Rutgers Quarantines Football Program Following 10 Positive COVID-19 Tests

Rutgers has placed its entire football program under quarantine after six players received positive COVID-19 test results, the school announced Saturday. Four other members of the program have also tested positive since mid-June, when the team resumed offseason workouts.

"We have paused all in-person team activities, quarantined our entire program and will work diligently with Rutgers medical experts, and state and local officials to determine next steps," a Rutgers spokesman said in a statement.

The announcement comes one day after Michigan State quarantined its entire program for 14 days after it had received eight positive tests since mid-June. There have now been 13 teams to suspend workouts because of either a community or campus outbreak.

Power 5 schools' in-season health plans recommend a 14-day quarantine period in the event they've been in contact with someone who's tested positive. These "high risk contacts" describe situations in which someone is within six feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes while one or both parties is not wearing a mask.

The Big Ten, like all other Power 5 conferences, will play conference-only football schedules this fall. As long as it is safe to do so, this decision will apply to all fall sports, the conference said in a press release on July 9.