One indication that your season did not go as planned is when the year’s biggest highlight happened before a game was played.
The AP preseason top 25 rankings included five Big Ten teams.
Among them: No. 12 Penn State and No. 16 Michigan.
If only.
The two teams met at Michigan Stadium on Saturday having distinguished themselves thusly:
Penn State was 0-5 for the first time in the program’s 134-year history.
Michigan was 2-3, earning its second win by virtue of last week’s three-overtime victory against a Rutgers team that had lost 24 of its past 25 Big Ten games.
This was a game many would have circled as “can’t-miss” coming into the season but crossed off three or four weeks ago as “never mind.”
While Penn State’s 27-17 win over Michigan ended the Nittany Lions’ historic skid, it may also have started the clock on Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh’s inevitable departure.
Can two bad teams play a good game? Maybe. This wasn’t it.
The most interesting storyline is that both schools have made recent quarterback changes.
Both schools had to use two quarterbacks on Saturday because of injuries that temporarily knocked both Penn State starter Sean Clifford (knee) and Michigan starter Cade McNamara (shoulder) from the game.
Clifford ran for a 28-yard touchdown upon his return, helping the Nittany Lions to their first halftime lead of the season. He ran through the Michigan defense on a 29-yard carry in the third quarter that set up a Nittany Lions field goal and also directed a fourth-quarter touchdown drive that completed the game’s scoring.
McNamara, obviously still hurting, did not fare as well when he returned. He hung in there until midway through the fourth quarter before walking off the field with his throwing arm hanging by his side.
That pretty much summed up where things stand for the Wolverines.
Not that the victory makes everything blue sky now for the Nittany Lions.
At least Penn State coach James Franklin has the security of a long-term contract. In February, Penn State awarded Franklin a new $38.2 million, six-year deal.
So far that’s $38.2 million per win.
At least there’s an investment in the Nittany Lions returning to their winning ways.
Harbaugh’s situation is much less secure, of course. Wolverines fans’ patience is wearing thin for their former favorite son.
Harbaugh’s contract runs through the 2021 season. Let’s see if he makes it.
There are those who are looking on the bright side.
Tweeted Fox Sports’ Aaron Torres: “It just hit me: Only one more cancellation from Ohio State, one more cancellation from Maryland and three more from Indiana and... BOOM, Jim Harbaugh is in position for his first Big Ten title game. The master plan is finally coming together.”
If only.
Buckeyes program on pause
No. 4 Ohio State is one canceled game away from not being able to compete for the Big Ten championship — and likely the College Football Playoff — after having Saturday’s game against Illinois canceled because of increasing COVID-19 issues within the Buckeyes program.
The cancellation came within 25 hours of kickoff. It was the second game Ohio State has had canceled. The Buckeyes’ game against Maryland was canceled two weeks ago because of coronavirus issues at that school.
Ohio State (4-0) has games remaining against Michigan State and Michigan and must play both to meet the Big Ten’s minimum requirement of six games played to participate in the conference title game.
“We have continued to experience an increase in positive tests over the course of this week,” Ohio State AD Gene Smith said in a statement.
Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day is among those who have tested positive and is in quarantine.
All football team activities have paused for the time being and will not resume until medical staffers give the go ahead.
If Ohio State can’t play next week, then No. 12 Indiana (5-1) would represent the East Division in the Big Ten title game, likely against No. 8 Northwestern (5-1 after losing 29-20 to Michigan State on Saturday) from the West Division.
Boise State cancels game
Boise State canceled its game with San Jose State less than five hours before kickoff on Saturday because of COVID-19 issues within the Broncos program.
Boise State was going to miss nine players — five with the virus and four others from contract tracing — according to the Idaho Statesman.
That’s fewer players than were missing two weeks ago against Colorado State (14) and last week against Hawaii (12).
The difference this week is the Broncos didn’t have enough players at certain position groups to play.
San Jose State (4-0) is stuck on the sidelines for the second straight week after having its game against Fresno State canceled last week because of COVID-19 issues with the Bulldogs.
The Mountain West has had three game canceled for two straight weeks now. The San Diego State-Fresno State and Colorado State-Air Force games were previously canceled.
Of the Mountain West’s 12 football programs, Nevada and Hawaii are now the only teams whose schedules have not been impacted by coronavirus issues.
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