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Alabama-LSU, Texas A&M-Tennessee postponed due to COVID-19 issues

Two SEC football games were postponed with two others in danger of not being played on Saturday because of COVID-19 outbreaks.

The SEC announced Tuesday that No. 5 Texas A&M would not face Tennessee and that No. 1 Alabama and LSU also would not play. At Missouri, coach Eli Drinkwitz was assessing the number of players either with the virus or potentially exposed to it and trying to determine if he’d have enough players to face No. 12 Georgia. And in Kentucky, an unspecified number of positive tests left the Wildcats’ game against Vanderbilt in question.

“While it is unfortunate to have multiple postponements in the same week, we began the season with the understanding interruptions to the schedule were possible and we have remained focused throughout the season on the health of everyone around our programs,” SEC commissioner Greg Sankey said. “We must remain vigilant, within our programs and in our communities, to prevent the spread of the virus and to manage activities that contribute to these interruptions.”

The SEC requires teams to have at least 53 scholarship players available to play, including one quarterback, seven offensive linemen and four defensive linemen.

On Monday, the SEC announced the postponement of the game between Auburn and Mississippi State because of an outbreak among the Bulldogs. Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said Tuesday that his team, too, was affected with 12 members of the program, including nine players, testing positive. Elsewhere in the SEC, Arkansas coach Sam Pittman will miss his team’s game against No. 6 Florida because of his positive test.

South Carolina at Ole Miss remains the only other game on the SEC schedule.

SEC prepared for postponements

The conference rescheduled the Auburn at Mississippi State and Texas A&M at Tennessee games for Dec. 12 — the week the conference left open to reschedule games.

Because LSU (vs. Florida) has a game tentatively scheduled for Dec. 12, “the opportunity to reschedule the Alabama at LSU game will need to be evaluated,” the SEC said.

–Field Level Media ()