Badgers up to 22 COVID- 19 cases

MADISON, WIS. » Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez says the total number of positive COVID- 19 cases within the Badgers’ football program has increased to 22.

Alvarez told ESPN’s “College GameDay” on Saturday that 12 football players and 10 staffers have tested positive.

Alvarez said school officials would decide Tuesday whether to go ahead with the ninth- ranked Badgers’ scheduled Nov. 7 home game with Purdue.

“We’re still having additions in our cases, and that’s something we’ve got to get our arms around and control it,” Alvarez said.

The Badgers ( 1- 0) had been scheduled to play at Nebraska ( 0- 1) on Saturday, but Wisconsin officials announced Wednesday they were calling off that game and pausing team activities for a week due to a coronavirus outbreak within the program. The WisconsinNebraska game won’t be rescheduled.

Wisconsin announced Wednesday that six players and six staffers — including head coach Paul Chryst — had tested positive since Oct. 24, the day after its seasonopening 45- 7 victory over Illinois.

School officials updated that number Thursday by saying two more staffers and one additional player had tested positive. The Thursday update indicated the football program had a total of 16 active cases, and that 15 of them had come since Oct. 24.

Wisconsin

Saturday that announced Chryst has been told he could return to work as early as Thursday if he remains symptom- free. That date was determined after Chryst consulted with university health services and local health officials.

School officials also said Saturday that the 22 active cases include seven confirmed positive tests ( five players, two staffers) since that Thursday update.

Illinois starting QB scratched after positive COVID test.

CHAMPAIGN, ILL. » Illinois starting quarterback Brandon Peters was announced as a scratch shortly before kickoff against Purdue Saturday due to a positive COVID- 19 test on Thursday.

Illini backup quarterback Isaiah Washington also was lifted from the game due to “contact tracing protocols,” said Illinois spokesman Kent Brown.

“Illinois senior quarterback Brandon Peters and redshirt freshman tight end Griffin Moore were both sidelined for 21 days following positive test results Thursday for the COVID- 19 virus,” Brown said. “Per Big Ten Conference protocol, following recovery both players will be eligible to return for the Nov. 21 game at Nebraska.”

The announcement was made about an hour before kickoff.

Contact tracing also was expected to sideline other Illinois players for Saturday and next week’s game against Minnesota, although those names were not available prior to the game.

There were no reports of any Purdue players being out. Boilermaker coach Jeff Brohm, who missed last week’s game due to COVID protocols, was back on the sideline Saturday. I

llinois played Wisconsin Oct. 23, a game the No. 9 Badgers won 45- 7, and Wisconsin QB Graham Mertz tested positive the following day.