Baylor pauses all football-related activities because of positive COVID-19 test results

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The Bears are off this week, but slated to play Oklahoma State in Week 7

The Baylor football program announced Thursday that it is suspending all football-related activities as a precautionary measure to “allow for further evaluation of recent positive tests and the completion of close contact tracing.”

“At this time and in the interest of our student-athletes, coaches, and staff, we have temporarily suspended all football-related activities. Their health and wellness will always be our top priority,” Baylor athletic director Mack Rhoades said in a statement. “We are taking all possible precautions and our focus remains playing the scheduled game with Oklahoma State at McLane Stadium on Oct. 17.”

The Bears are off this week before their scheduled meeting with Oklahoma State next week. Baylor has already dealt with two canceled games this season because of the pandemic. Baylor’s originally scheduled season-opener with Louisiana Tech, slated for Sept. 19, was postponed as the Bulldogs dealt with an outbreak of the virus. Baylor quickly agreed to a game with Houston instead, but that was postponed after the Bears failed to meet the Big 12’s minimum COVID-19 thresholds.

Baylor finally opened the season and Dave Aranda’s tenure as coach with a 47-14 win over Kansas on Sept. 26. The Bears then lost 27-21 at West Virginia last week. Baylor was originally scheduled to play Ole Miss, Incarnate Word and Louisiana Tech as nonconference opponents before COVID-19 disrupted the college football season. As things stand now, Baylor and TCU are the only Big 12 teams that have not played a nonconference game.

— CBS SPORTS