It's been what ... 10 years or more since we—as a fan base—have had to "deal" with a suspension like this. So, my memory may not be spot on ... BUT, as I recall ...
There are two different test for positive results on things like PED's. One, if positive, turns into a second test just to verify results.
It's been a LONG time since Todd Bates suspension so I very, very easily could be forgetting things.
I'm curious where you're pulling that from. It's my understanding these participation list names are pulled from come from a few, select games per year. IE: We're are a few months removed from Helfrich making some off-the-cuff comment during one of his pressers about some Bama players being ineligible for the playoffs (a story firmly refuted.) I know some of these "mandatory test" are pre-season, I know a lot of them are post-season before bowl games, etc. ... and occasionally we'll see them during the season.
Something about the timing doesn't sit right with me. I can see this being a pre-season test and it taking a few weeks for confirmation from the first test. I have a hard time seeing him taking something for Friday's bout with the flu, a test being done and results offered immediately.