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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More embarrassment for MSU
In the last decade, Michigan State University and its football program have had their reputations severely tarnished in the wake of sexual assault scandals.
There was the Larry Nassar scandal and an incident where three football players were dismissed from the team after being accused of sexual assault in 2017.
The three players were eventually sentenced to probation, while Nassar was sentenced to life in prison for assaulting hundreds of athletes as a team doctor for USA Gymnastics and at MSU.
Now, just as Michigan State has tried to rebuild its reputation in the years since, head football coach Mel Tucker was suspended without pay after being accused of sexual harassment in a bombshell of a report by USA Today hours after Michigan State’s win over Richmond on Saturday.
Tucker admitted in a Title IX investigation to having an inappropriate phone conversation with Brenda Tracy, a rape survivor who has traveled around the country giving speeches on sexual violence prevention and who made educational appearances in front of MSU’s football team.
Off the field, it’s arguably a setback to how some perceive MSU deals with sexual assault and harassment.
On a less important scale, it will further set MSU behind on the field as it tries to rebuild its football program.
Odds are great Tucker will be formally fired once a Title IX hearing on the matter takes place the week of Oct. 5, which could send players to the transfer portal in bunches.
Recruiting will certainly be affected and another coaching search likely is forthcoming.
In other words, Michigan State football seems to be back to square one to when Mark Dantonio retired and Tucker was hired.
Revenge game on tap for Lions
After the Lions made national headlines and delighted their fan base with a season-opening win at defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City, Sunday’s home opener will feature an opportunity to settle a score.
If the Lions had beaten the Seattle Seahawks at home last year in Week 4, they would’ve made the playoffs.
Instead, the Lions saw Seattle eliminate them from playoff contention with an overtime win on the last day of the regular season.
Seattle also was a thorn in the Lions’ side in the draft, given it picked ahead of Detroit at pick No. 5 and might have nabbed someone the Lions would’ve drafted, defensive back Devon Witherspoon.
It’s unusual when a contest against an NFC West foe has the same animosity toward the opponent as a division game, but that will be the case at Ford Field on Sunday.
Cass Tech, King set to renew rivalry
Friday will feature the renewal of the best prep football rivalry in Detroit, when Detroit Public School League powers Detroit Cass Tech and Detroit Martin Luther King will meet up for their annual regular season contest.
The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. at Martin Luther King.