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Florida State football was scheduled to play Clemson in less than two hours, but the Tigers are now headed back to South Carolina after the game was postponed early this morning. Pete Thamel of Yahoo Sports reported that a backup offensive lineman for the Tigers tested positive for COVID-19. The positive result was received after the player traveled with the team to Tallahassee.
SOURCES: A Clemson back-up offensive lineman tested positive for COVID-19 from a test taken Friday. They received the results after Clemson landed in Tallahassee. The player traveled with the team. FSU officials weren’t comfortable playing because of potential spread.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 21, 2020
He’s the only reported positive case for the Tigers. Due to being the only positive case, both the ACC and Clemson were ready to play Saturday’s game. Florida State officials were not. The player was reportedly symptomatic throughout the week, but had been testing negative through Clemson’s protocols.
Despite being symptomatic, the player reportedly practiced throughout the week and was in close quarters with the rest of Clemson’s offensive linemen. Despite nobody else on the team receiving a positive test after traveling to Tallahassee, FSU had concerns about a potential spread of the virus within the Clemson team.
Source: The issue that FSU medical officials had with Clemson’s positive test is that the offensive lineman practiced while symptomatic this week. (He had been testing negative.) After he did test positive from the Friday test, there was concern he’d been contagious.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 21, 2020
FSU officials were also concerned with the message it would send their team if they put them in harm’s way, knowing of a potential spread within the Tigers.
Source: FSU officials were also concerned about the messaging to their own players, both about health and safety and looking hypocritical. FSU has upheld stringent standards, including not letting players go home for break. FSU's last positive was coach Mike Norvell in Sept.
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) November 21, 2020