Harbaugh: Discussions being had on return of yearly Michigan-ND game
Just now on the Inside Michigan Football Radio Show.
This Saturday's game is the last scheduled meeting between Michigan and ND for the foreseeable future. Both teams schedules are loaded with marquee match ups with P5 opponents throughout 2020s.
Jon Jansen asked Harbaugh about the possible return of the series on a yearly basis soon.
I know you're down near Warde's office. There's been some discussions. We'll see what happens. I think it's good for college football.
Michigan took a $4.6M bath cancelling the Arkansas series that was supposed to have taken place on Sept. 1, 2018 in Ann Arbor and August 31, 2019 in Fayetteville, AR.
Arkansas went 2-10 in 2018 and is currently 2-5 this season.
Michigan cancelled the 2020-2021 home and home with Virginia Tech (also horrible this season), paying the $375,000 fee. We would've had two P5 non-conference opponents to go along with 9 B1G games so I can see why that was done.
But here's the thing: Michigan has a P5 non-conference opponent on the schedule every year from 2020-2027. Home and home series with Washington (2020-2021), UCLA (2022-2023), Texas (2024 & 2027) and Oklahoma (2025-2026). If those discussions become reality..........farewell to those exciting matchups.
October 22nd, 2019 at 12:36 AM ^
Since '95 actually. But I want to buy tickets to the CFP. These games don't help you get there.
October 22nd, 2019 at 7:58 AM ^
System is set up for everyone not named Wisconsin and Ohio state to fail. Over and over, Penn state has to OPEN at Madison in 2021. Ever see Ohio state opening the season in Madison or happy valley?
Big Ten is a joke but we keep pounding away...
October 21st, 2019 at 8:18 PM ^
I know this won't be popular, but...
I've followed the team since before Ron Johnson (YTRJ) ran for 347 yards against Wisconsin. I've always loved the ND series. There is no other team that has 3 real rivalry games - only Michigan*. With PSU, we're on the verge of having 4.
This is Michigan. Regardless of other P5 games, I say bring back the yearly ND game. It's part of what makes our team stand out from the rest.
OK, neg away...
(*EDIT: ND has 3 rivalry games - Michigan is one of them.)
October 21st, 2019 at 8:22 PM ^
I'm fine with playing ND as much as possible conditionally. The conditions are:
- We can still play other P5 teams. (This is probably best accomplished if we do two years on two years off with Notre Dame.)
- It's scheduled before the conference games.
- Both schools stop screwing around and acting like some annoying on-again off-again couple.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:59 PM ^
Yes, I love playing ND but not at the expense of hurting everything else. I also like to play other teams once in a while so scheduling home and away every other two years may be the best setup as far as I am concerned. I am also ok with not playing them at all considering the difficulties it causes with balancing the schedule.
I will forever be annoyed that we didn't keep our contract with Arkansas. A deal is a deal and if you can't schedule a football game properly you may be incompetent or you may be untrustworthy.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:52 PM ^
Michigan has 4 rivalry games if you count Minnesota...5 if you count Florida...and 6 if you count rutger.
October 21st, 2019 at 9:15 PM ^
7 if you count Illinois
October 21st, 2019 at 9:18 PM ^
yeah, Minnesota used to be a rivalry game, but not really even when I was a kid a long time ago. that jug has floated a long time ago...
October 21st, 2019 at 9:36 PM ^
Now we know how OSU feels.
October 21st, 2019 at 10:41 PM ^
I still consider it a rivalry game.
October 21st, 2019 at 9:35 PM ^
So m much Illinois disrespekt.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:20 PM ^
I can do without pac 12 matchups honestly. Had enough of them in early 80s, early 00s and rose bowls.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:32 PM ^
Agreed. Not a whole lot of fan intensity and sense of rivalry. At least try and book USC? Not to mention, it's essentially a surefire loss when M travels West. I thought our AD would know better after the UCLA, Washington and Oregon road losses in early to Mid 2000's. Washington away to start 2020 will be a loss and lacks that 'heck yeah, let's play them' factor. How about Auburn, Tennessee or Texas?
October 21st, 2019 at 10:34 PM ^
I would like to see us playing Cal and Stanford, academically “sister” schools, favorable match up generally.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:22 PM ^
I will believe those 2020-2027 games when I see them.
I am OK with no more ND in the regular season.
