Through three weeks of its strange, shortened season, as other Pac-12 teams had games canceled, USC played on tenuously, its schedule unimpeded by the coronavirus.
But that changed with a single positive case on Monday, followed by another on Tuesday. By Thursday afternoon, a third USC player exhibiting symptoms tested positive for the coronavirus, forcing the Pac-12 to declare Saturday's game with Colorado a no contest.
According to a Pac-12 statement, the game was canceled because USC did not have the minimum number of players available in a specific position group, due to contact tracing protocols.
"Not contesting this game is very disappointing to our student-athletes and our fans," the statement read. "While all of us want to see our football student-athletes on the field competing, our number one priority must continue to be the health and safety of all those connected to Pac-12 football programs."
