The Nov. 14 matchup between Mississippi State football and the Auburn Tigers is being postponed after positive COVID-19 tests and contact tracing protocols within the Mississippi State football program. The decision to postpone the game is consistent with the SEC COVID-19 policies and parameters for football game cancellations, rescheduling of games and no-contest declarations for the 2020 season.
Per the Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force created by the SEC for this season, a minimum of 53 scholarship student-athletes eligible to participate are required for a team to be able to play. In those 53 scholarship players, four defensive linemen, one quarterback and seven offensive linemen, including one center are required.
“Based on positive tests and those considered as close contacts, along with non-COVID injuries, we do not have the minimum number of scholarship student-athletes available for Saturday’s game against Auburn,” MSU Director of Athletics John Cohen said. “While we are disappointed that Saturday’s game has been postponed, our priority is the health, safety, and well-being of our student-athletes and staff. We will continue to follow all established protocols and evaluate the most responsible path to return to the field.”
For now, the game has been tentatively rescheduled for Dec. 12 and will remain in Starkville.
The extra week off gives Mississippi State a little more time to celebrate its win over Vanderbilt, but more importantly, gives Mike Leach more time to figure out what finally went right for the Bulldogs. Even though Mississippi State escaped with a victory, there are a ton of improvements still to be made on the offensive line and the entire passing game as a whole.
What’s next
Due to the postponement, Mississippi State football will not play until Nov. 21 where it will travel to Athens, Georgia to take on the No. 12 Georgia Bulldogs. The game is scheduled to be televised on SEC Network at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Photo courtesy of MSU Athletic Communications
My name is Colin Bailey and I’m a Los Angeles native and currently a Journalism Major/Sports Media Minor at the University of Colorado Boulder.