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LOGAN — Utah State will have to sit this week out.
Due to an upward trend of COVID-19 cases within the Utah State football program, the Aggies' game Thursday against Wyoming has been canceled, the Mountain West Conference announced Wednesday. There are no plans to reschedule the game.
The Aggies are the latest team hit by the coronavirus pandemic as games across the country continue to be canceled.
While it's the first time the outbreak has caused a pause in play, it's not the first time the Aggies have been impacted by the disease this season. Just last week, Utah State was without both their defensive and offensive play-callers — co-defensive coordinator Stacy Collins and offensive coordinator Bodie Reeder, after both tested positive for COVID-19.
Utah State was also going to be without presumed starting quarterback Andrew Peasley against Wyoming due to a positive test. Those positive tests haven't slowed down, and now the program won't be able to take the field.
Interim head coach Frank Maile said earlier this week that COVID-19 protocols were part of the "new normal" of the college football season. Each day, he's been looking at test results and waiting for the trainer to let him know which players could still play and which could not. Wednesday's report came with some bad news.
"These kids have been relentless and resilient through this process, and so I don't see anything changing," Maile said.
It's just another thing the Aggies have to be resilient about. In a short season, they have already seen their head coach fired and their starting quarterback dismissed from the squad.
The game's cancellation comes as the state is experiencing near-daily record numbers of COVID-19 cases — and the Aggies haven't been the only program affected. The University of Utah football program has yet to play a game due to an outbreak of the disease among their team. The Utes canceled two games already, but there seems to be optimism about them finally taking the field this Saturday against USC.
The question now for Utah State is how many games will be canceled? The Aggies are scheduled to face New Mexico next week on Thanksgiving. That game, which will be broadcast on FS1, will be played without fans, Utah State announced Wednesday afternoon.
