Georgia State COVID-19 results were false positives

The Georgia State Panthers warm up prior to their game against Louisiana Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020,, at Georgia State's Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta. (Daniel Varnado/For the AJC)

Credit: Daniel Varnado

Credit: Daniel Varnado

The Georgia State Panthers warm up prior to their game against Louisiana Saturday, Sept. 19, 2020,, at Georgia State's Center Parc Stadium in Atlanta. (Daniel Varnado/For the AJC)

Georgia State will return to practice Monday after an error in reading COVID-19 test results postponed Saturday’s game at Charlotte.

The Panthers conducted required tests last week on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Thursday’s testing, the results of which were announced Friday before the team’s departure for North Carolina, included four positive results for the coronavirus. The school identified 17 other Georgia State players, and one coach, who would be forced into quarantine and therefore postponed its game against the 49ers.

“Out of an abundance of caution for the rest of our team and Charlotte, we could not in good conscience put our team on the bus and play a game,” explained Charlie Cobb, Georgia State director of Athletics.

The individuals identified were retested Friday and none was positive. The Thursday test swabs also were retested and were all negative.

“The disappointing news is that we could have played on Saturday,” Cobb said in a statement. “More importantly, the positive news is we are not dealing with an outbreak at this time.”

The game against the 49ers has not been rescheduled. The Panthers (0-1) face East Carolina at noon Saturday at Center Parc Stadium.