By Sarah Vandermolen
photo courtesy of clickondetroit.com
Merely a day after their season opener, Wisconsin Badgers quarterback, Graham Mertz, tested positive for COVID-19. Since then, 11 football players and 10 members of staff have also tested positive.
The abundance of cases led the Badgers to cancel their game against Nebraska, which was scheduled to take place on October 31. However, there is a chance that the team will also have to cancel their upcoming game against Purdue.
"We're still having additions in our cases, and that's something we've got to get our arms around and control it," said Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez.
The Badgers also cancelled practice for a week, with the earliest they could resume being November 4, only three days before their game against Purdue.
According to sports.yahoo.com:
If Wisconsin can't play Purdue, that game would be declared a no contest as well [as the Nebraska game]. It would also be the last game Wisconsin could have canceled and still be eligible for the Big Ten championship game. A team has to play a minimum of six games in 2020 to play in the conference title game. Because teams are not going to be playing the same amount of games this season the Big Ten is determining its division standings based on winning percentage.
Not only have the Badgers had to deal with their share of cases, but the Fighting Illini have also had two positive cases since the season opener.
Quarterback Branson Peters and tight end Griffin Moore both tested positive for COVID-19. Due to contract tracing, 12 other Illinois players had to sit out for their game against Purdue on October 31.
Both players will not be able to resume playing until November 21.
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