UCLA has drawn heavy criticism for pulling out of the Holiday Bowl just hours before the scheduled kickoff, and we now know the supposed reason for the decision.

UCLA said in a statement that they were advised by medical staff that having players participate in the game would be “unsafe” based on COVID protocols. One source close to the situation told Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times that the Bruins decided to back out after a number of players tested positive for COVID-19 the morning of the game. Other players supposedly would have been forced to play out of position, and UCLA felt that would leave those players at an increased risk of injury.