Reliving the Game that Never Happened: 'COVID was Just an Excuse to Cancel Game' by Florida State
Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney was disappointed his team didn't get to play at Florida State on two years ago.
He was just as disappointed in the decision made by Florida State. Clemson had one player test positive for COVID-19 Friday who traveled with the team, and just one positive is not a prerequisite to postponing a game under ACC guidelines, Swinney said.
"If the standard of play was zero positive test, then we would have never had a season," Swinney said. "This game was not canceled because of COVID. COVID was just an excuse to cancel the game. And to be honest with you I don't think it has anything to do with their players. I have no doubt that their players wanted to play, and would have played. And same with the coaches. To me, the Florida State administration forfeited the game."
Swinney didn't elaborate on why he thinks FSU's administration didn't want to play.
"If they want to play Clemson, in my opinion, they need to come to Clemson, or they need to pay for all expenses," Swinney said. "Other than that, there's no reason for us to play it. We were there, we were ready and we met the standards."
Swinney is adamant that every protocol and guideline was properly met.
"We've done everything within those rules," he said.
Swinney said his players took it very hard because of the preparation and sacrifice that goes into getting ready for a game. He also added that he hasn't spoken with FSU head coach Mike Norvell.
Swinney confirmed reports that the player who tested positive practiced all week while testing negative Monday and Wednesday. Swinney said the entire team could test negative Friday and all test positive a day later. That's why the policy is in place and Clemson sets up a testing tent in the parking lot of the hotel, Swinney said.
"We all have known that the standard to cancel a game was not testing positive on Friday," Swinney said. "I was on every committee call for months since March and that was never the case. Never once was it said that if a team had a player test positive on a Friday test that the game would be canceled. The only thing that we talked about in canceling games, was not having enough scholarship guys, or at least seven offensive linemen. We offered to test again play Saturday night Sunday, Monday, and it was declined."
The infected player was quarantined and sent home immediately upon testing positive Saturday morning, and the team continued preparing for the game, Swinney said. He said a similar situation has happened both to Clemson and opponents in the ACC, including the week star QB Trevor Lawrence tested positive but Boston College still made the trip and played the game.
"That's why we test on Friday. That's why we set it up that way, because everybody knew that we wanted to have one last test before the game and if there were positives, we could take them out from playing. Then you'd have direct contact and we mitigated all the direct contact from travel. So there was never any illusion that there wouldn't be any positive tests on Friday. Again, never discussed that if you had one, that means cancel the game."
