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6 Top 25 college football games disrupted this weekend due to the coronavirus

5 Top 25 college football games disrupted this weekend due to the coronavirus
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The coronavirus continues to play havoc on college football teams throughout the United States as 15 Division 1 FBS games have been postponed or canceled for this weekend.

Of the 15 contests, six involved AP Top 25 teams, including No. 1-ranked Alabama, No. 3 Ohio State and No. 5 Texas A&M. No conference has been impacted more than the SEC, which postponed four of its seven games scheduled for Saturday.

The most anticipated matchup of the weekend, top-ranked Alabama versus defending national champion LSU, was postponed on Tuesday after LSU reported multiple COVID-19 cases.

Maryland, who was scheduled to take on Ohio State, reported eight COVID-19 cases among its players.

For schools with multiple coronavirus cases, a key issue is contact tracing and quarantining close contacts of those positive with the virus. The CDC recommends that anyone who has been within six feet for 15 minutes of someone infected with the virus to quarantine for up to two weeks.

Texas A&M athletics direct Ross Bjork said contact tracing was a significant factor in postponing its game against Tennessee this weekend.

“The nature of away game travel (flights, meals, lodging, locker room, etc.) naturally leads to an increase in the number of student-athletes, coaches and staff who meet the criteria for mandatory quarantine based on contact tracing guidelines,” Bjork said in a statement. “We are asking everyone around our university community to stay vigilant and follow all of the safety protocols and best practices as we approach the end of the fall sports seasons.”

Here are the games postponed or canceled this weekend:

No. 1 Alabama vs LSU

No. 3 Ohio State vs Maryland

No. 5 Texas A&M vs Tennessee

No. 12 Georgia vs Missouri

No. 15 Coastal Carolina vs Troy

No. 24 Auburn vs Mississippi State

Memphis vs Navy

Air Force vs Wyoming

UL-Monroe vs Arkansas State

Gardner Webb vs Charlotte

North Texas vs UAB

Rice vs Louisiana Tech

Pittsburgh vs Georgia Tech

California vs Arizona State

Utah vs UCLA