UCLA was forced to withdraw from the Holiday Bowl hours before Tuesday's football game against NC State in San Diego because of COVID-19 problems within the Bruins' program.
The school announced its decision at around 3.30 pm. E.T. on Tuesday The Bruins and Wolfpack were due to start at Petco Park at 8 p.m. ET.
UCLA athletic director Martin Germond said in a statement that he was "deeply disappointed" for the Bruins players, but stressed that their health and safety are paramount.
The Wolfpack was trying to win 10 games in a season for only the second time in the program's history.
Although UCLA had several players not traveling to San Diego due to COVID-19 reasons, Wolfpack coach Dave Doreen said no one at NC State knew UCLA was dealing with more COVID-19 issues when the Bruins were in town. I had come to start preparing for the game. , Doreen first heard about it when her athletic director, Boo Corrigan, told her the game was off - minutes before the news hit social media.
Doreen told a small gathering of reporters in San Diego that she broke the news at a team meeting in which her players expressed anger, confusion and sadness.
"Felt lied to, to be honest," Doreen said. "We felt like UCLA probably knew something was going on, we didn't tell anyone on our side. We had no clue they were against it. I don't think it was handled very well by their university It would have been great to do a heads-up two or three days before we could have found a plan B. Disappointing."
Jarmond responded to Doreen in a statement posted on Twitter.
"With today's COVID results, our medical staff deemed it unsafe for us to compete this evening," Germond wrote. “While we had isolated the COVID challenges, we were still in a position to compete today.
"I'm really disappointed for everyone who was involved with the sport."
Bowl season executive director Nick Carparelli said in a text message to ESPN that the Bruins' cancellation was due to COVID-19 protocols.
"The UCLA statement makes it very clear that his inability to play was due to protocol, not the virus," Carparelli said. "I feel bad for both the teams at the Holiday Bowl as well as the greats who worked so hard all year for today. It remains a very sad and depressing situation."
Corrigan said NC State has been in contact with several teams about playing a game, but he did not say when or where it might take place. The Holiday Bowl said in a statement that it does not want to cancel the game, and is working with Corrigan to help the Wolfpack find an opponent.
"We don't want to officially cancel the game until we've exhausted every opportunity to find a replacement team," the Holiday Bowl said.
"I don't want what happened here this year to be any less," Doreen said. "It was an unfair thing, and like all other unfair things, there wouldn't be an argument that would make it feel good. We have to deal with it and prepare for what lies ahead."