Report: Nebraska vs Wisconsin Game May Be Canceled

Jeff Potrkus of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has reported that Saturday’s Nebraska - Wisconsin game may be in jeopardy of being canceled.

Wisconsin starting quarterback Graham Mertz has already been ruled out of the game because of multiple positive Covid-19 tests. This is after the first Badger starting quarterback Jack Coan was ruled out indefinitely due to a foot injury.

It has also been revealed that the backup to Mertz, Chase Wolf, has also tested positive for this bloody damned virus.

Then this news:

But according to a second source, UW’s test positivity rate is close to the threshold that would force the team to stop regular practice and competition for a minimum of seven days and then reassess the situation.

If the game were to be canceled it would be ruled a “No Contest”, which means neither team would get a win or a loss.

And it would result in much sadness for those of us who want to see Nebraska play Wisconsin. Much, much sadness.

These are the protocols as established by the Big Ten Conference when they decided to resume play:

The Big Ten Conference will use data provided by each Chief Infection Officer (CInO) to make decisions about the continuation of practice and competition, as determined by Test Positivity Rate and Population Positivity Rate, based on a seven-day rolling average:

Test positivity rate (number of positive tests divided by total number of tests administered):

Green 0-2%

Orange 2-5%

Red >5%

Population positivity rate (number of positive individuals divided by total population at risk):

Green 0-3.5%

Orange 3.5-7.5%

Red >7.5%

Decisions to alter or halt practice and competition will be based on the following scenarios:

Green/Green and Green/Orange: Team continues with normal practice and competition.

Orange/Orange and Orange/Red: Team must proceed with caution and enhance COVID-19 prevention (alter practice and meeting schedule, consider viability of continuing with scheduled competition).

Red/Red: Team must stop regular practice and competition for a minimum of seven days and reassess metrics until improved.