After five Florida football players have tested positive for COVID-19, all football activities have been paused.
The Florida Gators have done a generally acceptable job of keeping the team healthy amid the COVID-19 pandemic. However, in what has quickly become an awful week for the Gators on an off the football field, their ironclad COVID safeguards have failed them, as they had several players test positive for the virus.
The Gators have received five new positive COVID-19 tests just a few days before they were scheduled to take on Myles Brennan and the Tigers. The team has since suspended all team activities as they try to navigate what will be a difficult next few days.
The Florida football team has had five new positive tests for COVID-19 in the past week, bringing the October total to six.
— Robbie Andreu (@RobbieAndreu) October 13, 2020
Florida is still scheduled to host LSU on Saturday, for now
After Florida was handed their first loss of the season by Kellen Mond and Texas A&M, head coach Dan Mullen noted that the crowd at A&M’s Kyle Field was a big factor in favor of the Aggies. Despite the fact the state of Florida remains a breeding ground for COVID-19, Mullen wanted the Gators to take advantage of Governor Ron Desantis’ relaxation of COVID-19 protocols and have 90,000 fans at The Swamp.
#Florida head coach Dan Mullen said the Texas A&M crowd played a "major factor" in the Gators loss.
— Kyle Burger (@kyle_burger) October 11, 2020
Mullen wants a packed house at The Swamp next week vs. LSU: "So I certainly hope our university administration follows the governor." #GoGators pic.twitter.com/rlXLGBu1mq
Athletic Director Scott Stricklin put out a statement confirming that the suspension of team activities will be reevaluated tomorrow.
“The University of Florida football team has experienced an increase in positive COVID tests among players this week, the statement read. “Out of an abundance of caution, team activities are paused as of Tuesday afternoon.”
Stricklin added that the university is in contact with Texas A&M and LSU as they try to navigate the next steps which will be re-evaluated Wednesday by UF Health and the athletic department’s sports medicine staff.
The Gators not only saw their chances of winning the SEC East reduce dramatically, but Kyle Trask and the Gators have now been saddled with a COVID-19 outbreak. Cancelation or postponement might not be the options that Florida or LSU wants to put on the table, but they might be the most prudent plans when it comes to keeping everyone safe and preventing the outbreak from spreading.
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