SALT LAKE CITY: A year of unprecedented college football has made it difficult to juggle the 2020 season, as a global pandemic has changed the landscape of the sport. And after what will be a five-game football season, Utah has chosen to play its last game on Saturday.
The Utes, who are set to host Washington in the final game of a modified and unpredictable regular season, “collectively decided” that Saturday’s game would be the last of the season, the university announced. Friday morning.
“Our number one priority is the well-being of our players and we support the decision they have made,” Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham said in a statement. “They have worked hard since they returned to campus this summer and have shown great resilience in the face of adversity and challenges.
“We are proud of what they have achieved on the field and the way they have handled everything off the field. We look forward to starting our preparations for the 2021 season when the players return to campus in January.”
Utah currently has a 2-2 record this season and a win against the Cougars Saturday would have made Utes’ bowl eligible with a 3-2 record: the Pac-12 requires a team to be superior to. season even though the NCAA allowed any team to be eligible for the 2020 season. But after a tax season, the decision is final.
British quarterback Covey said the team was “burned out” after Utah beat Colorado on Saturday for their second win of the season.
“It’s sad. I mean this is the first time in my career that we don’t play in a championship or the opportunity to go to the championship. And it’s different: you have to dig deep, you have to find what motivates you. “Covey said. “We will have one more game, and this season is so weird.
“The honest truth is, I don’t think anyone can criticize the teams for saying that, we’re all pretty exhausted. You saw what Boston College did, choosing not to participate in their bowl game,” he added. . “I don’t blame them at all because the whole team is pretty exhausted just with the emotional appeal of the season. So having a game is not fun, but at the same time, we are ready to finish strong. We want to finish with a record winner for next year “.
Earlier this week, Whittingham and his players declined to comment on what their plans were for a possible postseason, and instead said their main focus was on Washington state.
“We support our student-athletes in their decision and applaud them for the way they represent the University of Utah,” Mark Harlan, athletic director of Utah, said in a statement. “We have said since the beginning of this pandemic that everything is about the health and well-being of our student-athletes. They have done everything they were asked to do following the strict protocols established to provide them with the opportunity to play football season this fall.
“We thank our incredible fans and fans who have been by our side and our student-athletes during this unprecedented season.”
Josh Furlong