TCU football postpones SMU opener amid coronavirus outbreak
TCU won’t open the football season next Friday against SMU, athletic director Jeremiah Donati said.
The Horned Frogs have seen a spike in coronavirus numbers among the team and have been forced to postpone the game. It had been scheduled for next Friday night (Sept. 11) at Amon G. Carter Stadium. The game would have opened the Big 12 football season as a primetime game on Fox Sports 1.
“We are disappointed to announce that our upcoming football game against SMU will not be played as scheduled on September 11,” Donati said in a statement. “We have agreed with SMU to monitor dates throughout the season to potentially make up the game.”
Because the game has been postponed, and not canceled, tickets remain status quo for the time being. TCU has announced plans for 12,000 fans — about 25% of the 46,000-seat stadium — to attend home football games this season.
Donati said there was a spike in positive coronavirus cases among players and staff. Sources have indicated that a few position groups have been depleted by the recent outbreak and it simply was not feasible for TCU to go forward with the SMU game.
These types of setbacks are being anticipated in college football starting up amid the pandemic. TCU said it’ll be ready to play its next scheduled game against Iowa State on Sept. 26 in Fort Worth, the opening weekend for Big 12 play.
“We have planned for game disruptions all summer and knew it was extremely likely that we would be in a position we had to reschedule a game or even multiple games,” Donati told the Star-Telegram. “Our focus is on our student-athletes and getting them all back healthy and ready to go.”
The Horned Frogs last practiced on Wednesday, taking Thursday and Friday off with the rise in cases. It’s unclear when they may return to the practice field.
Players who test positive for COVID-19 are sidelined a minimum of 10 days, and likely longer with the enhanced protocols set forth by the Big 12 with additional heart screenings. Players who are deemed to have been in close contact with an individual who tested positive are sidelined a minimum of 14 days.
“No one is currently facing serious health issues,” Donati said as part of his statement, “and we intend to continue our enforcement of strict standards to protect the program and our community. Everyone’s health and safety remains our top priority.”
TCU and SMU do not have mutual off weeks the rest of the season. Rescheduling the game seems unlikely, unless both schools face cancellations by opponents on the same week. This year would have marked the 100th game between the schools in a rivalry that dates back to 1915.
Shortly after TCU broke the news of the postponement of what should have started the Big 12 football season, the conference announced its cancellation thresholds amid the pandemic. A minimum number of players to play a game has been set at 53, including scholarship and walk-on players.
Additional minimum requirements were set in terms of players needed as offensive linemen (7), interior defensive linemen (4) and quarterback (1).
“Teams falling below any of these benchmarks, based on game week test results, could still elect to play as scheduled if so desired,” the Big 12 said. “Otherwise, upon approval by the Commissioner, the game would be declared a no-contest if it cannot be moved to a later date.”
This story was originally published September 4, 2020 at 4:37 PM.
