No. 13 Michigan football will be missing a defensive star for the first half of its critical matchup against No. 24 Oklahoma on Sept. 6.
Senior linebacker Jaishawn Barham will have to sit out the first half of the Big Ten-SEC clash from Memorial Stadium in Norman, Oklahoma, following a second half ejection in Week 1 vs. New Mexico on Aug. 30.
Barham finished with one QB hurry in Michigan’s win over New Mexico. He finished with 66 total tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack and two pass deflections for the Wolverines in 2024, his first season with the program after transferring in from Maryland.
Here’s what you need to know about why Barham will miss the first half of the Wolverines’ matchup against the Sooners:
Why is Jaishawn Barham suspended for the first half vs Oklahoma?
On the play Barham was hit for a targeting penalty, the Michigan linebacker won his battle off the edge, immediately colliding with New Mexico’s quarterback Jack Layne in the backfield for the sack. Due to the impact from Barham’s hit, the ball was jarred loose and Barham returned it for a touchdown.
However, the play was reviewed shortly after and ruled targeting by the officials in the replay center. Not only did the touchdown come off the board, but Barham was ejected. Due to the ejection coming in the second half, Barham has to sit out the first half of the next Wolverines’ game.
Michigan coach Sherrone Moore said he appealed as soon as he could, but the NCAA denied the appeal on Monday.
“It was upheld,” Moore said Monday. “And we don’t agree with it. Tony (Petitti) doesn’t agree with it. A.J. (Edds) doesn’t agree with it. It’s a rule we have to get changed. … We got the first half without him, and those guys will step up.”
Defensive back Brandyn Hillman agreed with his head coach about the call.
“I think it was a clean hit,” Hillman said. “It’s football. It’s aggressive. I’ll just leave it at that.”
