LSU coach Ed Orgeron announces multiple players test positive for COVID

LSU head coach Ed Orgeron announced that the team was experiencing a COVID outbreak. Orgeron would not disclose any details but confirmed that several players had tested positive and were now in quarantine.

"Can't go into detail," Orgeron told reporters. "It's a very fluid situation. I can tell you that we do have players that have got COVID and we do have some players that have quarantined. I can't tell you the numbers."

While he did not name any players or say how many players, he did acknowledge it is "going to be challenging with the guys that are out." The positive tests put LSU's scheduled game against Alabama in jeopardy. LSU might not be able to reschedule the game, as the Tigers already had to reschedule their game against Florida during their open date on Dec. 12.

SEC protocol states that anyone who tests positive for COVID must quarantine for 10 days, those deemed a high-risk contact must quarantine for at least 14 days.

The Athletic's Brody Miller reported that LSU has had four players test positive but "many more players out in quarantine." Miller also said that the SEC office was expected to make a decision regarding the game's status in the next 24 hours.

LSU is 2-3 on the season, having lost its most recent game to Auburn. Even before the outbreak, the Tigers faced a difficult challenge taking on Alabama, which is currently the top-ranked team in the nation. Alabama head coach Nick Saban tested positive in October, but three subsequent negative tests determined it was a false positive.