FCS Daily Dose: Portland State, South Dakota Give Statements/Thoughts On Game Cancellation

The FCS Daily Dose is a blog-style article series featuring an assortment of news, rumblings, quick hitters, and commentary on various topics.

A new Daily Dose will be published multiple times a week.

Portland State, South Dakota Give Statements/Thoughts On Game Cancellation

The No. 6 South Dakota at Portland State game on Saturday was canceled hours before kickoff due to a case of pertussis (whooping cough) getting into the PSU team. Pertussis is a highly contagious disease that affects the lungs.

Both teams released similar statements on Saturday to announce the cancellation.

Sunday night, USD athletic director Jon Schemmel tweeted some thoughts:

FACTS!

1. Respect PSUs decision, but it was theirs & theirs alone (not mutual).

2. We (USD) clearly stated “We are playing” to PSU, MVFC, & Big Sky – only after that statement was made did PSU inform us they were not playing.

3. We were not made aware of the situation at PSU until after we landed in Portland Friday afternoon, PSU knew Thursday evening/night.

4. PSU repeatedly said they were intending to play.

5. At no point did we (USD) indicate we were not playing.

6. We had approval from USD leadership & that of BORs to play.

7. Our medical partnership w/ @SanfordHealth is amazing, we were in a room together for hours Friday night & Saturday morning. We had medically sound protocols to ensure the safety of our players and campus community. Very grateful to our team docs & all of Sanford Health!

8. Our university leaders were all involved & supportive of our plan to play (very grateful for them).

9. We planned to communicate everything to players before we left the hotel for the game.

10. There are several unresolved issues pertaining to this game.”

Monday morning, Portland State issued a press release.

Below is PSU’s statement:

Portland State University’s football game against South Dakota, scheduled for this past Saturday, was canceled as a precautionary measure following the diagnosis of a PSU team member with pertussis (whooping cough). The decision to cancel was made after thorough consultations between the administrations of both universities and the team physicians, prioritizing the health and safety of student-athletes and their communities.

The diagnosis for the one individual was confirmed Thursday evening, with several additional PSU players exhibiting symptoms of upper respiratory illness, though they had not yet been officially diagnosed at the time of the game. Multiple players were in close contact with the infected individual.

Portland State University team physicians, Dr. Melissa Novak and Dr. Jacqueline Brady, who are employed by Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) Sports Medicine, are working in close collaboration with the Multnomah County Health Department and the Oregon Health Authority. Together, they are ensuring the safety of the PSU community as well as the teams and universities PSU will compete against in the future.

As a precaution, all PSU players who may have been exposed to the illness have begun a five-day course of antibiotics, under the guidance of our OHSU medical professionals. These measures are expected to be completed in time for the team’s next scheduled game at Boise State on September 21. Only athletes and staff who have completed the antibiotic regimen will be eligible to travel and participate in the upcoming game.

We remain committed to the well-being of our students and appreciate the cooperation of our medical teams and local health authorities as we navigate this situation. 

Vaccination against pertussis is routinely recommended for infants, children, adolescents and adults. Children should receive the DTaP vaccine against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis at 2, 4, 6 and 15 to 18 months, and again at age 4 to kindergarten age. All persons ages 10 and older should receive a single dose of Tdap. Through these measures we can all help keep our communities safe. 

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Week 3 May Tell Us More About UIW Than Week 2 + 6 Preseason-Ranked Teams Are 0-2 … READ MORE

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