Michigan officials say two more instances of bird flu have been confirmed at commercial poultry farms in Ottawa County.

“We’ve seen six commercial organizations confirmed positive with highly pathogenic avian influenza in the past few weeks, two since the start of the year,” said Dr. Tim Boring, Director of the Michigan Dept of Agriculture and Rural Development.

A multi-layered approach is underway to limit the spread.

That includes a disinfection process, robust surveillance, and heightened surveillance at neighboring poultry facilities.

But it’s not just commercial facilities that have seen cases of the virus.

Within the past couple of weeks, bird flu was confirmed in a backyard flock in Jackson County.

He has this advice for anyone keeping poultry in their yard.

“Isolating your birds from wild birds they may be exposed to, making sure they stay in a coup, if possible, locked up at night, segregating food and water system from wild birds,” Dr. Boring.

Handwashing after handling birds is important, too.

The outbreak here in Michigan mirrors what’s happening elsewhere across the country.

Nearly 100 commercial livestock operations have been impacted, affecting more than 17 million birds.

More than 60 people have become infected nationwide, with one reported death associated with the virus this week.

If there is any good news, it’s that the outbreak shouldn’t have an impact on the food supply.

“Food system is safe, pasteurizing is an effective step to kill the virus and any dairy products here, make sure you wash your eggs and cook your meat,” Dr. Boring.

If you keep poultry and notice a sick animal, your first call should be to a vet or the MDARD directly at 1-800-292-3939.

You should also use PPE when handling the animal and wash your hands well. As for any wild backyard bird visitors, Dr. Boring says it shouldn’t be cause for concern; however, if you do notice a sick bird, give the DNR’s Wildlife Disease Laboratory a call at 517-336-5030.

Click here to find more information about the outbreak.

• Penn State gives off 2023 Michigan vibes. Put it this way: Jim Harbaugh could win a national title with this Penn State team.
  What about James Franklin?
• Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman describes Orange Bowl opponent Penn State as ‘talented, disciplined, tough.’ All true.
• James Franklin’s history in big games might explain why Penn State has longest odds of winning national championship among CFP semifinal teams.

College football’s bards mused this playoff lacked a dominant team, like 2019 LSU or 2020 Alabama, although Ohio State sprints closer to resembling those past juggernauts.

What about 2023 Michigan, though? Anyone guilty of being the Wolverines’ doppelganger? You know, that team that went undefeated a year ago, but doesn’t garner the same respect as some recent champions from the SEC? (Michigan’s cheating might have something to do with that.)

Look inside the Big Ten to spot a potential Michigan 2.0.

I give you Penn State.

Let’s tour the Nittany Lions:

∎ Bruising defense, equipped with dudes who wreak havoc and live in the opponent’s backfield.

∎ Two splendid running backs, one as good as the other.

∎ A pass attack that highlights a tight end suited for the NFL.

Stop me if this sounds familiar. Should I keep going? OK.

∎ A veteran quarterback enjoying a career-best season.

∎ Dependable offensive line.

∎ Efficient in the red zone.

Who’s this sounding like? It’s sounding like 2023 Michigan.

Penn State can replicate Michigan if James Franklin shakes past

A key difference is that Michigan enjoyed undefeated distinction, while Penn State lost to Ohio State and Oregon.

Another difference? Penn State employs no one in a cheap disguise stealing the opponent’s signs.

But, the absence of a Connor Stalions doesn’t much influence Penn State as much as the presence of James Franklin. His baggage in big games introduces an overdose of doubt toward the Nittany Lions.

Why do sportsbooks give Penn State the longest odds of winning the national championship? Franklin’s paltry performance in games of magnitude, like Penn State’s Orange Bowl matchup with Notre Dame on Thursday, must play a factor.

Ohio State fans grumble about Ryan Day’s flops, but Day’s shortcomings mostly center on one opponent. He stinks against Michigan, but you won’t find Michigan in this playoff.

