Ray To Miss Three More Games

Michigan safety Marcus Ray, suspended because of his contact with an agent, will miss three more games, bringing the total to six.

Ray will not be eligible to play again until the Nov. 7 game against Penn State. Michigan had said last week that Ray would be eligible to play in the Wolverines' Oct. 31 game at Minnesota.

Michigan athletic director Tom Goss said Wednesday the confusion arose from the school's conversation with the NCAA last week.

"There was some confusion during the conversation on the telephone Thursday (Oct. 8) as to what we understood Ray's suspension to be," Goss said in a statement. "When we received the official letter late Friday, the NCAA spelled out that Marcus would have to miss 50 percent of the season."

The school said the confusion occurred because Michigan plays a 12-game schedule, instead of the usual 11-game schedule. Ray already has missed three games.

Michigan said last week that Ray and his mother received tickets to a July jazz festival in Cincinnati from a bank and that Ray picked them up at agent James Gould's office. The skybox tickets entitled the holder to free food.

The investigation also found that Gould had helped Ray's friends with arrangements for hotel room payments. The total value of the tickets and rooms was $477.23.

Michigan coach Lloyd Carr said this week that Ray no longer would be a captain and he was not guaranteed his starting job when he returns.

Ray was an All-Big Ten first-team selection last year and a second-team All-American. He had made 26 consecutive starts before his suspension.

In two games this season, he had 14 tackles.

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