artisteer/iStockBy CARMEN COX, ABC News
(MADISON, Wis.) — The Wisconsin and Purdue football teams won’t play this weekend. Wisconsin athletics director Barry Alvarez announced Tuesday that the Badgers’ home game was canceled due to the number of positive COVID-19 cases in the program. The game won’t be rescheduled.
The University of Wisconsin has also paused all team activities indefinitely.
“I share in the disappointment of our student-athletes and staff,” Alvarez said. “We have seen a level of improvement in our testing numbers, but not enough to give us confidence to resume normal activities and play our game on Saturday.”
This weekend’s canceled game is Wisconsin’s second after canceling its scheduled game at Nebraska on Oct. 31.
The team reported five new COVID-19 cases since Saturday, Oct. 31. Those cases are included in 21 total cases reported in the last seven days. The team says there are currently 27 active cases — including student-athletes and staff — in the program since Saturday, Oct. 24.
Alvarez says UW will continue to test regularly and take necessary precautions to bring the team back to the field “as soon as possible.”
Wisconsin Athletics will provide another team update Saturday, Nov. 7.
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