By Colton Clark
McClatchy News Service
PULLMAN — The Washington State Cougars arrived in Texas at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday, only to learn three hours later that they might be forced to conclude their memorable season in unsatisfying fashion.
If the Sun Bowl can’t find a replacement opponent quickly, that’s a wrap for WSU (7-5).
The University of Miami’s athletic department announced Sunday evening that its football team had withdrawn from its postseason game against the Cougars, scheduled for Friday at 9 a.m. in El Paso, Texas, because of “COVID-19 cases impacting our roster,” according to a release.
“(The Hurricanes) do not have enough student-athletes to safely compete, and the health and safety of our student-athletes will always be our top priority,” Miami deputy director of athletics Jennifer Strawley said in a school release.
The Sun Bowl is searching for a fill-in to “hopefully” face the Cougars, per statements from both WSU athletic director Pat Chun and Sun Bowl Association executive director Bernie Olivas.
“It is very disappointing that COVID is taking a toll on so many college football teams and bowl games,” Olivas said. “As of this moment, the 2021 Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl game has not been canceled, although the University of Miami has withdrawn from the game. We are currently looking for a possible replacement team, in the hopes of having one to compete against Washington State, in the 88th Annual Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl.”
The Sun Bowl Association’s news release promised an update “by Monday evening.”
Memphis, SMU and East Carolina each had bowl games canceled in recent days because of COVID-19 issues affecting their opponents, but those three programs have reportedly decided to end their seasons.
Teams that have already competed in bowl games this month aren’t eligible to play another, per a recent decision passed by the NCAA Football Oversight Committee.
On Monday afternoon, a possible opponent became available. Boise State pulled out of Friday’s Arizona Bowl game against Central Michigan. Washington State would have a relatively short trip to Tucson to play in the Arizona Bowl or Central Michigan could play the Cougars in the Sun Bowl, which will be broadcast on CBS. The Arizona Bowl will be streamed on title sponsor Barstool Sports’ multiple platforms.
“Our team is in El Paso and willing to play any opponent,” WSU coach Jake Dickert tweeted. “Our team just wants one more chance to finish this storied 2021 season.”
The Cougars were welcomed to West Texas by a host of dancers and musicians who performed traditional Spanish numbers — the first of many festivities slated for the next five days. WSU’s team heard the news just before its second bowl-week activity began.
“We’ve already put the time and effort in these past few weeks,” WSU edge Ron Stone Jr. told Colin Deaver, a reporter with an NBC affiliate in El Paso. “We earned this game and we feel like we deserve to play.
“That’s the same mindset of everyone on the whole team — we want to be out there and we want to find a team to play.”
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
