TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — The 2021 Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl has been canceled due to COVID.
Earlier Monday, Boise State pulled out of the Arizona Bowl, founder Dave Portnoy tweeted. Portnoy said the game could still take place, and that the bowl was actively looking for a replacement team.
Breaking: @BroncoSportsFB has pulled out of @theARIZONABOWL due to too many players contracting covid. We are actively looking for a replacement. I suggest @WSUCougarFB does a poll of players whether they want to play in Az bowl or Sun Bowl.
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) December 27, 2021
Since then, Boise State officially withdrew late Monday, due to the amount of student athletes who tested positive, which has surpassed the limit that would allow for safe travel ans safety of other students.
Barstool Sports, in a statement, said:
“This late development is disappointing on so many levels, but we certainly understand and agree that the health and safety of the players, coaches, officials, university personnel, fans, vendors, and our community comes first,” said Kym Adair, executive director of the Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl. “We exhausted every option to find a replacement team to play, but unfortunately we could not make that happen.”
“We feel for the young men in our program who were very much looking forward to closing out their season, and for some, their football careers,” Boise State University director of athletics Jeramiah Dickey said. “I would personally like to thank Kym Adair and her team at the Arizona Bowl for putting together a first-class student-athlete and fan experience that we are extremely disappointed to miss.”
— The Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl (@theARIZONABOWL) December 28, 2021
A Monday tweet from Sports Illustrated's Ross Dellenger said the Arizona Bowl had about 24 hours to find a replacement team, otherwise Central Michigan could be released to play Washington State in the Sun Bowl in El Paso.
As expected, Washington State is committed to the Sun Bowl & would not play in the Arizona Bowl, sources confirm.
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) December 27, 2021
If the Arizona Bowl cannot find a replacement for Boise in the next ~24 hrs & MAC lifts Central Michigan's obligation, CMU is expected to be bound for the Sun Bowl.
Washington State was left without an opponent when Miami backed out of the game due to a COVID-19 outbreak.
Boise State Bronco Athletics released this statement to KGUN:
In consultation with its medical staff, in addition to campus and public health officials, Boise State football has shut down all team activities as a result of COVID-19 protocols, therefore will be unable to compete in the 2021 Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl, Bronco Athletics announced Monday.
“We feel for the young men in our program who were very much looking forward to closing out their season, and for some, their football careers,” director of athletics Jeramiah Dickey said. “I would personally like to thank Kym Adair and her team at the Arizona Bowl for putting together a first-class student-athlete and fan experience that we are extremely disappointed to miss.”
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