The season opener between Utah and Arizona on Saturday in Salt Lake City was canceled because of a rise in positive COVID-19 cases within the Utes program.
Utah athletic director Mark Harlan said a number of positive coronavirus tests Friday morning put Utah below the Pac-12′s minimum threshold of 53 available scholarship players under the conference’s game cancellation policy. The Pac-12 approved the request Friday.
“The cancellation of the our football game is a very difficult outcome to accept, but it absolutely is the right decision under the circumstances,” Harlan said in a statement. “While I am heartbroken for our student-athletes and everyone associated with Utah Athletics, as well as our great fans, our No.