Clemson, Florida State football game won’t be played as expected
Clemson’s game at Florida State, scheduled for Saturday afternoon, was postponed three hours before kickoff.
“The postponement follows this morning’s game conference call at which time both teams’ medical personnel were unable to mutually agree on moving forward with the game,” the Atlantic Coast Conference said in announcing the news.
Several members of Clemson’s staff, including some equipment managers, trainers and members of Clemson’s social media team, were already at Doak Campbell Stadium preparing for the noon kickoff when the decision was made that the game would not be played.
Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich told The State Saturday morning that FSU did not want to play due to a Clemson player testing positive for COVID-19 on Friday when the ACC administered its third party tests.
The player was isolated and arrangements were being made for him to return to Clemson when the game was postponed, according to Radakovich.
“They, Florida State and their medical group, decided that this was, given where they are, a risk to continue to play the game, because this person may have infected others. That it could infect them during the game,” Radakovich said outside the team hotel in Tallahassee. “Although we have not seen in any competition up to this point any infections being able to be pointed to competition.”
It wasn’t immediately known if the game would be rescheduled. However, when asked if Clemson would come back down to Tallahassee for a game, Radakovich told The State: “Somebody would have to pay the cab fare.”
He estimated that the trip cost Clemson between $250,000 and $275,000.
There is a meeting scheduled for next week to discuss if the game can be rescheduled, Radakovich added.
Clemson traveled to Florida State on Friday and was in Tallahassee on Saturday morning when it was announced that the game would be postponed.
ESPN, citing multiple sources, said a Clemson player displayed COVID-19 symptoms this week and practiced with the team but tested negative for the virus.
It was Clemson’s first postponed game of the 2020 season. As it stands, the Tigers return home and host Pitt next Saturday.
“A little bit of disbelief, disappointment,” Radakovich said of his reaction to the game being postponed. “Because we’ve had positives along the way in the middle of the week. There’s a guy you might know, No. 16, quarterback (Trevor Lawrence). We continued to play the game. But every situation is different. Florida State is a valued member of the ACC.”
Clemson offered alternatives to play the game later this weekend, according to Radakovich. But FSU declined the offer.
“After going back and forth a little bit and saying, ‘Look, we’ll get tested today and play tonight. We’ll get tested today and play tomorrow.’ That wasn’t satisfactory,” he said.
Clemson’s athletics department had 18 positive COVID-19 tests over the last week of testing, the school announced Friday evening. Those numbers are not football-specific and include all sports. That 18 total included 13 student-athletes and five staff members, the school said.
Clemson QB Trevor Lawrence, who missed the Tigers’ previous two games after testing positive for COVID-19, posted on Twitter: “Man, we were ready to play.”
A fan reminded Lawrence about the pandemic. Lawrence tweeted, but soon deleted, this response: ‘You are right. Wish it was about the pandemic though.’
It was the ninth ACC game postponed or canceled in the 2020 season because of virus — or roster-related reasons — and the first that came the day of the game. Just this week, the Georgia Tech-Miami (postponed) and Wake Forest-Duke (canceled) games were also impacted.
“Our first priority is the health of our student-athletes, and I appreciate the protocols that have been put in place by FSU and the ACC to ensure everyone’s health while allowing us to play this season,” Florida State coach Mike Norvell said in a statement. “It’s unfortunate that we will not have the opportunity to compete today, but we hope to be able to play Clemson in December. I am thankful for the support and coordination between our administration, Clemson and the ACC office.”
Clemson was scheduled to end the regular season Dec. 5 at Virginia Tech. The ACC built in the weekend of Dec. 12 for makeup games. The conference championship game is Dec. 19 in Charlotte.
Dec. 12 is an option for the Clemson-FSU game, according to Yahoo’s Pete Thamel.
This story was originally published November 21, 2020 at 8:51 AM.
