Huddle up! Here’s a look back at this weekend on the gridiron, with three key takeaways from the state’s football scene -- and a glimpse at what’s to come next week.
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Another incident brings question about tunnel at Big House
For the second straight home game, an incident in the tunnel at Michigan Stadium seemed to overshadow a lopsided Michigan win.
After Penn State reportedly threw sandwiches at Michigan players as the teams walked up the tunnel to their locker rooms at halftime two weeks ago, disturbing video of Michigan State players assaulting two Michigan players in the tunnel surfaced following Michigan’s 29-7 win.
Four Michigan State players were suspended on Sunday following the incident, and it’s possible criminal charges could be coming.
MSU President Samuel Stanley issued an apology to the University of Michigan, and said the university and head coach Mel Tucker will cooperate fully with the investigation.
This comes after Michigan and Ohio State players visibly shouted at each other and had to be restrained in the tunnel at halftime of Michigan’s 42-27 win last year.
All of a sudden, after nearly a century of nobody having an issue with Michigan’s one tunnel in its stadium, some — most notably Penn State head coach James Franklin — are raising questions about whether another tunnel should be built to prevent other incidents.
In short, building a second tunnel just doesn’t seem necessary.
If the one tunnel hasn’t been a problem for so many games at Michigan Stadium over the course of nearly 100 years, a couple of incidents shouldn’t force such drastic change.
What is the university supposed to do, eliminate seating so a new tunnel can be built and thus risk Michigan Stadium’s status as the stadium with the most seating capacity in the nation?
Are Franklin or others all of a sudden in opposition of the tunnel willing to pay for such a construction project?
Fat chance.
Of note, Spartan Stadium at Michigan State also has one tunnel for both teams, and there hasn’t been any complaints there.
Just bring more security and make sterner reminders for players to get into the locker room.
That seems like a more practical solution.
More second half ineptitude dooms Lions in loss
Of all the ugly stats for the Lions this year in their 1-6 start, one accumulated over the last three games might be the most alarming of all following a 31-27 home loss to Miami on Sunday.
Over the last three games, the Lions have been outscored 48-0 in the second half in those games.
For all the talk about a high-powered offense this year, the Lions haven’t produced a single point in the second half in three straight games.
Against Miami, injuries couldn’t be used as an excuse either, since running back D’Andre Swift and wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown were back playing.
Cass Tech, Martin Luther King do PSL proud in first round of prep playoffs
The two biggest first round prep playoff games over the weekend featured the two powers of the Detroit Public School League, Detroit Cass Tech and Detroit Martin Luther King.
Both passed their big tests with flying colors.
Cass Tech went on the road and earned a lopsided win over 8-1 West Bloomfield, cruising to a surprising 38-13 rout in a first-round Division 1 game.
Cass Tech will next play Southfield A&T in a rematch of a season-opening game that was won 56-54 by A&T in overtime.
Martin Luther King took on River Rouge in a matchup of possibly the two best teams in Division 3, and the Crusaders answered the challenge with a 41-28 win.
Next up for the Crusaders is a second-round matchup with Allen Park.