Portland State Cancels CFB Game vs. South Dakota Due to Whooping Cough Outbreak

Saturday's game between South Dakota and Portland State has been canceled due to an illness in the Vikings program.

Portland State announced the cancelation a few hours prior to the scheduled 4 p.m. ET kickoff due to "many team members" being exposed to whooping cough in the last few days:

"Today's Portland State Football game vs. South Dakota has been canceled due to illness within the PSU program.

"A case of pertussis (whooping cough) got into the Viking team two days ago. Pertussis is a highly contagious disease that affects the lungs. As a result, many team members have been exposed to the disease. The two programs and their team doctors have been in discussions regarding the situation. It was determined by Portland State that the game would not be played in the interest of the health of the student-athletes."

The school did note that no players are seriously ill at this time.

South Dakota athletic director Jon Schemmel issued a statement to Jay Elsen of Midco Sports about the decision to cancel the game:

Per the Centers for Disease Control website, whooping cough is marked by a severe hacking cough that is usually followed by a high-pitched intake of break that can sound like "whoop."

Initial symptoms can resemble those associated with a common cold before gradually worsening to include coughing fits that can cause breathing issues and fatigue.

The CDC noted coughing fits can last for up to 10 weeks and a full recovery could take 12 weeks, depending on the severity. The disease is most serious for babies and children. Teens and adults will usually experience fewer complications, particularly if they have been vaccinated.

Portland State (0-2) was set to host its first game of the season after playing on the road the past two weeks. South Dakota (1-1) is ranked No. 6 in the FCS top 25 poll and was coming off a 27-13 loss at Wisconsin last week.

The Vikings are set to play Boise State at Albertsons Stadium on Sept. 21. South Dakota will host Drake at DakotaDome next Saturday.