Wisconsin had two games canceled earlier this season due to an outbreak of COVID-19 within its program. The Badgers could be on the other side of that this week against Minnesota.

That program released a statement Monday night that it would not practice Tuesday:

“Upon the advice of medical experts, the University of Minnesota football team will not practice Tuesday and will conduct all meetings virtually as a result of presumptive COVID-19 positive tests Monday. The team’s goal is to return to a regular practice schedule on Wednesday in preparation for Saturday’s game at Wisconsin. An update will be provided when additional tests results are returned and more information available.”

A presumptive positive test means that a player tested positive via a rapid antigen test that all players and staff across the conference take on a daily basis. A more reliable polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is then done to confirm the positive and usually is returned the next day.

Minnesota has not missed a game this year, but coach PJ Fleck said that through injuries and positive COVID tests the Gophers were down 22 players prior to the Purdue game last Friday and almost did not play.

Teams must exceed two thresholds the Big Ten has in place before they are required to cancel games for COVID-19 reasons. If a school reaches one of the thresholds but not the other, it has the option to cancel on its own, which is what Wisconsin did two weeks in a row.

A total of four Big Ten games have been canceled this season.

If the game is canceled, it will not be made up.