With 10 days to go until the SEC begins its football season, some untimely news has come out from Columbia regarding the Missouri football team.
During his post practice press conference the Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz said that 12 players would be missing the team’s first game against Alabama for “COVID related situations.”
Mizzou has 12 players who will miss the Alabama game for "COVID-related situations."
— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) September 16, 2020
Peter Baugh of The Athletic, also reported that not all 12 players had tested positive for the virus but may be in contact tracing but more positives may come as the team waits to test again on Monday.
Not all 12 players have tested positive, necessarily. Some might be in contact tracing. Drinkwitz declined to specify. More positives could be coming, as the team was tested again today.
All 12 are officially out for the Alabama game. https://t.co/hBF2HENass
— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) September 16, 2020
On Wednesday, during his own post practice press conference Alabama head coach Nick Saban was asked if the team had any announcements of their own about whether certain players would be missing the game for COVID-19 tests.
Saban said that right now the team does not believe anyone on the team would miss the game with the virus.
“We really don’t have anybody that would be out for sure for the (Missouri) game,” said Saban. “We may have some injured players that may be out. We’ll let you know. I could give you a number but I don’t know which 12 players Missouri has out.”
Alabama will travel to Faurot Field, to play Missouri on Sept. 26.
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Patrick Dowd is a Reporter for Touchdown Alabama Magazine. You can follow him on Twitter, via Pat_Dowd77