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A third Big Ten contest for Week 9 has been canceled due to COVID-19.
Michigan State-Maryland has been called off due to a COVID-19 outbreak at Maryland.
NEWS: Under the guidance and advice from university medical staff, Maryland Athletics has canceled Saturday's scheduled football game against Michigan State.
The game will not be rescheduled. All team training activities have been paused. https://t.co/2SRpa1Y5o8
— Maryland Football (@TerpsFootball) December 17, 2020
The news was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg.
Sources: #Maryland–#MichiganState game is going to be cancelled. COVID-19 issues with the Terrapins. Announcement soon.
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) December 17, 2020
The Big Ten has already lost Indiana-Purdue and Michigan-Iowa due to COVID-19 this week. That leaves just four games of Championship Weekend left on the slate.
The Terps are also pausing all team activities.
Maryland finishes its season with a 2-3 record. The Terps looked good through three weeks, but then COVID-19 struck the program for the first time. Issues with the virus, as well as injuries, derailed Mike Locksley’s second season at Maryland.
“This has been a season of promise and of adversity,” Locksley said in a statement. “Our team has demonstrated a tremendous work ethic, resolve and displayed Maryland pride throughout this unique season. We have battled two opponents each week, the team we matched up with on the field and COVID. Together, we experienced tremendous highs and we are deeply disappointed that we will not be able to test ourselves on the field against Michigan State.”
Michigan State ends its regular season at 2-5. The Spartans were able to salvage things with a victory over in-state rival Michigan, but don’t have much else to boast about after Mel Tucker’s first year on the job.
Because of the pandemic, all teams are eligible to play in a bowl game. That means it’s possible one or both of these teams could still play again this winter.
Spenser is the news manager at Saturday Road and covers college football across all Saturday Football brands.