UTEP suspended football activities Sunday and called off another game after “multiple members” of the football team tested positive for COVID-19.
The Miners won’t play host to Southern Miss as scheduled Friday after scrapping this weekend’s game at Rice because of the positive tests.
It’s the third straight UTEP game to be called off, starting with UAB on Nov. 20 because of coronavirus issues in the UAB program. UTEP had moved the UAB game 300 miles east of El Paso to Midland, Texas, because of a significant increase of coronavirus cases in the far West Texas city.
“During our recent COVID testing, multiple members of our football team tested positive for the virus,” athletic director Jim Senter said. “We will make a determination on the remainder of the season once we have received the results of our next regularly scheduled test.”
UTEP hasn’t indicated plans to reschedule any of the three games, saying the only remaining scheduled regular-season game was Dec. 12 at home against North Texas.
The Miners last played Nov. 14 at UTSA, losing 52-21 for a third straight defeat that dropped them to 3-4.