2010 opener not Pac-10 team; return game may not be for a "couple of years"

Thanks; I did not read that. You got a link?

is a wasteland. Book it.

Out of the possibilities Brian posted here: http://mgoblog.com/content/holy-pants-its-real-opponent that didn't already have something set for that day OK State was my favorite too.

I haven't heard why people have gone silent on this one, anybody want to enlighten me?

You got a link? Because the whole reason these five teams were mentioned was because they each had open dates on Sept 4, 2010. If a team is moving some games around, then the criteria for creating this list isn't useful.

Georgia came to my mind to, given the Daily article. Brian debunked UGA because it's schedule is full in 2011, but if the return game could be in 2012 or 2013 (though that would mean just six home games for M if the return game were in 2012), AND if our potential opponent is trying to move some games around, Georgia is a logical team to at least put on the list of potential opponents. Though, Georgia is full in 2013, and I don;t know if Michigan wants to have just six home games in 2012.

I guess I could just wait a week and find out.

That's an excellent looking list. I think that Michigan fans would be very happy with any of those.

I wouldn't be surprised either.

Billy Martin is out to fuck. shit. up.

The Texas possibility thrills me. Given their recent h-&-h with Ohio State, I'm while on my way to convincing myself.

TAMU, Auburn, and LSU are intriguing as well. From among the second five, I'd love a shot at Nebraska the most -- still unfinished business from '97 to take care of. The '05 Alamo Bowl was robbery, pure and simple. Oklahoma could be classic as well -- maybe OU's effort to follow the Texas-OSU blueprint.

While they're less glamorous, I still think that either Syracuse or Rutgers is a possibility, with the return game being either in Yankee Stadium (Syracuse) or new Giants Stadium (Rutgers).

....as much as I'd like to see it, Florida hasn't played a nonconference road game outside of Florida in at least 18 years. I doubt they would choose next year to break the trend, especially when they'll probably lose about 10 guys to the pros this year and would be breaking in Tim Tebow's replacement in an opening day road game before 111,000 people, with maize jerseys, at night, and Nickelback playing between snaps.

I ran this past a friend from Auburn and he surprisingly finished my sentence. He’s been hearing some private rumblings about a big game outside the SEC in 2010. (Read: bla-bla-bla, rumor mongering)

He’s an insider for sure, but I’d put it at no more than 65% possible.

Take it for what it’s worth.

IMO. I’d like to play Auburn. We both need exposure, they play in the SEC and it should be a manageable game to win.

When I looked at the schedules, Auburn is the one that jumped out at me as having high potential. They have 8 home games, with the game on 9-4 being against a D-1AA school. Their 2010 schedule only has 1 challenging non-conference game, Clemson.

Clemson, is the other team in my high potential list that jumps out, with a favorable schedule and with Rodriguez's history.

Texas A&M has a favorable schedule as well, but they just don't seem to be the type of school to give up a home game.

The other 2 Texas and LSU both would have to reschedule away games, which is difficult, but not impossible.

That said, if I were a betting man, I would put $10 down on Auburn.

Tennessee fans and everyone around the program have a lot of bile and long memories. They would see UM as a rivalry game for two reasons. The first reason is that UM added to their stadium so that UT couldn't have the largest stadium in the country. Secondly, old time UT fans still whine that Charles Woodson "stole Peyton Manning's Heisman."

This is why UT blew out UM in a bowl game a few years ago; they see it as a rivalry game and UM doesn't. UM was playing the bowl game as a "reward," while UT was on a mission and foaming at the mouth. The results were really quite predictable at the time.

I would like to think that Lane Kiffin will continue UT's last few years of mediocrity, but there is that one in a hundred chance that Kiffin will actually get the job done there. A top-ten matchup would be "great for college football;" however, I want to see UM play a team that looks good for the computers, fans, and TV execs, but isn't really a threat to beat them and ruin a potentially good year.

ND, MSU, OSU, and PSU are enough marquee games for one year, and more than enough to justify a title game berth if they are tied for the best record in the country at the end of any season. ND and MSU might be mediocre, but they are rivalry games and are always a potential loss. That is four potential losses on the schedule every year, even if they have a great team. Sooner or later, the law of averages bites you on the ass. I would prefer that UM keep their schedule as managable as possible.