Two of the top Southeastern Conference (SEC) teams will not attend their soccer games this weekend due to recent COVID outbreaks and quarantines. In total, three SEC games scheduled for this weekend have been postponed and another one is about to be postponed.
The most notable postponement so far is the Alabama-LSU game, which is traditionally a tent game where the whole nation can watch. However, the LSU players tested positive for the corona virus, which caused the postponement. Alabama is the No. 1 in the country, and LSU is struggling with a 2-3 deficit this season – including a blowout defeat recently at Auburn.
The SEC also announced on Tuesday that Texas’ A&M game will not be played in Tennessee this weekend due to an outbreak of COVID among A&M players. Texas A&M ranks fifth in the Washington Newsday Top 20 and is in the top 10 in every major poll.
The league had already announced that the game between Auburn and Mississippi State would be postponed due to an outbreak in Auburn. SEC representative Greg Sankey said the league knows that such a thing is possible if you start a postponed and shortened season.
“Although it’s unfortunate to have multiple postponements in the same week, we began the season with an understanding that interruptions to the schedule were possible and we focused on the health of everyone around our programs throughout the season,” Sankey said. “We need to remain vigilant within our programs and in our communities to prevent the spread of the virus and manage activities that contribute to these interruptions.
LSU has already been forced to postpone its match in Florida after members of the Gators team tested positive earlier this year. The SEC has set December 12 as a general open date for all teams to catch up on games, so LSU-Florida is expected to play on that date.
The new puzzle is that LSU has a reconciliation game with Alabama that needs to be planned. The SEC championship game is scheduled for December 19, the day before the College Football Playoff Commission announces its four-team playoff games.
Another game that could be affected this weekend is the Georgia-Missouri game, per Ross Dellenger of Sports Illustrated.
SEC November 14 weekend:
Georgia-Mizzou ð¬
Vanderbilt-Kentucky ð
A&M-Tennessee ð
Bama-LSU ð
Arkansas-Florida ð
South Carolina-Ole Miss ð
State of Mississippi – Maroon ð
– Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) November 10, 2020
Here are some more COVID notes from college football:
Arkansas coach Sam Pittman tested positive for the virus and will not be training against Florida this weekend, the school announced on Tuesday.
The Navy-Memphis game this Saturday was postponed after people within the Navy program tested positive
Here are the SEC games that are not affected
Georgia in Missouri
Vanderbilt in Tennessee
Arkansas near Florida
South Carolina at Ole Miss.
