SALT LAKE CITY – An unparalleled year of college football has made the 2020 season difficult to juggle 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 the final game on Saturday.
The Utes, who will host Washington State in the final game of an altered and unpredictable regular season, “collectively decided” that Saturday’s game will be the last game 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 incredibly hard since returning to campus this summer, and they have shown tremendous resilience in dealing with setbacks and challenges.
“We are proud of what they have accomplished on the pitch and how they handled everything off the pitch. We look forward to starting our preparations for the 2021 season when the players return to campus in January.”
Utah currently sits with a 2-2 record in the season, and a victory over the Cougars Saturday would have taken the Utes bowl into account with a 3-2 record – the Pac-12 requires a team over .500 to qualify. to come for bowl. season despite the NCAA, making each team eligible for the 2020 season. But after a tough season, the decision is final.
Junior wide receiver Britain Covey said the team was “burned out” after Utah defeated Colorado on Saturday to claim its second win of the season.
“It’s sad. I mean, this is the first time in my career that we don’t play for a championship or get the chance to go to the championship. And it’s different – you have to dig a little deep, you have to search. what motivates you, “said Covey.” We’re going to play one more game, and this is such a weird season.
“The honest truth is, and I don’t think anyone could criticize the teams for saying this, we’re all pretty burnt out. You saw what Boston College did by opting out of their bowl game,” he added to it. “I don’t blame them at all, because the whole team is quite burnt out, just because of the emotional setback of the season. So having one game is not fun, but at the same time we are ready to play. Strong. We want to finish. with a winning record starting next year. “
Earlier this week, Whittingham and his players declined to comment on their plans for a possible postseason, saying instead that their full 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, Utah’s athletic director, said in a statement. “We have said from the start of this pandemic that it is all about the health and wellbeing of our student athletes. They have done everything asked of them by following the strict protocols that were put in place to give them the opportunity to have a play football season this fall.
“We thank our incredible supporters and fans who have stood by us and our student athletes throughout this unprecedented season.”
Josh Furlong