Florida vs. LSU football game postponed after 21 players, multiple coaches test positive for COVID-19

By Adam Silverstein
October 14, 2020
Florida vs. LSU football game postponed after 21 players, multiple coaches test positive for COVID-19
Football

Image Credit: UAA

The rivalry showdown between the No. 10 Florida Gators and LSU Tigers scheduled for Saturday at 4 p.m. ET has officially been postponed. OnlyGators.com previously reported the postponement, which Florida athletic director Scott Stricklin confirmed during a press conference held Wednesday amid a rash of positive COVID-19 tests within the football program.

The Gators have 21 players (18 on scholarship) that have tested positive for COVID-19, according to Stricklin, who said all are either asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. Including additional players quarantined due to contact tracing and others the regular injury list, Florida would have less than 50 scholarship players available for Saturday’s game against LSU if it had been played.

Though Stricklin and head coach Dan Mullen said Wednesday that two assistant coaches have also tested positive for COVID-19, program sources tell OnlyGators.com that there are more positives among the coaching staff following a round of tests conducted Wednesday morning.

Stricklin confirmed an OnlyGators.com report that the entire football staff has been sent home indefinitely. Players, coaches and staff will continue to undergo daily COVID-19 tests for the foreseeable future.

Florida is working with the SEC to see if the schedule can be shifted around in order to play the LSU game during the regular course of the season. However, it is likely that the Gators and Tigers will make up their game on Dec. 12, a built-in off week created by the SEC ensure as many games as possible are played amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The SEC Championship Game is scheduled for Dec. 19..

Florida-LSU is now the 29th FBS game postponed this season but just the second SEC game behind Missouri-Vanderbilt, which was postponed earlier this week.

Players who test positive for COVID-19 must be isolated for at least 10 days and until they test negative. Those who are deemed to have been in close contact with positive individuals must be quarantined for 14 days.

As such, the Florida-Missouri game set for Oct. 24 is also in danger of being impacted; however, a decision has not been made yet on that game, which is 10 days away.

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