SEC rocked by COVID-19 on Monday: Here’s what we know and how it impacts Alabama, Auburn, schedule
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The Southeastern Conference is taking a hit from COVID-19. The conference on Monday postponed Saturdays game between No. 20 Auburn and Mississippi State because of positive COVID-19 cases and quarantining within the Bulldogs program.
The SEC requires programs to have at least 53 scholarship players available for games. Mississippi State coach Mike Leach said the Bulldogs were just a player away from having to postpone last Saturdays game against Vanderbilt. Fortunately we didnt have to, Leach said. We knew there was a pretty good chance wed have to cancel this week just because we were that close (last week).
No. 5 Texas A&M paused in-person activities after a player and a staff member tested positive for COVID-19 after returning from a win at South Carolina. LSU isbattling an outbreak that could put Saturdays game against No. 1 Alabama in jeopardy. And Arkansas coach Sam Pittman has tested positive and could miss the game at No. 6 Florida. The stop-and-start nature of college sports in the pandemic is familiar by now, but the cluster of problems was a reminder how fragile the season is.
The problems Monday extended beyond the SEC, too: Michigan State announced that mens basketball coach Tom Izzo has tested positive for COVID-19, the Mountain Westcanceled Air Forces scheduled football game at Wyoming this Saturdaydue to an upward trend of COVID-19 cases at the academy and the Pac-12 opened its season over the weekendwith two games postponed. Mississippi States game against Auburn has been tentatively rescheduled for Dec. 12 in Starkville, Mississippi. Athletic director John Cohen said the Bulldogs were disappointed, but our priority is the health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes and staff. “Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said the Aggies were undergoing additional testing and contact tracing amid hopes the team could return to the field.
