DALLAS — It’s a major disappointment for the Southern Methodist University Mustangs. Due to an outbreak of COVID-19 among the University of Virginia Cavaliers, the Fenway Bowl is off.

What You Need To Know

  • The Fenway Bowl at Fenway Park has been canceled due to an outbreak of COVID-19 among Virginia football players

  • The game had been slated for Wednesday and was to be the inaugural bowl game there

  • SMU's bowl game with UT San Antonio was canceled last year due to a COVID-19 outbreak 

  • The 2021 Military Bowl has also been canceled, and Texas A&M was forced to drop out of the Gator Bowl due to COVID

The game had been slated for Wednesday at Fenway Park in Boston, but the announcement came down Sunday that Virginia had to drop out, canceling the game as well as all associated activities.

“The University of Virginia is no longer able to participate in Wednesday’s Wasabi Fenway Bowl due to the number of COVID cases impacting its roster, preventing safe participation,” Wasabi Fenway Bowl officials said in a statement. “As a result of this withdrawal, the game and associated activities will not take place.”

This was slated to be the first bowl game Fenway Park. Making the situation even worse, SMU’s bowl game against the University of Texas at San Antonio was canceled last year due to COVID.

“I’m disappointed for our fans, and even more disappointed for our players, that we will be unable to play in a bowl game for the second straight season. We are, however, sympathetic to Virginia’s situation, having to withdraw from our bowl last season due to COVID. We hope those impacted get well soon,” SMU Director of Athletics Rick Hart said in a statement.

SMU isn’t the only team being impacted by the dramatic uptick in omicron variant-fueled COVID 19 cases. The 2021 Military Bowl, which was to have featured the Boston College Eagles and the East Carolina Pirates, has been canceled due to a COVID outbreak among Boston players. The game had been set for Monday at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Maryland.

Texas A&M last week announced it had dropped out of the Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Florida, due to a COVID outbreak among players. The Aggies have since been replaced by Rutgers and the game with Wake Forest will go on as scheduled on Dec. 31.