Miami football game against Kent State canceled due to COVID-19

The Miami RedHawks will not be hosting Kent State this Saturday, as the game has been canceled due to COVID-19 cases within the Golden Flashes’ program.

“The Kent State University at Miami University football game on Saturday, December 5th has been canceled due to roster issues with the Kent State football team related to positive COVID-19 tests and subsequent contact tracing,” a statement from the MAC read. “The game has been declared a no contest.”

This is the second game that has been canceled for the RedHawks due to COVID-19 issues with its opponent, as the annual Battle of the Bricks rivalry against Ohio University was canceled earlier in the season.

The football team isn’t the only program at Miami with canceled games so far, as the women’s basketball team has canceled or postponed two of its last three games due to COVID-19 issues within its own program. Men’s basketball also axed a Nov. 30 game with Defiance College due to COVID-19 issues in Defiance’s program.

The cancellation comes as the state of Ohio hit a new record of 585 new hospitalizations on Dec. 1, as well as 9,030 new cases.

Miami Director of Athletics David Sayler has indicated on Twitter that despite the cancellation, the RedHawks would still like to play this Saturday.

So the only 2 MAC games canceled thus far have been teams canceling on us.....Extremely disappointed for our football student-athletes who have worked so hard.....so any D1 program willing to play this weekend, we need to talk ASAP....already working the phones..... 2/2
— David Sayler (@MiamiOH_DSayler) December 2, 2020

Even if Miami manages to find an opponent in time for Saturday, the team’s path to the MAC Championship game is virtually non-existent at this point. Still, with a 2-1 record, another win could merit the RedHawks a consideration for a bowl game.

For now, they’ll just have to play the waiting game.

@LukasTheDream

nelso156@miamioh.edu