Dabo Doesn't Buy Your COVID Story, FSU

Saturday's ACC matchup between #4 Clemson and Florida State was postponed by FSU due to a positive COVID test for a player on Clemson's team. A member of Clemson's team tested positive for COVID after the Tigers arrived in Tallahassee Friday night. The player was said to have been isolated and proper ACC COVID protocols were followed, although the player did practice and travel with the team up until the news of the positive test.

The Seminoles decided to cancel the matchup Saturday morning.

Dabo did not appreciate this. The Tigers' head coach took the bold claim to say the "game was not canceled because of COVID, COVID was just an excuse to cancel the game."

That is a haymaker if I've ever seen one.

He continued on: "I have no doubt their players wanted to play and would have played. And same with the coaches. To me, the Florida State administration forfeited the game."

It goes without saying that he was fairly frustrated with the situation. He detailed the FSU administration's unwillingness to find a solution and play the game. Clemson allegedly offered to retest all players and staff, and delay the game a few days so it could be played on Sunday or Monday, but FSU declined.

An understandable frustration of Dabo is the financial side of the story; Clemson spent over $300,000 for the trip to Tallahassee for the matchup. That is a large sum of money to go there and back and not have a down of competition to show. 

However, FSU's head coach Mike Norvell says the decision was made off of the advisory of medical professionals. Even without the advisory of medical professionals, we are living in a very sensitive and frightening time, so it was a little out-of-line for Dabo to blast the concern for safety.

Another possible frustration of Dabo could be that Clemson needs to play games and improve their record as much as possible; sitting at #4 is on the cusp of playoff elimination, and they need a strong showing in these last couple weeks to keep them from missing out on the College Football Playoff.

Nevertheless, he did not voice his frustration in a very appropriate way. It looks very bad on him, and it is insensitive to the situation the world is in.