2020-2027 games >>>>>>>>>> ND
October 21st, 2019 at 8:24 PM ^
I don’t see why we schedule any elite teams to play.. I would much rather we play cupcakes and beat them 50-0
October 21st, 2019 at 8:33 PM ^
Totally agree. At the end of the day UM's season most years is going to come down to how it does against OSU, MSU, PSU, and whoever their marquee crossover is (Wisconsin or Nebraska). Lose in the OOC like UM did in 2018 and you have to run the table the rest way to make the CFP. Win all your OOC games and you can afford a slip up in conference. Clemson isn't even going to beat a ranked team this season and they'll still make the playoff. Why are we playing these games?
October 21st, 2019 at 8:40 PM ^
You sound like someone who played NCAA Football on Freshman difficulty level. Fucked with those sliders to huh bruh?
October 22nd, 2019 at 12:24 PM ^
Not sure about Nebraska being a marquee crossover, maybe Iowa.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:24 PM ^
So I'm with just about everyone here. Play ND once every 5 or 10 years for the nostalgics, but the AD needs to stop making the kinds of decisions that led to the current ND scheduling. I'd have really enjoyed home-and-homes with Arkansas and VT. If ND wants to act like spoiled princesses, tell 'em to pound sand...
October 21st, 2019 at 8:26 PM ^
ND isn't the reason that VT isn't happening, that was just dumb scheduling. To schedule VT and Washington in the same season was baffling.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:25 PM ^
Fuck ND.
The problem with this is that Warde will trip over himself to get them back on the schedule if that's what JH wants. And he'll do it as expediently as he can - which is what brought us this coming game. I have zero confidence in Manual to put them on the the schedule in the first viable opening, which looks like 2028. He's already proven he'll cancel interesting matchups whenever needed to placate whatever ND wants with their schedule. Fuck this whole conversation...
We need to get loud about not wanting ND back!
October 21st, 2019 at 8:57 PM ^
I've seen several Notre Dame fans say that we financially need them. This shows how ignorant and arrogant their fan base is...conaidering that our revenue is bigger than theirs. That alone is reason enough not to schedule them, then add in their BS move of canceling our home game.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:26 PM ^
I'd fully support this move if we were leaving the Big 10 and becoming an independent.
But our division is a murderer's row most seasons and we have to beat OSU to win the Big 10 now. Having a tough OOC schedule only hurts us.
Also we should be playing Rutger before OSU instead of Indiana.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:44 PM ^
I think playing a tougher OOC schedule actually helps us. I say this because it makes us a better team. If we can't win those games against tough teams then it doesn't matter anyway. If you truly want to be the best you gotta compete against the best. Skating your way through by playing shitty teams may get you into the playoff once in awhile, but then you'll just get your ass beat anyway. I truly think Harbaugh looks at it like this as well. Just my opinion.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:59 PM ^
Tell that to Alabama.
And Clemson.
October 21st, 2019 at 9:13 PM ^
And OSU (FAU, Miami OH, Cincinnati), and PSU (Pitt, Idaho, Buffalo), and OU (Houston, South Dakota, UCLA). What do you know those are 5 of the top 6 teams in the AP top 25 at the moment.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:27 PM ^
I don’t see the upside for playing ND. We play the Alabama of the B1G every year to go along with several other ranked conference opponents as it is. None of the talking heads care if we lose to a top ranked ND, it’s just another loss they can talk about. If we do win, then they’ll just move on to our record against OSU.
Nothing to gain.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:29 PM ^
The BIG is tough enough screw playing a hard OOC schedule ...
October 21st, 2019 at 8:34 PM ^
If Jim spends a lot more time thinking about what's 'good for college football' rather than about what's good for Michigan football, he'll find himself having a lot of time talking about college football from a neutral perspective on FOX or ESPN sooner or later.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:36 PM ^
I think playing ND frequently is great. They are our most natural rivals. They are an academically prestigious midwest school with a storied football tradition. Plus there is the public vs private thing going on. The rivalry makes a lot of sense.
I wish instead of every year it would be 2 on and 2 off. We still get frequency but have in between years to play different good teams.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:36 PM ^
I don’t think they will cancel future matchups this time. ND has Wisconsin and OSU over 4 yrs.
i think on 2yrs off 2yrs would be ideal for the ND series. Then every kid who stays 4yrs gets a chance to play in each stadium. Then you can still schedule nice home and home series on the opposite 2yr window.
October 21st, 2019 at 9:08 PM ^
Yes, OSU picks up Notre Dame in 2022-2023. I'm ok with a 2-year agreement but wouldn't want to play them as much as you guys do. I hate ND and would rather play other top schools. Let the Domers suck on ACC teams.
