Written by Alexis Barton
As the college football season is underway, there have already been numerous storylines that have made for an interesting season in the midst of COVID-19. From coaching reconsiderations to the impact of COVID-19, college football has been exciting to watch for fans at home and the few fans that are allowed to attend in-person.
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence has made headlines in the ACC and across the nation for the past three years as he has led Clemson to multiple winning seasons and a national championship. Unfortunately, Lawrence has been making headlines more recently due to his positive test for COVID-19. According to Clemson and ACC spokespeople, Lawrence will be quarantined for at least 10 days and will be subject to a series of cardiac and other physical exams before returning to play. Due to Clemson’s upcoming schedule, this will keep Lawrence out of play as the team takes on Notre Dame on Saturday. Freshman backup D.J. Uiagalelei, who is among the top quarterbacks in college football despite his second-string role, will lead the Tigers against the Fighting Irish as Clemson looks to stay in prime position to make yet another playoff run upon Lawrence’s return. Lawrence was primed to be a top contender for the Heisman Trophy this season, but only time will tell if he will be able to recover fully and return back to form. Meanwhile, Lawrence is still contributing as a valuable member of the team through Zoom, says head coach Dabo Swinney. “He’ll be in every meeting, we can Zoom him into practice, so he can stay engaged and make his comments and things like that to support those guys, and participate in traveling with us as well. Obviously he can’t play, but he can still make a contribution with his presence, his encouragement, and his eyes.” The Tigers will face the Fighting Irish on Saturday, November 7th at 7:30 PM.
In the Big 10, very different discussions have surrounded the University of Michigan. After their most recent loss to rival Michigan State, many analysts within the conference and college football as a whole are questioning the effectiveness of coach Jim Harbaugh. Harbaugh, after spending four seasons at Stanford and four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers, came back to his alma mater to help rejuvenate their football program. High expectations were set for Harbaugh as he brought his teams to great successes in the past, but many claim that he has not filled the needs the program was looking for. Despite winning seasons, including multiple 10-3 seasons, Harbaugh’s time in Ann Arbor has been comprised of mediocrity when it comes to the post-season. The Wolverines have played in four bowl games in his tenure and have only won once- the 2016 Citrus Bowl against the Florida Gators. With just a few games coming to the Wolverines in the coming weeks, it’s now or never for Coach Harbaugh to prove that his team can win when it counts. Watch the Michigan Wolverines take on the Indiana Hoosiers this Saturday at noon.
