UNDATED (AP) — Michigan has canceled its annual football showdown with Ohio State, citing a rising number of COVID-19 cases within the Wolverines program.
Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh said his players were “very disappointed” to not face the third-ranked Buckeyes, who would be heavily favored.
The season-ending grudge match known as “The Game” won’t be played for the first time in 102 years.
With two games already canceled, the Buckeyes under current conference rules still need a sixth game to be eligible to play for a Big Ten championship Dec. 19 in Indianapolis against Northwestern.
Coach Ryan Day said the conference should consider allowing Ohio State to play with only five games.
In other virus-related developments in college football:
— The regular-season football finale between seventh-ranked Cincinnati and No. 18 Tulsa has been canceled due to COVID-19 cases and contact tracing within the Bearcats’ program. The teams are scheduled to play in the AAC title game on Dec. 19. Both have perfect league records.