OSU has the same philosophy as Michigan. One Power 5 game and 2 Group of 5 games each year. OSU has two with Oregon coming up (in Eugene next year week #2), two with Washington (2nd game in 2025 with Texas in the same season which is insane) and Texas in your gap years of 2025-2026.
The feeling here for quite some time is that the Power 5 game is necessary for strength of schedule rankings. As you guys keep building the program, the Power 5 game maybe be needed to get in the playoff. Hard to say.......
Overall, I think these matches are great for CFB. I think its bullshite, however, that schools like Alabama can get away without playing these home & home matchups.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:43 PM ^
Fuck them, would rather play someone else. Join the conference if you want to play a big ten team
October 21st, 2019 at 8:44 PM ^
Hmmmmmm it seems I’m in the minority here but I enjoy playing ND.
I will say though these other teams on the schedule do seem more intriguing than playing another team from Indiana.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:53 PM ^
NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!
We have enough tough opponents and rivalries in the conference. PJ Fleck is building a monster at Minnesota and Nebraska will be good again.
Non-Conference should be 1 MAC team, 1 Sunbelt/C-USA, and 1 mediocre Power 5/Mountain West Team (Cal, Fresno, Texas Tech, Arkansas, Pitt, NC State).
Notre Dame needs to get in a conference like everybody else. WE SHOULDN'T ENABLE THEM!!!!
October 21st, 2019 at 9:02 PM ^
You do realize that Minnesota's best win of the season is over Nebraska, yes?
They also nearly lost to FCS South Dakota State, Fresno State and Georgia Southern who hasn't even been in the FBS for a decade yet.
October 21st, 2019 at 9:06 PM ^
You think what he did at Western (mediocre MAC team once he left) and the fact the Minnesota has it's longest winning streak in 77 years is a coincidence?
Doubt PJ Fleck...We'll see how that works out for you.
October 21st, 2019 at 9:12 PM ^
What does any of what you just said have to do with the facts that I just laid out?
Minnesota's best case scenario is becoming an 8-4/9-3 program. He's gonna leave when a better job that he can recruit to opens up.
October 21st, 2019 at 9:19 PM ^
The facts you laid out were games he won within his current undefeated season.
I'm unconvinced if your assertion is that Fleck won't turn Minnesota into a formidable opponent if you are using those facts as evidence.
October 22nd, 2019 at 6:47 AM ^
No he doesn't realize it, only you are capable of looking at the schedule. And since he was comparing Michigan and Minnesota what exactly is our best win? If a win over Iowa is the bullet point from this season then we'd better not be taking for granted schools like Minnesota.
October 21st, 2019 at 9:22 PM ^
Not sure about the 'monster' part at Minnesota but I do agree Fleck is a builder and great coach who is not just about cliches and quirkiness. I would wager on Fleck ahead of Frost at Nebraska. I think the Huskers will have a tough time being a consistent factor moving forward.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:54 PM ^
Screw Notre Dame. We don't need them with the BigTen gravy train.
I'd rather play interesting new match ups than some arrogant team that canceled the game in Ann Arbor so they'd get an extra home game.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:55 PM ^
Damn, I hope it’s not at the expense of the teams mentioned. I’m excited to attend the Washington game next year and hopefully the UCLA game at the rose Bowl.
we need more exposure outside of the mid-west and Florida (counting the last how many bowl games).
i would love to see USC on the schedule. Michigan storming the Coliseum!
October 21st, 2019 at 8:55 PM ^
I'm done with ND and marquee P5 matchups. It does us no favors. OSU, PSU, MSU is enough every year with the possibility of a western division foe being ranked as well.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:58 PM ^
Honestly. It’s moments like this that makes me think the stupidity and failure of our football program is deep rooted and systemic. Going well beyond Harbaugh.
I don’t mind playing ND every now and again, but removing Arkansas was just plain dumb dumb dumb. I somethings think I’m taking crazy pills.
October 21st, 2019 at 8:58 PM ^
Neg away, but I don’t see what the point of playing premier games in the non-con does for you. Schedule the three directional Michigan schools and call it a day.
October 21st, 2019 at 9:04 PM ^
I can't neg on this. I like the marquee match-ups but not at the expense of home games and balanced schedules. Tailgating with guests from around the state is also enjoyable.
October 21st, 2019 at 9:22 PM ^
it doesn't accomplish anything. See: Clemson. Easy path to playoffs which nets them better recruits, which.... on it goes. Bama has a slightly harder schedule than Clemson this year but it's all a joke.
October 21st, 2019 at 10:51 PM ^
In 2019, if the team loses to OSU and finishes 9-3, what will have been the biggest win of the season?