Michigan basketball was forced to cancel two games due to COVID this week, but several former Wolverines earned new opportunities due to virus protocols.

Darren Grainger passed for 203 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 122 yards and a fourth score to lead Georgia State to a 51-20 victory over Ball State in the Camellia Bowl on Saturday.

Sean Clifford completed 21 of 29 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown, ran for another score, and No. 11 Penn State beat Ball State 44-13.

Both teams flexed their muscles in winning their respective conference championship games. The last time Alabama was held below 35 points came in a 44-16 loss to Clemson in a CFP championship game to cap the 2018 season. Clemson’s 34-10 Atlantic Coast Conference championship game rout of Notre Dame improved Trevor Lawrence's record as a starting quarterback to 34-1. San Jose State and Ball State will face off in the Arizona Bowl on Dec. 31. San Jose State is seeking to complete its first unbeaten season since a 13-0 finish in 1939.

(AP Photo/Carlos Osorio)DETROIT – Ball State coach Mike Neu had plenty of motivational material at his disposal for the Mid-American Conference title game. “Our mindset was, it’s Ball State against the world. The game turned when Ball State scored three touchdowns in the final 5:55 of the first half to take a 35-21 lead. That year, the Bulls knocked off an undefeated and nationally ranked Ball State team for the championship. LONG TIME COMINGPlitt is a fifth-year senior, and this is the first time Ball State has had a winning record since he arrived.

DETROIT – Two cousins and Detroit natives are going head-to-head in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) championship game at Ford Field on Friday night. Jalen McGaughy and Rich Miller went their separate ways to play at Buffalo and Ball State. Though competitors now, the pair got especially close when they both played for Detroit King and won two state titles together. Spent every single day together,” Miller said. Ahead of the game on Friday night, both teams have won their last five games -- and both men want to win a title.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The Michigan basketball team survived the first three games on its schedule and will now play against much tougher competition the rest of the season. Three days before taking Michigan to overtime, Oakland lost to Toledo by 27. Two days after leaving the Crisler Center, Oakland lost to Purdue by 43. Coming upIn this COVID-19-shortened season, Michigan only has five non-conference games before the start of Big Ten play. Franz Wagner #21 of the Michigan Wolverines looks on during the second half against the Ball State Cardinals at Crisler Arena on December 02, 2020 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Isaiah Livers scored 21 points on 8-of-11 shooting, Hunter Dickinson had his first career double-double, and Michigan beat Ball State 84-65 on Wednesday night. Franz Wagner added 14 points and Mike Smith scored 10 for Michigan (3-0). Dickinson made a layup to make it 34-14 with 5:39 left in the first half, but the Cardinals scored 19 of the last 25 first-half points. El-Amin hit a jumper early just 14 seconds after halftime to trim Ball State's deficit to 40-35, but Michigan scored the next six points and the Cardinals got no closer. Walton led Ball State (0-2) with 20 points.

Akers scored a career-high three touchdowns in the win and he now leads the ACC and sits fourth in the nation in rushing yards (499) and ninth in the conference and country in rushing yards per game (124.8). Florida State leads the series 26-13 and 12 of the last 19 meetings have been decided by 10 points or fewer. NC State is perfect in the red zone this season, scoring on all 19 chances. Blackman made his only start of last season against the Wolfpack, passing for a career-high 421 yards and four touchdowns. PREDICTION: Florida State 27, NC State 24More college football scoresCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

Tabari Hines #5 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack scores a touchdown against the East Carolina Pirates during the second half of their game at Carter-Finley Stadium on August 31, 2019 in Raleigh, North Carolina. (Photo by GrantRALEIGH, N.C. - North Carolina State will be back at the friendly confines of Carter-Finley Stadium on Saturday when it meets Ball State in a nonconference game. LINE: N.C. State -19.5After two solid performances to open the season, sophomore quarterback Matthew McKay struggled against West Virginia, completing fewer than 50 percent of his passes and taking three sacks. Thayer Thomas had a touchdown catch and pass against West Virginia, becoming the first N.C. State player to accomplish the feat since Rashard Smith did so against Boston College in 2013. PREDICTION: N.C. State 41, Ball State 13More college football scoresCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

Penix also made freshman mistakes that he'll try to eliminate this week against Eastern Illinois, throwing two interceptions and missing some reads that ultimately kept the game close. Five Indiana receivers finished with three or more catches as the passing attack outpaced the run game (148 yards) so Indiana will be looking for more production from its backs against Eastern Illinois. Linebacker Joe Caputo, who anchored Eastern Illinois' defense with eight tackles, has started 34 consecutive games and played under four defensive coordinators during his five years in the program. The Panthers are 0-8 all time against Big Ten opponents, but when Cushing was an assistant at Northwestern before taking the coaching job this season at Eastern Illinois, the Wildcats were 7-1 against Indiana. PREDICTION: Indiana 52, Eastern Illinois 10More college football scoresCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

(Photo by MarkINDIANAPOLIS - Indiana opens its 2019 season in the Kickoff Classic on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis against in-state opponent Ball State. The Hoosiers enter the matchup as solid favorites but mindful that the teams met in the same game in 2011 will Ball State pulling off a 27-20 upset. This season, Indiana is aiming for a rebound based on the strength of nine returning starters apiece on offense and defense. ABOUT INDIANA (2018: 5-7)All eyes heading into the opener were on quarterbacks Peyton Ramsey, redshirt freshman Michael Penix Jr. and Utah transfer Jack Tuttle. PREDICTION: Indiana 35, Ball State 14More college football scoresCopyright 2019 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.