Pac-12 title game: Huskies out, Ducks in

SEATTLE — Washington has pulled out of the Pac-12 football championship game due to COVID-19 issues in the Huskies program, and Oregon will now play No. 13 USC for the conference title on Friday instead.

Washington announced Monday it is withdrawing from the championship game after determining the Huskies (3-1) did not have at least 53 scholarship players available and did not meet the minimum number of scholarship athletes at specific positions.

Huskies coach Jimmy Lake said the entire team is isolating as a precaution and another round of testing for the entire team is scheduled for today. Lake said Washington did not expect to have any offensive linemen — scholarship players or walk-ons — available to play this week because of positive tests and contact tracing.

Washington had to cancel its game last weekend against Oregon (3-2) that would have determined the Pac-12 North champion due to COVID-19 cases in the program.

Washington was named Pac12 North champ by virtue of having a better winning percentage than Oregon. But with the Huskies’ withdrawal, the Ducks will take a two-game losing streak into the title game, and Colorado is left without an opponent this weekend.

Meanwhile, Stanford on

Sunday became the first Pac12 team to say that it will not play in a bowl if invited. The Atlantic Coast Conference has already had three schools — Boston College, Pittsburgh and Virginia — announce they will opt out of bowl season.

In the Southeastern Conference, No. 10 Georgia’s final homecoming of the season against Vanderbilt was canceled because the Commodores fell below roster minimums due to COVID-19 protocols.