The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University

The Vanderbilt Hustler

The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University.
Since 1888
The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University

The Vanderbilt Hustler

The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University.
The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University

The Vanderbilt Hustler

The official student newspaper of Vanderbilt University.

Sources: Week Four Vanderbilt-Missouri game to be postponed due to COVID-19

Vanderbilt will not travel to Missouri for its Oct. 17 contest due to COVID-19 related restrictions, multiple sources told The Hustler.
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Claire Barnett
Missouri plays Vanderbilt in football on Saturday, November 18, 2017. (Hustler Multimedia/Claire Barnett)

Last Updated: Oct. 12 at 2:45 p.m. CDT to include confirmation from Vanderbilt and the Southeastern Conference.

The Vanderbilt Commodores (0-3) will not travel to face the Missouri Tigers (1-2) on Oct. 17, multiple sources told The Hustler. The postponement, first reported by PowerMizzou, is due to a significant number of COVID-19 related quarantines, multiple sources confirmed.

The game is now tentatively scheduled for Dec. 12, according to a tweet from the Southeastern Conference (SEC).

Vanderbilt University confirmed through a press release at 2:30 p.m. CDT that the postponement was a result of a shortage of scholarship players, as a number of student-athletes are quarantining with positive tests or because they were marked as close contacts.

Vanderbilt took the field with just 56 active scholarship players in its Week Three matchup with South Carolina due to quarantines. On Friday night, Vanderbilt safety Donovan Kaufman suggested in a since-deleted tweet that he wouldn’t play on Saturday, with a subsequent reply stating he had tested positive for COVID-19.

In September, a new Southeastern Conference (SEC) rule set a minimum requirement of 53 active scholarship players to participate in a football contest. If a school falls below 53, the impacted institution has the option to either play the game with fewer than the 53 scholarship players or defer to Commissioner Greg Sankey, who may reschedule the game or declare a no contest.

The Missouri Tigers were hit with quarantines of their own in Week Three. In a 45-41 win over LSU, the Tigers were missing eight impact players, including three starters, as a result of COVID-related quarantines. While both teams had a number of players placed in isolation, the SEC tweeted that the rescheduling is due to Vanderbilt falling below the threshold, not Missouri.

“The league and universities have been prepared for the likelihood of disruptions within the season while we all navigate the various challenges and complexities of competing during a global pandemic. As always, we are committed to taking whatever steps necessary for the health and safety of our students and community,” Vanderbilt athletic director Candice Storey Lee said in the press release and reiterated on Twitter.

“While we share in the disappointment that this Saturday’s game will be postponed, our program is deeply appreciative of the tireless efforts put forth by student-athletes, university officials, conference administrators and medical experts who have risen to the challenge of helping us navigate these unprecedented circumstances,” head coach Derek Mason said. “The safety and well-being of our student-athletes will remain a top priority as we continue the season, and we look forward to returning to competition.”

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About the Contributors
Simon Gibbs, Former Sports Editor
Simon Gibbs (‘21) is the former Sports Editor for The Vanderbilt Hustler. He has been on staff since the first semester of his freshman year, previously serving as a Staff Writer, Senior Writer and Deputy Sports Editor. Simon is also the host of VU Sports Wired on Vanderbilt Video Productions and The Hustler Sports 30 on VandyRadio. Simon has attended several events as credentialed media, including the 2019 NFL Draft, 2019 College Baseball World Series and the 2019 SEC Tournament. Outside of his Commodore coverage, Simon has had bylines published on NHL.com and NashvillePredators.com. When he's not writing, you can find Simon watching his hometown New York Mets, waiting for that next ring. For tips, comments or concerns, please reach out to: [email protected]    
Claire Barnett, Former Multimedia Director
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