Michigan Football, the 2020 Abbreviated COVID Season

[WingsFan]

Yes, I looked and PSU lost the last 2 games MSU and FL in the bowl game, still were 9-3 though and finished #16. Now I remember, you're right Michigan didn't get enough credit for that game.

(note) If you have the time youtube search 'The Hit' Michigan vs Penn Sate

[Hannibal]

Penn State had to play their bowl game without Joe Jurivicius and Curtis Enis because of the "free suit" fiasco. On offense, they were a shadow of themselves in the bowl game.

[iam416]

That's true, but Florida also could have scored 35. Fred Taylor had like 500 yards. It was a total beatdown.

Penn State also lost to Michigan State 49-14 to close out the season. That team was not very good on offense and vastly overrated, IMO. Defensively they were meh, too. They were lucky to beat Minnesota; barely beat nFw and then were finally exposed by M. And then MSU and Florida.

[iam416]

As for M, they were #4 when then played #2 Penn State and after beating them they jumped to #1 -- decisively (aid by UNL's close win over Mizzou). So, they got a ton of credit for that win. They were lucky Penn State was still yet to be fully exposed.

[Hannibal]

PSU was total crap on defense that year but they were legit on offense when they had all of their skill players. Not 2010 Oregon but still really good. They were a completely different team without Enis and Jurevicius. FFS they had a white guy playing tailback in their bowl game.

[iam416]

I think Penn State's 1997 regular season speaks for itself.

[lineygoblue]

The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) has announced that Fall sports will go on as scheduled in 2020. Preseason practices will begin in August, and several sports will have opening weeks at the end of August.

I guess the thought is to proceed as though things will be fine, and then react if the virus gets out of hand.

[Jeff Buchanan]

This is a very good sign. Officials are coming to grips with the life must go on approach. I wonder if Whitmer's office was contacted in advance of the announcement. Can't imagine someone didn't
test the waters with her for this.

[Whitley]

The Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) has announced that Fall sports will go on as scheduled in 2020. Preseason practices will begin in August, and several sports will have opening weeks at the end of August.

I guess the thought is to proceed as though things will be fine, and then react if the virus gets out of hand.

The real question is going to be if the regions other than 6 and 8 backslide back into Phase 3 will the MHSAA say sports need to go on?

I was reading the local weekly paper here a couple days ago. In it, They had some local ADs talking about how they are confused about what to do if a team comes up from a region in an earlier phase of reopening or if they went down there. Seems to me that they are being intentionally obtuse.

I mean obviously if you are going into a region where it is in an earlier phase, you are going to observe their guidelines. It seems pretty obvious to me. If schools are not open probably not going to be playing sports. If a team comes up to a region that is farther ahead, I would say what additional guidelines (if any) would be up to the host school.

Not surprised the MHSSA decided to disregard Gov Whitmer's idea of having the sports with the most contact be played in spring if need be. The logic I find is iffy...local ADs were saying that if a start and stop happened we might be losing a couple seasons of the traditional spring sports and that would not be fair to those athletes. I suspect it is more along the lines that they want to get a football season in than anything else.

[Whitley]

This is a very good sign. Officials are coming to grips with the life must go on approach. I wonder if Whitmer's office was contacted in advance of the announcement. Can't imagine someone didn't
test the waters with her for this.

I doubt anyone did. She had suggested that spring and fall sports swap (at least some of them) where there was a lot of close contact. Her reasoning was that much more likely to have vaccine or something like that in the spring than the fall.

[lineygoblue]

I doubt anyone did. She had suggested that spring and fall sports swap (at least some of them) where there was a lot of close contact. Her reasoning was that much more likely to have vaccine or something like that in the spring than the fall.

I respectfully disagree. The MHSAA still sends me the monthly newsletter, and every decision COVID related has been hand-in-hand with Whitmer's office. The MHSAA is in her hip pocket, and they don't take a breath without her permission. They were the same way with Snyder. I would be shocked if this was a renegade move by the MHSAA.

There is definitely a lot of pressure on Whitmer and the MHSAA to have football season. I'm not sure how successful it will be because I have no doubt there will at least be restrictions on the numbers of spectators, or maybe even an outright ban. So, revenues are going to be down no matter what. And, I have no idea what the plan may be for playoffs and the state championships at Ford Field, if they get that far.

My gut feeling is that they're going to start the season, and then get shut down when there is an uptick in new cases related to sports after just a few weeks. I hope I'm wrong.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Without Michigan high school football it's unlikely that UConn and Stony Brook could field teams next year so kudos to the Governor, I say

[iam416]

Quick reminder -- DON BROWN!!!! has held Ohio State to 179 points in his 4 years at M.

With #SpeedInSpace!!! now fully operational, that should be plenty good enough for a huge M win this year.

[lineygoblue]

Sorry guys, .. the trolling doesn't work anymore.

Come back after Michigan wins a couple vs OSU and makes it competitive again.

Its difficult to get Michigan fans riled up about a soft spot on OSU's schedule.

[Whitley]

Yep, barring a death penalty to OSU. I can't imagine a way Michigan will ever beat them in football---ever again.