Wildcats-Gophers off
The Big Ten is facing more challenges with COVID-19 after a weekend when two games were canceled because of health concerns.
Minnesota announced Monday its game scheduled for Saturday against No. 16 Northwestern in Minneapolis has been canceled and will be considered a no contest. The Gophers’ game last week against Wisconsin also was canceled. This is Northwestern’s first cancellation of the season.
But it’s fortuitous for the Wildcats, who essentially clinch the Big Ten West because of the lost game. Unless there are massive cancellations in the last two weeks of the season — thus changing the rules to qualify — the 5-1 Cats will make their second trip to Indianapolis for the conference title game in three years.
Wisconsin (2-1) isn’t eligible because it has had three games canceled, preventing the Badgers from playing in the required six games. Iowa (4-2) has qualified, but even if the Hawkeyes and Cats each finish with two losses, Northwestern owns the first tiebreaker, head-to-head, between teams with equal losses.
Minnesota’s football team has turned up 47 positive cases since Nov. 19 — 21 players and 26 staff members. The Gophers paused all team activities six days ago, when they canceled the game at Wisconsin. Minnesota also said it will hold all meetings virtually for the rest of the season.
Those Gophers who’ve contracted the virus have experienced “very, very mild symptoms,” according to coach P.J. Fleck.
Four games on the national schedule this week have been postponed or canceled. Over the last three weeks, 52 games have been called off because of COVID-19 issues out of 179 that were scheduled. Since late August, the total number of canceled or postponed games is 103.
Michigan-Maryland in doubt
Michigan announced its football program is pausing activities because of health concerns related to presumptive positive tests.
Michigan’s health status is a concern for No. 4 Ohio State (4-0). The schools are set to play Dec. 12, but the Buckeyes already have missed two games and likely wouldn’t be eligible for the Big Ten championship if the game is canceled.
Indiana QB Penix out for year
Indiana coach Tom Allen announced starting quarterback Michael Penix Jr. suffered a season- ending torn anterior cruciate ligament, marking the second time in three years he has injured his right knee.
Redshirt sophomore Jack Tuttle, who started his career at Utah, replaced Penix during Saturday’s victory over Maryland and now steps into the leading role for the No. 10 Hoosiers (5-1). As the backup to Peyton Ramsey in 2018, Penix suffered the same injury in his third college game. Last year, he beat out Ramsey for the starting job but played just six games before going down with an injured shoulder joint.
Va. Tech’s Patterson to transfer
Virginia Tech backup quarterback Quincy Patterson, a redshirt sophomore who starred at Solorio, has decided to transfer. Patterson appeared in 13 games for Virginia Tech, starting at Notre Dame in 2019 when Hendon Hooker was injured.