Because of ‘an increase in COVID-19 positive results’ FIU postpones Saturday’s game

The FIU football team has postponed its road game that had been scheduled for Saturday against the Charlotte 49ers.

FIU released a statement late Thursday night, explaining that “an increase in COVID-19 positive results” within the Panthers program caused the postponement.

“Out of an abundance of caution, all team activities have been paused,” the statement read.

This is not the first time COVID-19 positive results have spiked within the FIU football program. FIU coach Butch Davis told the Miami Herald earlier this month that 45 of his players missed between 25 and 55 days of practice, workouts or other team activity this year because of a combination of the virus, contact tracing and quarantine protocols.

Because of the pandemic, FIU did not have a single practice in the spring, and the Panthers had no full scrimmages in the fall. Their season started Sept. 26 — which was the second-latest start date among the 12 Conference USA teams playing football this fall.

FIU, which has been to a bowl game in all three years under Davis, is off to a poor start at 0-2 overall and 0-1 in league play. FIU is the only winless team in Conference USA.

Some of that can be attributed to the virus. Davis said he was down to just three offensive linemen recently and had to switch a pair of defensive players to be able to line up for practice.

In addition, the lack of scrimmage and games relative to their opponents has resulted in numerous missed tackles, Davis said.

FIU, which has used three quarterbacks in each of its games, has lost to Liberty, 36-34; and to Middle Tennessee, 31-28. But in the loss to Middle Tennessee, Davis said quarterbacks Stone Norton and Max Bortenschlager were limited because they spent most of the week in the Covid-19 protocol after there were numerous false-positive test results.

FIU’s next scheduled game is Friday Oct. 23 against visiting Jacksonville State (1-1). Jacksonville State lost to FSU 41-24 and then beat Mercer 34-28. Jacksonville State led FSU 14-0 in the second quarter of their game.

THIS AND THAT

▪ FIU running back D’vonte Price ranks fifth in the nation in rushing yards per game (130.0). FIU ranks 13th in the nation in rushing yards per game (219).

▪ FIU’s Lexington Joseph ranks third in the nation in all-purpose yards (200.0), and he ranks seventh in kickoff return average (33.5).

This story was originally published October 16, 2020 at 11:42 AM.