Alabama was scheduled to travel to Tiger Stadium to take on LSU this Saturday in a primetime SEC on CBS matchup but that will no longer be the case as the Southeastern Conference has decided to postpone the game due to COVID issues being experienced in Baton Rouge this week.
This news was first reported by Jim Dunaway of WJOX radio in Birmingham.
Here is the official statement released by SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey following the news:
“While it is unfortunate to have multiple postponements in the same week, we began the season with the understanding interruptions to the schedule were possible and we have remained focused throughout the season on the health of everyone around our programs. We must remain vigilant, within our programs and in our communities, to prevent the spread of the virus and to manage activities that contribute to these interruptions.”
Ed Orgeron had previously announced that LSU was going to be very limited for the Alabama game, without providing any specific numbers on how many scholarship players would be available to play against the Crimson Tide. With Myles Brennan ruled out for the game by Orgeron, freshman quarterback TJ Finley is believed to be the only available scholarship QB the Tigers would have had on Saturday.
LSU has already had a game postponed this season, as the Tigers trip to Gainesville was postponed following an outbreak in Gainesville earlier this season. That game was set to be played on Saturday, Oct. 17, but has been rescheduled for Dec. 12.
That complicates matters for Alabama and LSU, as the two teams likely won’t be able to meet on Saturday, Dec. 19 with the Crimson Tide likely to be playing in the 2020 SEC Championship Game on that date.
Here is what the SEC had to say about the possibility of rescheduling the Alabama-LSU game:
“Because LSU has a game tentatively scheduled for December 12, the opportunity to reschedule the Alabama at LSU game will need to be evaluated.”
Once the SEC makes a final decision on the status of this game, we will be sure to pass along that information.
A graduate of the University of Tennessee, Michael Wayne Bratton oversees the news coverage for Saturday Down South. Michael previously worked for FOX Sports and NFL.com
