Updated 3x: Cal–USC Football game has been rescheduled for Dec. 4th due to "more positive cases" among the Bears

More Cal student-athletes have tested positive for the coronavirus.

Cal Athletics @CalAthletics

The Cal Football game vs USC has now been rescheduled for Saturday, Dec. 4. The kickoff time and broadcast tv network will be announced at a later date.

Cal Athletics @CalAthletics

Game Update for Cal Football vs USC this Saturday. full release: https://t.co/xtbBSpE4WI https://t.co/qwvjse8iRY

Official Cal Athletics Statement on the Matter:

BERKELEY – The Pac-12 football game scheduled between Cal and USC for this Saturday has been postponed due to additional Cal football student-athletes who tested positive for COVID-19 and are unavailable to practice this week or play in the contest. Cal has contacted the Pac-12 about rescheduling the game later this season. 

"It was a difficult decision to postpone this Saturday's game against USC," Cal Director of Athletics Jim Knowlton said. "We know how important every one of our games is to our student-athletes, especially our seniors who have been incredible representatives of the program, but it was the right thing to do. Due to additional impact on specific position groups, we have decided to postpone Saturday's game. We have had multiple COVID-19 positives within our program, and we are taking every step we can to mitigate the spread and protect the greater community."

"Our heart goes out to all of the people who enjoy our games in so many ways and especially the players who only get so many chances to go out and play them," Travers Family Head Football Coach Justin Wilcox said. "Postponing this game was a last resort and not an action any of us wanted to take, however it was not possible for us to field a team on Saturday."

Those who have purchased tickets for this Saturday's game will receive direct communication from Cal Athletics.

Cal's next scheduled contest is the 124th Big Game at Stanford on Sat., Nov. 20 (4 pm PST, Pac-12 Network), while USC hosts UCLA the same day.

Jon Wilner @wilnerhotline

Cal-USC game is off.Bears can’t play. First FBS game off this season bc Covid issues

Jon Wilner @wilnerhotline

I expect to know today if Cal will be able to play this week. It is far from certain

Double confirmation by Cal Rivals’ Trace Travers

Cal Rivals @CalRivals

Cal-USC is off. @wilnerhotline had it first. Can confirm

More will be added as the news develops.

Trace also noted that there is a chance this game is rescheduled. Not sure.

Update: Kyle Bonagura of ESPN is reporting that the team now has “more positive cases” after the initial batch that led to isolating players in the lead up to the Arizona game.

Kyle Bonagura @BonaguraESPN

Can confirm @wilnerhotline report: Cal-USC canceled, related to COVID cases at Cal. Team experienced more positive cases after roughly two dozen tested positive last week.

Update: Cal Athletics is stating that they will ask the Pac-12 for a rescheduling. Pac-12 rules allow for a outbreak interrupted game to be rescheduled.

Cal Athletics @CalAthletics

Game Update for Cal Football vs USC this Saturday. full release: calbea.rs/3ww7bEV

Per ESPN’s Pac-12 Covid rules article for the 2021 season:

"The Pac-12 rule provides the Commissioner with discretion to determine whether an institution is at fault or primarily at fault for an instability to play a contest based on the facts of the situation."

Update:

Kyle Bonagura @BonaguraESPN

With neither team in the mix for the Pac-12 title game, I would expect this game to be made up Dec. 5 -- like when the Big Game got postponed due to fires in 2018. Haven't spoken to anyone yet to know for sure.

Update: SF Gate’s Sports editor stated that both City of Berkeley’s Dept. of Public Health as well as Cal Athletics have not responded to any press inquiries.

Alex Shultz @AlexShultz

Re: news of Cal-USC cancellation: Cal declined my requests to clarify what's going on, and Berkeley Dept. of Public Health is ghosting me. If there is indeed a major COVID outbreak on a 99% vaccinated team, the public deserves to know. And if there isn't, we should know that too