UPDATE: The LSU-Florida game has been postponed to Dec. 12. Read the full update here: https://www.wbrz.com/news/lsu-florida-football-game-postponed

GAINESVILLE - The University of Florida has suspended its football activities after more than a dozen team members reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 just days before the Gators are set to take on LSU.

The school confirmed Tuesday that it had five new positive cases among its athletics department, all of them involving football players. The Associated Press is reporting that 19 total members of the team tested positive. 

AP source confirms Payton’s report. 19 is indeed the number of positives from Tuesday morning testing https://t.co/KPJOgjTa4d

— Mark Long (@APMarkLong) October 13, 2020

The Gators released the following statement Tuesday afternoon.

"The University of Florida football team has experienced an increase in positive COVID tests among players this week. Out of an abundance of caution, team activities are paused as of Tuesday afternoon.
 
Head coach Dan Mullen has been in communication with football players and their parents, and I have had conversations with the Southeastern Conference office, last week's opponent Texas A&M, and this week's opponent LSU.
 
These circumstances will be re-evaluated by UF Health and the athletic department's sports medicine staff Wednesday."

Florida is currently scheduled to play LSU in Gainesville this Saturday.