A premier meetup between two top college football teams set for Saturday has been rescheduled for December following a surge in positive COVID-19 tests on one team.
The University of Florida and Louisiana State University will not square off this weekend in the “Swamp,” as Florida’s stadium is colloquially known, after a group of Florida players reported allergy-like symptoms before testing positive for the virus.
“The LSU at Florida FB game of Oct. 17 is postponed due to positive tests & subsequent quarantine of individuals within the Florida FB program,” read a message posted by the Southeastern Conference on Wednesday. “The action is consistent with SEC COVID-19 management requirements. The game is tentatively rescheduled for Dec. 12.”
NEWS: The LSU at Florida FB game of Oct. 17 is postponed due to positive tests & subsequent quarantine of individuals within the Florida FB program. The action is consistent with SEC COVID-19 management requirements. The game is tentatively rescheduled for Dec. 12.
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) October 14, 2020
University of Florida’s Athletic Director Scott Stricklin confirmed that 18 student athletes, including three walk-ons, had tested positive for the highly contagious disease. Stricklin said that none of the cases are considered serious at the moment as most are asymptomatic, and a few are listed as “mild.”
Stricklin said the number of players who tested positive makes it so the team cannot go forward with the game per requirements outlined by the SEC’s Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force.
“It can sneak up on you in a hurry,” Stricklin said. “The key thing is you’ve got to have the ability to push the brake when things start to occur like what we’re seeing right now. You’ve got to be willing to hit pause occasionally. The SEC schedule was set up with an event like this in mind. As much as we want to give our kids the opportunity to compete, we understand this isn’t a normal year, and we’re going to have the ability to adapt to unusual circumstances such as this.”
This is the second contest canceled by the SEC this week after the conference shut down a game between Missouri and Vanderbilt following a cluster of positive cases.
