Michigan deletes Week 5 game poster amid backlash for Hurricane Helene reference

On Saturday, Michigan will host Minnesota at The Big House in Ann Arbor. The area is supposed to receive rain showers throughout the day due to the weather front sweeping across the country.

On Friday, Michigan football’s official X account posted an edited graphic of a player standing in ankle-deep water inside Michigan Stadium with the caption, “Looking good in any weather.” The account deleted the post only minutes after it went live, likely due to its insensitivity toward those suffering the effects of Hurricane Helene in the southeastern United States.

As of this report, the Category 4 hurricane has killed at least 40 people across four states. With winds reaching up to 140 miles per hour, Hurricane Helena has left catastrophic destruction in its wake. The hurricane has caused flooding as far inland as Tennessee.

michigan gotta get a new socials team pic.twitter.com/rrNZce9U6Y

— Gritty Mels 🐅🐯#OCTJOBER (@MotownMels) September 27, 2024

It’s also affected numerous college football programs already. On Friday, Liberty and Appalachian State canceled their game, which was planned for Saturday. The game will not be rescheduled. Additionally, Stanford has faced travel issues trying to reach South Carolina for its showdown against Clemson this weekend.

Michigan has not yet released a statement addressing its initial post. As of now, the game between the Wolverines and Minnesota is still set for noon ET. The game will air live on FOX.

Urban Meyer weighs in on Michigan’s postseason hopes

Michigan is yet to prove its passing ability this season. In the latest episode of “The Triple Option” podcast, former Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer weighed in on Michigan’s chances of winning the Big Ten or reaching the College Football Playoff without improving its passing game.

“They can’t [succeed]. There’s zero chance with that kind of balance,” Meyer said. “They got to play both quarterbacks. I said that when we were there. Alex Orji is good enough to play. He’s got to play. I think he’s a tremendous player. But, to answer your question: no.

“You’re going to get zero coverage every snap, and you will see that the numbers disappear. I like how rugged the Wolverines were on offense and defense, and that’s kind of a trademark of who they are, but there is zero chance unless you balance that thing up. At some point, it’s going to be nine up, and you’ll stop the run.”