Wisconsin won’t resume football activities until at least Nov. 4.
The school said Thursday that three more people within the program had tested positive for COVID-19. The football program now has 16 active COVID-19 cases and 15 of those have come via positive tests since Oct. 24.
Wisconsin called off its Saturday game against Nebraska on Wednesday and said Thursday that the earliest it could begin practices and workouts would be on Nov. 4. That’s three days before the team’s next scheduled game vs. Purdue. And per Wisconsin’s release, that Nov. 4 start date isn’t guaranteed.
“Wisconsin Athletics’ focus at the moment is to stop the spread of the virus for the health and safety of the program’s student-athletes and staff,” the school said. “There is no definitive timeline for a return to in-person football activities, but the earliest that could occur is Wednesday, Nov. 4. A return to activity depends upon the success of ongoing mitigation efforts. Head coach Paul Chryst, per CDC and Big Ten guidelines, can return to the team in person following a 10-day isolation period, on Saturday, Nov. 7 at the earliest.”
Chryst said Wednesday that he was one of the people with the Wisconsin football team that had tested positive.
If Wisconsin can’t begin practicing on Nov. 4, it seems unlikely that it would be able to play Purdue. That would mean a second canceled game for the Badgers. One more cancellation this season would make Wisconsin ineligible for the Big Ten title game.
The conference has said that any canceled game is declared a no contest. Nebraska wanted to replace Wisconsin on its schedule with FCS team Chattanooga. But the Big Ten shot down Nebraska’s request to play the game and the Huskers will be off on Saturday.
Wisconsin can’t begin practicing until Nov. 4 at the earliest. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
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Nick Bromberg is a writer for Yahoo Sports.
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