Avoiding coronavirus part of quieter bowl week for CFP teams

By RALPH D. RUSSO
AP College Football Writer

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — For years, college coaches have worried about players partying too much ahead of big games. The pandemic has added another thing to fret over during bowl week. The latest surge in COVID-19 cases fueled by the omicron variant has led to five bowl games being canceled in the past two weeks. The biggest games of the postseason, however, appear to be on as scheduled Friday. No. 1 Alabama will face No. 4 Cincinnati in the Cotton Bowl at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and No. 2 Michigan and No. 3 Georgia square off in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. The players say they are being careful, but schools have only been regularly testing unvaccinated athletes and there is little transparency in college sports.