Florida is pausing team activities “out of an abundance of caution” following positive COVID-19 test from players this week, the University’s athletic director Scott Stricklin announced Tuesday afternoon.
Earlier Tuesday news broke that five Florida football players tested positive for COVID-19, according to a report from the Orlando Sentinel.
“The University of Florida football team has experienced an increase in positive COVID tests among players this week. Out of an abundance of caution, team activities are paused as of Tuesday afternoon,” Stricklin said in a statement.
Stricklin added that Florida coach Dan Mullen has communicated with football players and their families, and that he had conversations with the Southeastern Conference and the Gators’ previous opponent Texas A&M.
LSU is set to travel to Gainesville, Fla. this weekend to face the Gators Saturday at 3:00 p.m. on ESPN, but that game might be in jeopardy now that Florida has paused activities.
“These circumstances will be re-evaluated by UF Health and the athletic department's sports medicine staff Wednesday,” Stricklin said.
The Coronavirus impacted LSU’s most recent opponent, as Missouri was without seven players including the team’s leading receiver heading into their game last Saturday.
Only one Missouri player tested positive, the other six were held out due to contact tracing.
Missouri’s scheduled game this weekend against Vanderbilt became the SEC’s first to be postponed due to COVID-19 cases this season after the Commodores reported Monday that several players would be out due to contact tracing from its positive cases.
