Minnesota returned to practice Monday and is on track to play Nebraska this week despite having more than 20 players out because of COVID-19 protocols.
Coach P.J. Fleck said Monday that the Gophers can play the game because the team has had no positive COVID-19 tests since Thursday and just two in the past seven days. The Big Ten’s thresholds for playing with both test positivity rate and population positivity rate are based on a seven-day rolling average. The league also requires players who test positive to miss a minimum of 21 days and go through cardiac testing and reconditioning before being cleared to play.
Minnesota canceled its past two games, Nov. 28 against Wisconsin and Saturday against Northwestern. The team paused activities Nov. 24, and its outbreak increased to 49 people who tested positive: 23 players and 26 staff members. Fleck said most but possibly not all of those on his coaching staff could return for the Nebraska game. Minnesota began conditioning and other activities last week before working up to its first full-scale practice Sunday.
Fleck also expressed his desire to play Wisconsin next week. The Big Ten initially set aside the final weekend for division crossover games as well as the league title game at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. But sources said certain intra-division games that were canceled could be made up Dec. 18 or Dec. 19.
Minnesota and Wisconsin have played every season since 1906, the longest uninterrupted series in the FBS. The teams first met in 1890 and play for Paul Bunyan’s Axe.
“Wisconsin-Minnesota is one of the greatest rivalries in all of college football,” said Fleck, who added that Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle also would like to play Wisconsin next week. “We would love to play that game, and I think Wisconsin would say the same thing. Who wouldn’t want to play in that game? … It would be great to continue that streak of one of the greatest rivalries in college football.”