| USA TODAY
How does the 2020 college football bowl season differ from previous years?
USA TODAY Sports’ Mackenzie Salmon spoke with Paul Myerberg about the 2020 college football bowl season.
The surging coronavirus pandemic continues to impact this upcoming Saturday’s slate of college football games.
The latest, announced Wednesday afternoon by the Big 12, is No. 23 Texas at Kansas. Unlike many others either canceled or left without a makeup date yet, this game is being rescheduled for Dec. 12. Time and TV will be determined later.
According to a release by Kansas, the problem is the Jayhawks failed “to meet the minimum position requirements established by the Big 12 Conference” because of positive tests or contact tracing. No other details were given. The league set 53 as the minimum number of players required to play a game was. Specific numbers were set for each position group.
Also, Wednesday, another ranked team had a game against an FCS program called off. The No. 25 Louisiana Ragin Cajuns will not play Saturday against Central Arkansas due to “positive tests and contact tracing within the program” that have resulted in 33 players entering the program’s COVID-19 safety protocol, the program said.
Louisiana (7-1, 5-1 Sun Belt) has already endured coronavirus issues this season. Seven starters missed the Ragin Cajuns victory over Georgia Southern in September. Two players missed last week’s win over South Alabama for COVID-related reasons. Their game against Appalachian State previously was postponed to Dec. 4, and the team is scheduled to play in the Sun Belt championship game on Dec. 19.
Thirteen games have been postponed or canceled for this week, bringing the total to 39 for the month.
Two AAC college football games postponed
Two American Athletic Conference football games set for this weekend were postponed Wednesday, per the conference.
Rising COVID-19 cases and subsequent contact tracing at Houston resulted in its matchup at Southern Methodist being postponed, while the same occurred for Navy at South Florida due to coronavirus issues with the Bulls.
The conference said it “will consider a number of options with regard to the playing of the contests.”
No. 6 Texas A&M will not play for the second straight week, as its matchup against Mississippi was postponed due to ongoing health issues within the Aggies program. Ninth-ranked Miami saw its game against Georgia Tech, scheduled for Saturday, postponed as well.
Utah State vs. Wyoming canceled
The Mountain West conference is canceling Utah State’s game against Wyoming, originally scheduled to be played Thursday, due to rising COVID-19 cases in the Aggies program.
The game will not be made up and is considered a no contest.
Division II conference cancels winter sports
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference canceled its winter sports season Wednesday. The PSAC fields 23 sports (11 men’s, 12 women’s) among its 18 member schools (one is in West Virginia).
Not all hope is lost should a program wish to play its season. If six schools declare their intent to play, the conference will consider approving their plans if they can follow PSAC and NCAA guidelines to navigate COVID-19.
The conference remains “fully committed” to playing its spring sports.
Week 12 games impacted by COVID-19
Ohio at Miami (Ohio), scheduled for Nov. 17 — Canceled.
Alabama Birmingham at Texas-El Paso, scheduled for Nov. 20 — Canceled.
Arizona State at Colorado, scheduled for Nov. 21 — Canceled.
Coastal Carolina at Troy, scheduled for Nov. 21 — Postponed until Dec. 12.
Louisiana Tech vs. Louisiana-Monroe, scheduled for Nov. 21 — Canceled.
Georgia Tech at Miami, scheduled for Nov. 21 — Postponed until Dec. 19.
Mississippi at Texas A&M, scheduled for Nov. 21 — Postponed. No makeup date set.
Houston at Southern Methodist, scheduled for Nov. 21 — Postponed. No make up date set.
Navy at South Florida, scheduled for Nov. 21 — Postponed. No make up date set.
Utah State at Wyoming, scheduled for Nov. 19 — Canceled.
Central Arkansas at No. 25 Louisiana, scheduled for Nov. 21 — Canceled.
Charlotte at Marshall, scheduled for Nov. 21 — Postponed. No make up date set.
No. 23 Texas at Kansas, scheduled for Nov. 21 — Postponed until Dec. 12.
