DALLAS (SMU) – Due to the results of COVID testing and contact tracing, SMU will be unable to play in the 2020 Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl. SMU identified a number of positive cases of COVID-19 involving student-athletes and staff members, and a number of football student-athletes were identified as close contacts via the contact tracing process and would also be unable to practice this week and play in the bowl game.

"Since the beginning of this pandemic, many student-athletes across the country have had the unfortunate experience of missing out on opportunities to compete in any number of athletic events, with many missing out on entire seasons," said SMU A.D. Rick Hart. "Our team deserved to play another game. I'm disappointed for our fans, and even more disappointed for our players, that we will be unable to play in a bowl game this season. I'm also sad that many of our seniors played their final collegiate games, not knowing at the time that that was their last time on the field. I want to applaud our team for their efforts this season and to acknowledge the personal sacrifices they all made to make this season possible.

"As has been the case all season, our focus is the health, safety and well-being of our team and staff. Student-athletes will be able to quarantine for the next seven days here in Dallas and we will test them at least twice during that time frame to provide them confidence that they are going home to enjoy the holidays with their families in a safe and healthy manner."

"While I wish our guys had been able to finish the year in the celebratory manner they deserved, the health and safety of our student-athletes and staff remain our top priority and this is a tough, but necessary, decision that had to be made," said SMU Head Coach Sonny Dykes. "I'm proud of our players and staff for being ready to play for 13 straight weeks during the regular season. That was a monumental accomplishment and took an incredible amount of discipline and commitment to each other and our football program.

"As I said last week, this senior class will be forever remembered for helping to usher in a new era of Mustang Football. They won 17 games over the last two seasons and have been the winningest team in the state of Texas over that time. I'm appreciative and so proud of their accomplishments. We all owe them a great debt of gratitude."