Michigan calls off ‘The Game’ THE QUOTE
Keeping an eye on the world of sports during the pandemic:
Citing a rising number of COVID-19 cases in its program,
Michigan canceled its annual showdown with Ohio
State on Tuesday as college football lurches toward the end of the season without one of its cornerstone rivalry games.
The season-ending grudge match known as “The Game” won’t be played for the first time in 102 years.
“The number of positive tests has continued to trend in an upward direction over the last seven days,” Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel said. “We have not been cleared to participate in practice at this time. Unfortunately, we will not be able to field a team due to COVID-19 positives and the associated quarantining required of close contact individuals. This decision is disappointing for our team and coaches but their health and safety is paramount, and it will always come first in our decisionmaking.”
The Buckeyes, No. 4 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings, played through what coach Ryan Day called a “mini outbreak” last weekend in a 52-12 win at Michigan State after he was relegated to watching the game from home. Day is among those in the program who tested positive for the coronavirus, leading to Ohio State canceling a game at Illinois.
While outbreaks have disrupted more than 100 games across major college football since late August — including this weekend’s regular-season finale between Cincinnati and Tulsa, who will instead look ahead to their matchup in the Dec. 19 American Athletic Conference title game — the problems with the Wolverines were closely watched in part because the undefeated Buckeyes (5-0) have championship goals again this season.
With two games already canceled, the Buckeyes under current conference rules need a sixth game to be eligible to play for a Big Ten championship Dec. 19 against No. 14 Northwestern. Day said the conference should consider allowing Ohio State to pla.
“I think (the rule) is one of those things that was put into place early on, and decisions are made based on the information you have at the time and things change,” Day said shortly before Michigan’s announcement. “... I think that needs to be looked at hard.”
“That’s a huge goal for sure. It’s an elite club of guys that have played with the same organization and been successful and achieved greatness.”
— Stephen Curry on wanting to play his entire career with the Warriors
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Appearances in the MLS Cup final the last five years by the Seattle Sounders after they rallied for a 3-2 victory over Minnesota United in the Western Conference final Monday night in Seattle. Down 2-0, the defending champion Sounders scored all of their goals in the final 15 minutes of regulation and stoppage time to advance to Saturday’s championship match against the Columbus Crew in Columbus, Ohio.
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