Bad news for Michigan hit right as the team kicked off the Orange Bowl against Florida State on Friday night as it was announced that star player Jabrill Peppers would be out for the game, possibly ending his career.
The Heisman finalist apparently injured his hamstring earlier in the week and was seen going through warmups for the game but apparently did not bounce back quickly enough to play. Peppers’ absence was immediately noticeable on the field as the Seminoles marched right down for a touchdown on their opening drive, capped off by a Dalvin Cook touchdown run.
The redshirt sophomore is widely expected to declare for the NFL Draft and is considered by most to be a potential first-rounder at a number of positions. Peppers was named the Big Ten defensive player of the year award and became a unanimous All-American after showing off some remarkable versatility by playing nearly a dozen positions for the Wolverines this season.