USC football has opted out of playing in a bowl game this year, the team announced Saturday night. The decision was made by USC’s medical staff, coaches, players and athletic director Mike Bohn.
The announcement cites a recent rise of COVID-19 cases among the team and player injuries as reasons for the decision. USC was reportedly nearing the 53-player threshold needed to play a game as a Pac-12 participant.
Another aspect of the decision was the rising number of cases in and around campus. The men’s basketball team is about midway through a 14-day quarantine due to positive tests last week, and all teams not in season have paused activities until Jan. 4, 2021.
“By opting out of the bowl game, Trojan players will have the opportunity to spend time with their families during the holiday break,” the announcement read. “Due to the program’s stringent COVID-19 health and safety protocols, the players have been separated from their families since the Pac-12 voted to resume football practices and competitions in September.”
The Trojans — who canceled one game, a Nov. 28 matchup with Colorado, due to COVID-19 cases among their players — join UCLA, Stanford, Utah, Washington and Washington State as Pac-12 schools who have opted out of bowl season per 247Sports. Teams from other conferences who have made the same decision include Florida State, San Diego State and Virginia.
USC head coach Clay Helton said he is proud of the way the team handled the circumstances of the pandemic by following guidelines.
“It has not been easy, and it is hard for anyone outside the program to understand how immensely difficult these past few months have been for them,” he said. “We all share the desire to stay healthy and be with loved ones during the holidays and I fully support this collective decision … We are all disappointed by how our season ended, but I am extremely proud of our players and it is an honor to be their coach.”
Bohn said the program fully supported the decision because it is a “student-athlete-centered” program.
“This will allow them to be with their families who they haven’t seen for a long time and begin preparing for their spring semester academics,” Bohn said.
The team was a likely candidate to play in the Valero Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29 against Big 12 runner-up Iowa State. Now, USC concludes its football season with a 5-1 record but on a sour note following Friday night’s Pac-12 Championship Game loss to Oregon.