Today’s Florida State-Clemson football game postponed, three hours before kickoff

Today’s Florida State-Clemson game has been postponed because both teams’ medical personnel “were unable to mutually agree on moving forward with the game.”

The announcement from the ACC came roughly three hours before the scheduled noon kickoff at Doak Campbell Stadium, and the Tigers were already in Tallahassee.

The situation stems from a positive coronavirus test at Clemson. The conference said both teams “continue to adhere to the minimum outlined protocols within the ACC Medical Advisory Group report.”

Those protocols include coronavirus tests taken the day before a game. An outside party handles the tests, and teams usually receive results on Friday night or Saturday morning for a normal game.

“Our first priority is the health of our student-athletes, and I appreciate the protocols that have been put in place by FSU and the ACC to ensure everyone’s health while allowing us to play this season,” first-year Seminoles coach Mike Norvell said in a statement. “It’s unfortunate that we will not have the opportunity to compete today, but we hope to be able to play Clemson in December.”

Both teams share an open date on Dec. 12, one week before the ACC championship in Charlotte, N.C. Clemson athletic director Dan Radakovich seemed to express some skepticism about that as a makeup date in an interview with The State.

The postponement is the 18th of the week, according to the Associated Press, and the first time this season a contest has been called off on game day.

FSU (2-6) loses out on a chance for a high-profile matchup with a perennial powerhouse against the No. 4 Tigers (7-1), a College Football Playoff contender.

“We are disappointed that we will not be able to play today’s game against Florida State,” Radakovich said on Twitter. “Clemson has followed all of the ACC’s protocol in preparation for this game. We look ahead to returning to action next week against Pitt for Senior Day and Military Appreciation Day.”

FSU is scheduled to host Virginia next Saturday.