The Latest on the effects of the coronavirus outbreak on college and pro football
No. 19 Southern California has closed its training complex for the day after an unidentified player tested positive for COVID-19.
The unbeaten Trojans didn’t practice Tuesday and held their meetings virtually while awaiting test results for the rest of the program.
The positive player traveled with USC to Salt Lake City for its victory over Utah last weekend before testing positive Monday. The rest of the program tested negative Monday, and the Trojans are conducting contact tracing for the unidentified player, who is symptomatic and quarantined.
USC is 3-0 heading into its visit from Colorado (2-0) on Saturday at the Coliseum.
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No. 24 Tulsa’s football game Saturday at Houston has been postponed due to positive COVID-19 cases at Houston and the ensuing contact tracing of players.
The American Athletic Conference made the announcement Tuesday.
The league said the game may be rescheduled for Dec. 19, if neither team is a participant in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game. Tulsa is 5-0 in league play.
This is the fifth Tulsa game that has been shifted since the season started. Matchups against Oklahoma State, Arkansas State, Cincinnati, and Navy also have been moved at some point.
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The Baltimore Ravens have placed outside linebacker Pernell McPhee on the reserve/COVID-19 list, making him ineligible to play Thursday night in Pittsburgh.
McPhee joins running backs Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins, along with defensive tackle Brandon Williams, on the COVID-19 list.
The 31-year-old McPhee has 26 tackles and two sacks this season.
The Ravens cancelled practice Tuesday. All of the team’s daily activities were held virtually.
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The UAB-Southern Mississippi football game scheduled for Friday has been canceled because of COVID-19 issues within the Golden Eagles’ program.
The game was set to be the Blazers’ finale at Legion Field before moving to newly built Progressive Stadium.
Southern Miss cited positive coronavirus tests and subsequent contact tracing for the cancellation. The Golden Eagles’ next scheduled game is next Friday at UTEP.
UAB says it will continue to work with Conference USA on the remaining regular-season schedule.
The Blazers have had three straight games canceled because of the virus. They haven’t played since a double-overtime loss to Louisiana Tech on Oct. 31.
Southern Miss has previously had to postpone and reschedule games with Florida Atlantic and UTEP.
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Purdue will be without starting defensive end George Karlaftis for three weeks after testing positive for COVID-19.
A statement from the school’s athletic department said the sophomore is self-isolating at home. Karlaftis’ first test Tuesday morning came back positive and a subsequent PCR test confirmed the result, the statement said.
Big Ten guidelines require players who test positive to sit out 21 days, which would keep Karlaftis out of the Boilermakers’ three remaining scheduled games — Rutgers, Nebraska and rival Indiana. He could return for the conference’s ninth regular-season game against a yet-to-be- determined opponent, and he would also be able to play in a bowl game.
Karlaftis left the Illinois game in Week 2 with an undisclosed injury and hasn’t played since.
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The Baltimore Ravens will conduct all team activities virtually with time running out before their scheduled matchup against unbeaten Pittsburgh on Thanksgiving night.
Running backs Mark Ingram and J.K. Dobbins, along with defensive tackle Brandon Williams, were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Monday.
In a statement Tuesday morning, the team said the on-field practice session was canceled “with the health and safety of players and staff remaining the highest priority.”
