of Earlham College, I am well aware of the many ways in which a successful athletics program can enhance and strengthen the overall well-being of a college,” Stewart said in his statement. “More specifically, it is certainly true that our football program has contributed to the success and development of many of the College’s alumni, and that it means a great deal to these individuals as well as our community. It is important to acknowledge the football program’s role in benefitting enrollment, diversity, net tuition revenue, and the overall student experience.

“However, it can reasonably be argued that our inability to field competitive teams has significantly hampered our ability to recruit a sufficient number of student-athletes who seek a positive, quality intercollegiate athletics football experience. Therefore, I have decided that our community needs to take a fresh approach to building and sustaining a competitive football program. It is my sincere hope that the approach, described below, will help us discern the appropriate next steps for intercollegiate football at Earlham College.”

The 2018 season ended with a 70-6 loss. The team’s last win came back in 2013, when they eked out a 21-20 victory over Anderson.

Whether or not the program resumes remains to be seen, but at least they won’t lose any games in 2019.