Iowa vs. Missouri Matchup in 2020 Music City Bowl Canceled Amid COVID-19

The Music City Bowl between Iowa and Missouri, which was scheduled for Wednesday, has been canceled because of a "significant increase in positive COVID-19 tests" within the Tigers' program.

Missouri director of athletics Jim Sterk released a statement that read in part:

"Since concluding our regular season and conducting four rounds of tests over the last eight days, we have seen a significant increase in positive COVID-19 tests among our student-athletes, coaches and staff, and after consulting with local health officials, our team physicians and MU Health's Dr. Steve Whitt, who is our representative on the SEC Medical Task Force, we unfortunately must pause all football team-related activities until at least January 2 to help contain the virus' spread and ensure the health and well-being of everyone within our program and the community."

Missouri finished its season with a 5-5 record. Iowa went 6-2.

Missouri completed all 10 games on its schedule. Two of them were postponed (against Vanderbilt and Georgia) but were eventually played. Iowa had also played all of the games on its schedule.

Sterk's statement continued as follows:

"Our student-athletes have been extremely diligent in following all of the SEC's COVID-19 testing protocols since returning to campus back in the summer, and we are incredibly proud of their efforts to play every regular-season game this fall, as well as the success they have had on the field against a 10-game all-SEC schedule that included five games against nationally-ranked opponents, and in the classroom during the fall semester. However, this eight-day uptick within our program is significant and has made it impossible for us to play in the bowl game, which I know comes as a disappointment to our student-athletes, coaches and fans, who were excited about the opportunity to play a great Iowa team in Nashville."

Postponements and outright cancellations have been commonplace during this college football season amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Some conferences have canceled their seasons entirely, including the Ivy League.

Bowl season has not been immune to cancellations.

The Gasparilla Bowl between UAB and South Carolina was called off because of COVID-19 concerns within the Gamecocks program. The Frisco Bowl between UTSA and SMU was called off because of COVID-19 issues on SMU's team.

Other bowls were canceled simply because of a rapid increase in positive COVID-19 cases nationwide, including the Pinstripe Bowl and Sun Bowl.

The Music City Bowl, which would have taken place in Nashville, Tennessee, is now the latest bowl to be called off.

As of now, 16 bowl games remain on the college football postseason schedule, in addition to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.