Oklahoma is off to a hopeful start in terms of COVID-19 test results.
The 2020 college football season is going to be unique, to say the least. Major conferences are going with a conference-only schedule, while the Big 12 is still deciding on what to do.
Playing a full season will depend on the ability of programs to create a safe environment where there are no positive COVID-19 tests. The Oklahoma Sooners program has given fans an early sign of hope in terms of test results.
Good testing numbers from Oklahoma. Across the department, none of the 186 athletes tested this week were positive. pic.twitter.com/6N3yAsmmfu
— Bryan Fischer (@BryanDFischer) July 30, 2020
Oklahoma’s great results
Having 100 players and 38 staff members test negative is fantastic news. It seems inevitable that there will be some positive tests if teams are not playing in a bubble. Some states are dealing with more outbreaks than others, and it is also possible there will be limited travel during the season.
However, programs have to take it one day at a time and stress to everyone the importance of being safe and smart. Just one person contracting the virus can lead to an outbreak like what is going on in MLB with the Miami Marlins.
Football has had the luxury of time when it comes to planning for play during the COVID-19 pandemic. A program like Oklahoma also has the resources to create a safe environment for the team to report to and practice within. The next step is keeping the positive tests at zero in a contact sport once actual games are being played.
The Sooners made the College Football Playoff last season and has won five straight Big 12 titles. Smart leadership appears to be in place and this will be one of the toughest tasks ever faced in the history of college sports. Oklahoma providing an early sign of hope is some good news during a year in which plans for the upcoming season seem to change by the day.