Cincinnati-Tulsa postponed due to Bearcats' COVID-19 issues

Updated Oct. 15, 2020 11:27 p.m. ET

Associated Press

No. 8 Cincinnati’s game at Tulsa on Saturday has been postponed because of positive COVID-19 tests among Bearcats players.

The American Athletic Conference announced Thursday the game is being rescheduled for Dec. 5.

Later, FIU at Charlotte was postponed because of an increase in positive tests in the FIU program. Charlotte athletic director Mike Hill said in a statement the schools will work with Conference USA to reschedule the game in December.

The number of Cincinnati players who have tested positive or have been quarantined through contact tracing was not revealed by the school, which has not been making those numbers public throughout its testing of athletes.

Cincinnati is next scheduled to play Oct. 24 at No. 17 SMU.

FIU is scheduled to play Oct. 23 against Jacksonville, a game originally scheduled for Sept. 3 but pushed back when FIU delayed the start of its fall sports competition to Sept. 16.

Overall, six major college games slated to be played this week have been rescheduled because of the virus, including five since Sunday. The Southeastern Conference has called off two games, including LSU at No. 10 Florida, the first postponements in the league since it began Sept. 26.

The SEC was also rocked this week by the news that Alabama coach Nick Saban tested positive for the virus ahead of the second-ranked Crimson Tide’s showdown at home with No. 3 Georgia. Saban said Wednesday he did not have symptoms. He is unlikely to coach Saturday against Georgia.

The number of games involving FBS teams to be postponed and canceled since Aug. 26 is now 31.

Tulsa has had three games postponed, including its opener against Oklahoma State, which it was able to make up. The Golden Hurricane have played only twice this season. They are scheduled to play at USF on Oct. 23.

“I’m disappointed, first, for our football student-athletes and coaches, and obviously for our staff who has prepared so diligently, our campus and the city of Tulsa," Tulsa athletic director Rick Dickson said. “This TU Homecoming game was a great opportunity to showcase our football program, the community and the American Athletic Conference against the nation’s No. 8 team.”

Like Tulsa, Charlotte has yet to be play a home game. The 49ers are next scheduled to play Oct. 24 at home against UTEP.

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