In the absence of their kryptonite, Day and the Buckeyes emerged stronger in the postseason. Day never has faced his Cotton Bowl adversary, Texas coach Steve Sarkisian, but he’s a combined 8-0 against the two coaches opposite Ohio State on the bracket, Notre Dame’s Marcus Freeman and Penn State’s Franklin.

Day beat Franklin for the sixth consecutive time in November, when his Buckeyes emerged from Happy Valley with a 20-13 victory. A game that started with the Nittany Lions building a 10-point lead ended with Franklin shouting at a heckling fan while the coach exited the field.

As good as Penn State looked in its first two playoff victories, those results didn’t reverse Franklin’s narrative in marquee games. No one would mistake SMU for Notre Dame. No blue blood runs in Boise State’s veins, only blue turf.

Examination of Penn State’s playoff victories, though, reveals shades of Michigan.

“It’s a very talented, disciplined, tough football team,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said of Penn State. “Very creative offense. Utilizes a bunch of different personnel, a bunch of different formations. Going to force you to be extremely disciplined.”

That’s not coach-speak. Freeman accurately described Penn State, and facing Franklin’s squad will be a lot like looking in the mirror for Notre Dame.

THREE KEYS: Breaking down the Notre Dame-Penn State matchup

UNSTOPPABLE: Penn State tight end Tyler Warren is unique weapon

Notre Dame the type of team that beats James Franklin

Here’s the quiet part no opposing coach would say out loud: Franklin shrivels against opponents of Notre Dame’s stature. He becomes a bespectacled turtle upon sight of a big dog. He’s pitiful against top-five teams and the biggest brands.

Penn State fans won’t need this reminder, but for the rest of us, consider Franklin’s Penn State record against these opponents:

vs. Ohio State: 1-10

vs. Michigan: 3-7

vs. Michigan State: 5-5

vs. SEC opponents: 2-4

Franklin avoided embarrassment by smashing SMU and handling Boise State. He’d earn respect by beating Notre Dame.

Trust Penn State in Orange Bowl means trusting James Franklin

Jim Harbaugh performed woefully bad in the postseason before winning the national championship. You don’t win the big game until you do. Michigan’s khaki king never won a College Football Playoff game until he burned his blaze of victories last season, not stopping before he’d left for the NFL.

Kirby Smart and Dabo Swinney are college football’s only active coaches to have won national championships, meaning that no matter who’s celebrating on Jan. 20 in Atlanta, a coach will have captured his first national title.

Could it be Franklin? The team’s makeup indicates yes. It’s not the most complete left in the bracket – looking at you, Buckeyes – but Penn State resembles 2023 Michigan, and 2023 Michigan would contend in this tournament.

Previously, I’ve labeled Penn State a light beer version of 2023 Michigan, but there have been plenty of games this season in which the Nittany Lions played like a full-bodied brew, and there’s nothing watered down about Penn State’s superstar tight end Tyler Warren or defensive menaces Abdul Carter and Kobe King.

Put it this way: Harbaugh could win a national championship with this Penn State team.

I like the team. I just don’t entirely trust the coach.

Blake Toppmeyer is the USA TODAY Network’s national college football columnist. Email him at BToppmeyer@gannett.com and follow him on X @btoppmeyer. Subscribe to read all of his columns.

Michigan men’s basketball had a productive trip to the West Coast as the new year got underway, sweeping new Big Ten Conference additions USC and UCLA to improve to 4-0 in league play.

Late Tuesday night, the No. 24 Wolverines built an 18-point first half lead before the No. 22 Bruins came soaring back with an extended 28-6 run to take the lead themselves, 55-51, with just over 14 minutes left in the game. However, Michigan responded, outscoring the Bruins 39-24 the rest of the way for a 94-75 victory.

Michigan’s 94 points were the most points allowed by UCLA all season by far, with four Wolverines reaching double figures. Here are five takeaways from U-M’s fourth consecutive victory…

Michigan big man Vlad Goldin easily had his best game in a Maize and Blue uniform, and perhaps the best of his collegiate career against the Bruins. The 7-foot center finished with a career-high 36 points on 13-of-18 shooting from the floor and 9-for-11 from the free throw line.

