Paint It Blue?

LET THEM PLAY LET THEM PLAY LET THEM PLAY LET THEM PLAY LET THEM PLAY

too much sense for it to happen. and I'm not saying that to knock Bill Martin, but rather the lifetime season ticket holders who will no doubt find a reason to take a dump on this idea, as they do every other idea that makes sense for Michigan football.

I'd probably actually rather have any of the Why Bother games than Boise State - BSU might generate buzz, but aesthetically I tend to prefer BCS programs. Just a personal thing. Besides, why invite someone who might beat us? Baylor'd be perfect, if they don't turn awesome this year like they kind of threatened to last year.

why invite someone who might beat us?

i just threw up a little in my mouth

I'd be happy to get a shot at Boise State. I'm probably alone in feeling this, but I'd rather be 3 - 9 against good teams than 6 - 6 against crap. Of course, both of those are far better than being 3 - 9 against crap.

For a Cal-Michigan game. I know it's not gonna happen, but man that would be sweet.

"why invite someone who might beat us?"

If that's your attitude, why not schedule AA Pioneer... jeez.

dude, you avatar is the coolest thing ever... did you find that on the internet? or did you create it yourself?

if so, and you wouldn't mind sharing, could you send me the file? email is mattjm20@gmail.com

thanks dude GO BLUE!

sadly, all the awesome games are in the 'unlikely return game' category. though baylor might actually be pretty respectable in 2010 with griffin being a junior

my original comment was incorrect...

but i'll throw it out there that baylor's own site says they have games schedule already.

http://www.baylorbears.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/081400aaa.html

Too bad on TCU. I'd just love to kick their butt for some reason.

if they were slightyly better than a 1 W team by 2010

Oddly enough, I'm wearing a Boise State football shirt right now. It's a sign! (...that I've been to Boise. That turf is much brighter than it looks on tv.)

I'd love to see BSU come to Ann Arbor for a game. It would be nice not just to get a respectable opponent in town, but also to get a team other than the usual suspects.

I'd also be eager to see if anybody dressed up as a blue and yellow smurf for the occasion.

I've been too busy arguing the case for Boise in the other thread.

To sum: I am all for it.

The implication of this (probably obvious to everyone else except me) is that Michigan is not going to play a high profile non-conference road game for the foreseeable future (except against ND)? That's kind of sad. Don't high-profile road games help to promote the profile of Michigan outside of the state? That has to help with something (maybe recruiting?). Can't Martin schedule a home at home (like Oregon) where the second game is several years down the road. Just defer the road game until later.

I like the idea of seeing Michigan actually beat a quality opponent on the road at some point.

I like Virginia or Pitt. Things worked out pretty well the last time we played Virgina and Pitt is one of the schools thrown around to join the Big Ten so it may be a nice little preview of things to come.

I still like the idea of 2nd tier teams from recruiting hot beds. Play USF, Stanford, Texas A&M, Mississippi State, etc.

Or big name teams that have been down as of late and are rebuilding. UCLA, Tennessee, Auburn, Washington, Miami, etc.

Not sure how attractive it is but they might be willing given that their stadium only fits 45K. Then again, they got burnt by losing to Penn State on the road this season and they play a future home-and-home with Wisconsin. Still, that 2010 schedule is unfilled and they are trying to keep their in-state profile high with Oregon getting very aggressive. They might see Michigan on the rebuild and a national TV game as a pretty big chance to make a splash.

I'm going to put my money on Duke. They have nothing to lose and Cutcliffe is a good coach.

1. The 2010 schedule includes road games at Notre Dame, Penn State and Ohio State. With only seven home games, its likely Michigan will open with a more beatable opponent than Boise State.

2. The game in South Bend is the second week of the season. Highly unlikely you'd see the first two games against Boise State followed by at Notre Dame. Opening games are generally against lighter opponents so that you can prep for the rest of the schedule. Clearly that didn't work in 2007 (Appalachian State) or 2008 (Utah) though--Michigan opened those seasons against two teams that ended up undefeated.

3. How much will it cost? Michigan paid Utah $800K last season, but only $975K for the two MAC teams combined. Does Bill Martin want to pay relatively top dollar for an opponent or will he go with a less expensive option, i.e., another MAC team? He did try to get Minnesota in as the opener, so maybe he's willing to throw some money around.

4. OTOH, this is the opening game in the newly renovated stadium and Martin has said they were looking at something special. Boise State would be one of those programs that fit the bill.

In the end, though, I just don't see Michigan pulling the trigger. When everything is balanced out, I wouldn't be surprised to see a second MAC opponent on the schedule as the opening opponent.

1. We used to play them regularly.

2. They fit as an opponent since like Michigan it emphasizes academics and plays in a BCS conference. Plus we play them regularly in basketball.

3. As noted, with a new coach, they could be on the upswing.

4. This might be slightly redundant, but I suspect we'll get as much credit in the media by playing and beating a BCS school, albeit currently a second division school, as playing and beating Boise State.

can enthusiastically mouth the words "leaders and the best."

We need a new version of The Victors to reflect our new scheduling philosophy.

I think Virginia would be cool since it would be the 15th Anniversary of the Pigskin Classic, which at the time, was the greatest comeback in Michigan Stadium history.

Martin has said he wants something special, but he's either going to have to dole out big money or go in on a 2 for 1 or 1 for 1.

Just for old school football historians, it would be cool to either bring in Army, Navy or Harvard, Yale, since they were all the rage back in the day, so if it's really a celebration of Michigan Stadium, the historical aspect of football could be played up...maybe both teams could even wear throwback jerseys.

I, for one, find it embarrassing and disheartening that most college football programs schedule ooc games like "baylor, emu, wmu" one year and "coastal carolina, san diego state, youngstown college for the deaf and blind" the next.

College football was more fun when you had AT LEAST one marquee game on our schedule ooc.

If I were a religious fanatic I'd say app state was the godsmack for pussifying scheduling.

"Right now, I'd go where I can make the most money," Boise State athletic director Gene Bleymaier said.

I've got to admit, I find that honesty refreshing.