USC Football Team Opts Out of Playing in Bowl Game Amid Rising COVID-19 Cases

One day after losing to Oregon in the Pac-12 Championship Game, USC has announced its season will end as COVID-19 cases rise within the football program.

In a statement Saturday, USC said it has opted out of playing in a bowl game "following a recommendation from the USC medical team and discussions with the Trojan football leadership council."

Head coach Clay Helton addressed the situation in the school's statement:

"I am incredibly inspired by our players and the sacrifices they made these past six months to play the game that they love. They did everything we asked of them to abide by the challenging guidelines they had to follow to stay safe and well, whether it was daily testing or keeping distant from family and friends or training in less-than-ideal ways. It has not been easy, and it is hard for anyone outside the program to understand how immensely difficult these past few months have been for them. We all share the desire to stay healthy and be with loved ones during the holidays and I fully support this collective decision. I thank our players for their remarkable efforts. We are all disappointed by how our season ended, but I am extremely proud of our players and it is an honor to be their coach."

The statement noted the Trojans have experienced "a rise in COVID-19 cases among its players and staff recently, including positive cases this past week."

USC also cited the rising number of coronavirus cases in the Los Angeles area as a factor in its decision. The football program shut down all activities and canceled a scheduled game against Colorado on Nov. 28 due to not having enough scholarship players available to play.

The Trojans were originally supposed to play Washington in Friday's Pac-12 title game, but the Huskies had to withdraw because of their own COVID-19 issues.

Oregon, which finished second in the Pac-12 North Division, replaced Washington in the game. The Ducks upset USC 31-24 to win the conference title for the second straight year.

USC will finish the 2020 season with a 5-1 record.