Ole Miss football amends Sugar Bowl schedule due to COVID-19 concerns, new CFP bowl policies
The Ole Miss football team has altered their Sugar Bowl schedule for next week out of concern for the surge in COVID-19 Omicron variant cases and protocol changes made to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
In a statement provided by the school on Wednesday, the team will not be arriving in New Orleans on Sunday as was previously scheduled. The media were scheduled to meet with Kiffin and players around 6:30 p.m. that day.
“After reviewing the new policies for bowl activities, the team schedule has been adjusted to ensure the safest possible experience for the student-athletes and staff,” the statement read. “Bowl week practices will begin in Oxford with the team’s arrival in New Orleans rescheduled from the 26th to later in the week. That date and other travel details are still being finalized. In addition, while our program is in a good place from a health standpoint, our medical staff will continue to monitor our team to guard against concerns related to COVID-19.”
The new policies mentioned in the statement refer to the new COVID-19 policies put in place for the College Football Playoff semifinal games in the Cotton and Orange Bowls along with the Fiesta and Peach Bowls.
Some of the new policy changes include all media availability with teams participating in the those bowl games will now be conducted virtually and all activities involving the teams leading up to the game were voluntary.
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Teams also have the option to arrive at the bowl site not later than two days before game, instead of the customary five days prior to the game.
The Sugar Bowl was not included in the new policies, but the football team decided to be proactive in amending their own schedule.
Wednesday’s statement from Ole Miss comes after another SEC team backed out of their bowl game altogether due to COVID-19.
Texas A&M announced they would not be playing in the Gator Bowl against Wake Forest due to a COVID-19 outbreak withing the program, leaving them without enough scholarship players available.
The Rebels are scheduled to play Baylor in the Sugar Bowl at the Caesars Superdome on Jan. 1 at 7:45 p.m. CT.
