Michigan’s Ronnie Bell Done for the Season

Michigan’s impressive offensive showing on Saturday has been muted by the news that they will be without star wide receiver Ronnie Bell for the remainder of the season. A somber head coach John Harbaugh made the announcement on Monday after an MRI revealed the undisclosed knee injury. 

“It’s going to be very difficult to replace Ronnie Bell. Really, really tough. Really tough.”

Bell led the team in catches and receiving yards in each of the last two seasons, and could have declared for the NFL Draft in 2021. Instead, he came back to Ann Arbor to play in his final season, and it is now over.

Because the injury happened early in the season Bell will still have that final year of eligibility in 2022 if he once again forgoes the NFL draft.

As for finding a replacement for Bell, no other Michigan receiver had more than three catches on Saturday, leaving new quarterback Cade McNamara with few reliable options. Most of the burden will fall on Cornelius Johnson, but the junior only has 20 career receptions, and he only caught two passes for 15 yards against Western Michigan.

Up next for the Wolverines is a Saturday night game against Washington at home. Despite the loss of the Bell, Michigan opened as six-point favorites and, apparently underpriced, have bumped to 6½-point chalk according to the BetUS Sportsbook’s NCAAF odds. 

Alabama Loses Linebacker Christopher Allen to Broken Foot 

If there is any team on the planet that can absorb a loss on defense, it’s Alabama. So the broken foot for redshirt senior linebacker Christopher Allen will likely have little effect on the Crimson Tide, but of course, it will have a big impact on Allen himself.

Allen is one of the stars on defense, and he led the SEC last season in tackles for loss. He was also huge for Bama in the SEC Championship Game, recording five solo tackles. An All-SEC Second-Team selection in 2020, Allen will be coveted draft pick for the NFL next spring.

Head coach Nick Saban said of Allen, and his possible replacements, “Chris Allen is a fantastic player, and he’s a really good pass rusher. And really it was a luxury to have him and Will [Anderson] on the edges as outside linebackers. But we have confidence in Drew [Sanders] and we have a couple of other young players that are going to get an opportunity to play.”

Alabama hosts FCS school Mercer this Saturday, and then travels to Florida on September 18. 

Minnesota Running Back Mohamed Ibrahim Out for the Season 

The 2020 Big Ten Running Back of the Year, who rushed for 153 yards per game, decided to come back and play for head coach P.J. Fleck for one more season. And in a great start to that season, Mohamed Ibrahim had 162 yards and two touchdowns in just the third quarter against the tough defense of Ohio State.

Then Ibrahim planted funny, the lower part of his calf gave way, and it has now been confirmed by Fleck that his star running back’s season is over. 

“He’s disappointed. He’s worked incredibly hard. But it’s football. You can’t control the injuries when you get onto the field and you’re playing in games. He’s got a great sense about him right now and a great presence. He’s obviously not happy with what happened, but he’s been able to deal with it.”

Ibrahim is having surgery on Tuesday to repair what is being called a lower leg injury.

Prior to the injury, Ibrahim was projected to be an early second-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Fleck wouldn’t disclose the specifics of the injury but did say that the recovery time will be between four and six months, giving Ibrahim the chance to show NFL teams that he is healthy prior to draft day. 

UConn head coach Randy Edsall Steps Down 

On Sunday after an 0-2 start which includes a loss to FCS school Holy Cross, UConn head coach Randy Edsall said that he would finish coaching the 2021 season, then retire. On Monday athletic director David Benedict announced that Edsall’s retirement would begin immediately.

“Upon further reflection by both Randy and I, and after having the opportunity to visit with Randy today, we are both in agreement that it is in the best interest of our student-athletes to have a new voice leading UConn football.”

Edsall took UConn to five bowl games during his original 11-year stint at the school but has been just 6-32 since returning to the university in 2017. The Huskies face the Purdue Boilermakers as 33½-point home underdogs this Saturday, according to BetUS Sportsbook’s NCAAF point-spread odds.