Report: ASU football does not practice due to COVID-19 issue

Arizona State football did not practice on Thursday due to a COVID-19 issue, according to The Athletic’s Doug Haller.

Haller reports ASU still expects to practice on Friday.

The Sun Devils are currently scheduled to take on the University of California on Saturday night. The Golden Bears’ originally planned opener against the Washington Huskies on Saturday was canceled by the Pac-12 after a positive coronavirus test.

Subsequent contact tracing shut down too many of the Golden Bears, putting the team below the minimum of 53 scholarship players.

The city of Berkeley’s protocols put the Golden Bears’ defensive line group in quarantine, which jeopardized the chances of the game happening.

The Mercury News’ Jon Wilner reported late Thursday that ASU’s own coronavirus concerns now weigh as heavily or more heavily than Cal’s in whether the game will happen or not.

On Thursday afternoon, ESPN’s Kyle Bonagura reported there’s a “cautious sense of optimism” from Cal’s perspective that the game can take place. Bonagura noted there’s a chance the game could be moved to Sunday.

Arizona State lost its opening game of the season to No. 20 USC 28-27.

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