Michigan vs. Maryland canceled due to outbreak
From bad to worse. The University of Michigan’s Big Ten conference football game against Maryland at Michigan Stadium, scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, has been canceled. No rescheduled date will be coming.
That’s according to a press release issued through the University of Michigan athletic office on Wednesday.
According to the statement from David Ablauf, associate athletic director for football communications, Michigan is pausing football practices immediately and Saturday’s game vs. Maryland is canceled and will not be rescheduled.
This decision to pause in-person football activities was made in consultation with medical professionals and the local health department, according to the press release.
“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’s athletic director. “We have seen an increase in the number of student-athletes unavailable to compete due to positive tests and associated contact tracing due to our most recent antigen and PCR testing results.”
Daily testing will continue and medical professionals will make a determination when to resume practice. According to the press release, the earliest practice can resume will be Monday, Dec. 7.
Michigan, 2- 4 going into the weekend’s action, is coming off a 27-17 loss at home to previously winless Penn State.
After a promising, delayed season-opening win on the road at Minnesota, the Wolverines have lost 4 of 5, including all three home games. One of those home dates was a 27-24 setback to in-state rival Michigan State.
Up next for Michigan is a trip to third-ranked Ohio State on Dec. 12 (noon, kickoff, FOX). Ohio State needs that game to take place in order to
qualify to compete in the Big Ten championship with the minimum number of games (6).
Ohio State had to cancel its game last week at Illinois because of a spike in COVID-19 cases in its program. It was the second game the Buckeyes (4-0) have lost from their regular-season schedule.
According to the Associated Press, Ohio State said the Buckeyes had resumed in-person football activities Tuesday, an encouraging sign that they will be able to play at Michigan State on Saturday.
But now the Michigan game is in danger.
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh has one year remaining on a seven- year contract . Harbaugh is 0- 5 as a coach against the Buckeyes.
In other news reported by the Associated Press, the Mid-American Conference announced Kent State at Miami scheduled for Saturday would not be played because of roster issues related to the virus at Kent State.
So far six games scheduled for this weekend have been postponed or canceled, including Washington State at No. 17 Southern California, which was pushed back two days from Friday to Sunday.
In the previous three weeks, 52 games were canceled or postponed, about 29% of what was scheduled.