COVID-19 causes game cancellations

ASU’s game versus Utah called off

MINNEAPOLIS – Minnesota is calling off its scheduled game Saturday at Wisconsin due to positive COVID-19 cases within its program, a move that likely knocks the 18th-ranked Badgers out of consideration for the Big Ten championship game.

Utah’s game with Arizona State scheduled for Sunday also was canceled because the Sun Devils still don’t have enough scholarship players after having numerous positive COVID-19 cases, including coach Herm Edwards. No. 24 Tulsa’s game Saturday against Houston also was postponed because of Houston’s COVID-19 issues.

A total of 10 scheduled games this week involving Football Bowl Subdivision teams have been postponed or canceled.

The Minnesota-Wisconsin game and the Utah-Arizona State game won’t be rescheduled. Tulsa and Houston have no common open dates left and will only be able to make up the game if neither is in the American Athletic Conference championship game on Dec. 19.

Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle, president Joan Gabel and athletic medical director Brad Nelson opted against playing the game after consulting with Big Ten officials.

Minnesota said nine players and six staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last five days. There were additional presumptive positive tests turned up Wednesday from daily antigen testing, with the program awaiting confirmation of those results.

Big Ten protocols this season say that teams must play at least six games to be eligible for the league championship game. If the average number of conference games played by all Big Ten teams is below six, programs must play no less than two fewer league games than that average to be considered.

Wisconsin (2-1) has only two games remaining on its schedule and won’t reach that six-game minimum. The Badgers dealt with a COVID-19 outbreak earlier this season that caused them to call off scheduled games with Nebraska and Purdue.

The Badgers’ only remaining games are at home against No. 12 Indiana (4-1) on Dec. 5 and at Iowa (3-2) on Dec. 12. Wisconsin already had put its hopes of reaching the Big Ten championship game in severe jeopardy last week by losing 17-7 at Northwestern, a result that enabled the 11th

COVID/C3