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Whether or not the Michigan football program is hoisting up the white flag, as ESPN talking head Kirk Herbstreit charged, and then immediately apologized for, or is just rife with Covid-19 positives, is moot. The Wolverines have cancelled their home game Saturday against Maryland and next weekends game against blood rival Ohio State is in serious jeopardy.
SOURCES: #Michigan has had to cancel its game with #Maryland this weekend due to COVID issues within the Wolverines program.
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) December 2, 2020
Warde Manuel, Michigan’s athletic director, dropped the company line into the collective inbox of the media, offering all the soothing platitudes available about health, safety, and well being being priority number one in these situations.
“The decision by our medical professionals to stop practices and cancel this Saturday’s game against Maryland was made with the health, safety and welfare of the student-athletes, coaches and staff as our utmost priority,” said Warde Manuel, Michigan AD.
— Heather Dinich (@CFBHeather) December 2, 2020
The Wolverines are 2-4 on the season and now guaranteed to finish with a losing record even if they are able to face Ohio State Dec. 12 and, even more improbably, somehow beat the Buckeyes.
For 4-0 Ohio State, they need the Wolverines to be both a buddy, meaning finding a way to take the field for their game—and a tomato can, in order for the Buckeyes to play for the Big Ten championship. If either Michigan State or Michigan backs out of their games, Ohio State will come up short of the requisite six to play for the title.
According to the Detroit News, the earliest Michigan can get back to practice is Monday, Dec. 7, five days before the scheduled showdown with Ohio State.
Per Michigan, the earliest practice can resume will be Monday, Dec. 7
— angelique (@chengelis) December 2, 2020
Mark Schipper is a reporter, sportswriter, and aspiring novelist living in Chicago, Illinois.