Stanford Game Against WSU Canceled After Players Test Positive For COVID
STANFORD (CBS SF) -- The Pac-12 conference canceled Saturday's football game between Stanford and Washington State universities weeks after WSU players tested positive for COVID-19.
The Pac-12 announced its decision Friday afternoon, stating that the canceled game would be counted as a "no contest."
"This decision was made under the Pac-12's football game cancellation policy due to Washington State not having the minimum number of scholarship players available for the game as a result of a number of positive football student-athlete COVID-19 cases and resulting isolation of additional football student-athletes under contact tracing protocols," a statement from Pac-12 read.
It added: "The cancellation of this game is very disappointing to our student-athletes and our fans. While all of us want to see our football student-athletes on the field competing, our number one priority must continue to be the health and safety of all those connected to Pac-12 football programs."
Apparently multiple WSU players tested positive, but the university did not provide how many. WSU quarterback Jayden de Laura already tested positive earlier this month.
"I'm disappointed for our team and our players. They have battled through so much this year. We had a good week of practice and were excited to play this game," WSU coach Nick Rolovich said in a statement. "I recognize the pain they feel with this lost opportunity but this 2020 football team is a resilient group of young men."
Saturday's cancellation means the Stanford Cardinal has gone three weeks without playing a game this season due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team's record is currently 0-2 after last week's loss to Colorado. Before that, the team lost its season opening game to Oregon after false positives kept Quarterback Davis Mills and receiver Connor Wedington off the field. The two did not clear protocol until a day before the Colorado game.
The Cardinal reportedly tried to find a replacement opponent, like Cal Golden Bears did last week when its opponent fell through. It could not find another team in time.
The Cardinal still expects to play Cal for the 123rd Big Game next Friday in Berkeley.
