A few years ago, before the Michigan - ND game, Jack Swarbick, ND athletic director slipped David Brandon a note, saying they were ending the Michigan - ND series. Most believe it was due to their move to the ACC and the playing commitment for "sort" of being in that league.
Many people were not happy with that decision and losing an early season traditional match-up. Even to this day, when ND's QB goes down with a season long injury, I start thinking how this will effect their match-up with Michigan. Then I catch myself and remember Michigan plays BYU instead this year.
Brian Kelly recently spoke about playing Michigan: "I know we're going to be working hard to see if we can get that done," Kelly told Eisen last week. "I'm not privy (to any conversations between athletic directors), that happens across the street where the real important people are.
"But I'll say this: Using words like 'trending up.' This is something (we) want to occur, are things I'm hearing."
Then Jimmy chimed in yesterday:. "I'd probably have a conversation with coach Kelly about that before (I had one with) anyone else, that'd be the best course of action," Harbaugh said. "But I would be open to it, yes."
Sounds like there is plenty of smoke around this fire. We will see what happens. Maybe they could work a contract where they play every - other year. The Big Ten maybe going to 9 conference games will also have an impact on this decision.
- To re-cap an update from yesterday: Montreal cornerback Benjamin St-Juste will reclassify to the 2017 class. He is planning to enroll in January 2017 and will need to work with the NCAA Clearinghouse to make sure his Canadian transcript is approved. This will give the Wolverines another spot in the 2016 class which is now down to 22 players.
- Andy Staples writes a great piece for SI on spending the week in Michigan to view the double header on Saturday. This reminds me of reading the home delivered Sports Illustrated back in the day. Here is a paragraph that made me smile: This might be the perfect college town. It is home to a world-class university. It is just far enough from a major metropolitan center to feel separate, but just close enough to have all the conveniences of a larger city. And the food and drink are sublime. At the Jolly Pumpkin on Main Street, they pour all manner of Michigan-brewed beer to wash down the truffle fries. At Biercamp, in the shadow of Michigan Stadium, they make some of the world's best beef jerky. Then there's Zingerman's.
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I am probably in a huge minority not wanting to renew the ND series. I will explain.
- I am old enough to remember the Parseghian go for a tie in ’66. He knew that the press people would vote for ND over MSU. He was right and won the “national championship” that year (even with an undefeated Alabama team). He took perhaps the smart road for votes, but the cowards way as far as the game was concerned.
- For years if ND had 1 or more losses, there was no other team with the same number of losses ranked higher (that has changed over the last 10-15 years … and OK, this is a gripe with the voters not the school). However it has always irked me.
- Having been afforded opportunities to join the Big 10 they chose not to. Even when geography and traditional games (UM, MSU, Purdue) made it logical. Instead they join the weak sister ACC knowing full well that an undefeated ND will be selected over most other undefeated teams regardless of schedule for the championship series.
Frankly, Michigan can do better.
I wouldn't hold your breath that ND is working hard at adding Michigan. As Brady Hoke put it, "They're a bunch of CHICKENS!"
The reality is the ND vs Michigan was one of the top 10 most watched college football games every year. Viewership, ratings and money talks.
This could be wrong, but maybe 2018 or 2019 they bring back the series.
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