The Wolverines’ center added seven rebounds, two assists and a blocked shot in a spectacular performance. UCLA had no answer for Goldin as he scored 21 points in the first half for Michigan, and while the 7-footer was slowed somewhat in the second half by foul trouble and some adjustments from the Bruins, Goldin helped the Wolverines close out this road victory in L.A.

After a slow start to the season, Goldin has really come into his own over the past three or so week, and has become a dominant force in the Wolverines’ frontcourt.

It was a career day for point guard Tre Donaldson as well, who played an instrumental role in Michigan’s second-half comeback in L.A. With the Wolverines’ trailing by four, Donaldson knocked down a 3-point shot, found forward Will Tschetter for another triple, and hit another 3 himself on three consecutive trips to pull Michigan back even.

Later in the second half, with Goldin and fellow big Danny Wolf each on the bench with four fouls, Donaldson hit two more 3-pointers to extend Michigan’s lead from eight to 12, assisting Nimari Burnett on a third triple minutes later. That stretch sealed the deal for the Maize and Blue.

Donaldson finished with a career-high 20 points on a red-hot 7-of-11 shooting, including 6-of-10 from deep. He added seven assists, six rebounds and a pair of steals for the Wolverines. When Donaldson plays like this, Michigan will be tough for anyone in the country to beat.

Danny Wolf has emerged as a contender for Big Ten Player of the Year this season, but he had a rough second game in Los Angeles. The 7-foot forward played too loose with the basketball and was frustrated by UCLA’s defense, resulting in seven turnovers for Wolf alone. The transfer from Yale also found himself in foul trouble, which forced him to sit for much of the second half.

Despite this, Wolf still managed to score 12 points on an efficient 4-of-7 shooting, and made his usual contributions in other areas with eight rebounds, six assists, a blocked shot and a steal. Wolf can play a little out of control at times, and was clearly frustrated tonight, but still played a large role in Michigan’s victory.

Meanwhile, with small forward Roddy Gayle Jr. out with injury, the Wolverines needed Nimari Burnett to continue his strong play of late, and they got just that from the senior. Burnett scored 17 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the floor and 3-for-4 from deep. He added four rebounds, four assists and two steals.

The season is still young, but Michigan has the makings of a team that can win the Big Ten and make a run in the NCAA Tournament this March. However, the Wolverines have two key areas they must address in order to realize that potential — limiting turnovers and holding on to double-digit leads.

Michigan had 16 turnovers against UCLA’s tough, aggressive defense, which led to 20 points for the Bruins. The Wolverines did a better job after halftime, but this remains a lingering issue for Dusty May’s squad. During UCLA’s 28-6 run between the end of the first and beginning of the second half, Michigan had five turnovers in about a nine-minute stretch, which contributed to the Wolverines’ blowing its 18-point lead.

Michigan has had several leads evaporate this season, including all three of their losses. The turnovers have played a major role in the Wolverines’ inability to hold these leads, and that will keep this team from realizing its full potential unless it’s corrected.

As mentioned above, there’s some areas to clean up in order for Michigan to reach it’s potential and win championships this season. However, the Wolverines are underrated as the current No. 24 team in the country (per the Associated Press).

Michigan’s three losses have come by a combined five points against Wake Forest (72-70), Arkansas (89-87) and No. 17 Oklahoma (87-86), and the Wolverines led in each of those three defeats. That’s how close this team is to being 15-0. The combined record of those three teams is 35-8.

Ultimately, the Wolverines’ national ranking will take care of itself as long as they continue to win games. Michigan has an excellent chance to continue to build momentum, with homes games against Washington (10-5, 1-3 Big Ten) and Northwestern (10-5, 1-3) sandwiched around a road game at Minnesota (8-7, 0-4) over the next week and a half.

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