The Sun Belt Conference on Thursday canceled its 2020 football championship game because of a positive COVID-19 test result in the Coastal Carolina program.
The conference said that an entire position group for the No. 15 Chanticleers was ruled out for their game Saturday against No. 19 Louisiana after contact tracing determined the players were at high risk.
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Sun Belt commissioner Keith Gill said in a statement Thursday night that the conference was "disappointed" that the game could be played.
"We will honor both teams as 2020 Sun Belt Conference co-champions," Gill said.
Louisiana coach Billy Napier was not on board with the conference's decision to cancel.
Surely we are going to reschedule this game, right...?
— COACH BILLY NAPIER (@coach_bnapier) December 18, 2020
Coastal Carolina finishes its season 11-0, with its best win coming over previously unbeaten BYU in a game that was arranged on just days' notice. Louisiana finishes 9-1, including a one-sided defeat of No. 6 Iowa State in its season opener.
The Chanticleers defeated the Ragin' Cajuns 30-27 on Oct. 14 in Lafayette, La.
Stadium's Brett McMurphy reported Thursday that Louisiana is open to playing Coastal in a bowl game later this month. McMurphy speculated the Cure and Camellia bowls could host the game if a school from another conference can be shifted to another game.
