Michigan to Face Appalachian State in 2014 Opener
Aug. 25, 2011
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The University of Michigan football program will open the 2014 season with a match-up against Appalachian State University on Aug. 30 at Michigan Stadium. This will be the second meeting between the Wolverines and Mountaineers at Michigan Stadium.
"We look forward to facing Appalachian State again," said U-M Athletic Director Dave Brandon.
The only previous game in the series between Michigan and Appalachian State came in the 2007 season opener. The defending FCS champion Mountaineers stunned the Wolverines, 34-32, as ASU blocked a field goal attempt that could have won the game for Michigan at the end of regulation. It was the first-ever game broadcast by the Big Ten Network.
U-M has two remaining open dates on its schedule.
(http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/082511aad.html)
August 25th, 2011 at 4:26 PM ^
I would rather have DB allow 11 fuzzy wolverine mascots dressed in nike pro-combat alternate uniforms come out to RAWK music on the Big House field than this. But this cant be serious right? RIGHT?!?!
August 25th, 2011 at 4:26 PM ^
As long as Oregon isn't also added, I'm cool.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:26 PM ^
I still have nightmares about the last time they played...........
August 25th, 2011 at 4:26 PM ^
revenge is great
August 25th, 2011 at 4:41 PM ^
I don't see how you can get much revenge from this. We will still always have this pain in our memory. Beating them erases nothing because we are supposed to beat them.
Why did they do this!?
August 25th, 2011 at 4:27 PM ^
*closes office door"
*cries silently for 2 minutes*
*reopens office door, resumes work*
August 25th, 2011 at 4:27 PM ^
I can't wait to hear about the 2007 game being brought up again and again and AGAIN!
August 25th, 2011 at 4:27 PM ^
Just when I thought it was safe to come out from underneath THE HORROR rock I have been hiding under.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:28 PM ^
why is this so bad if we smash them then maybe the msu fans will shut up
August 25th, 2011 at 4:30 PM ^
HA! We could win the next 20 NCs, and we would hear incessant whining. It's what they do.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:33 PM ^
Because we are supposed to smash them, that is what they'll say, and they will be right. It's like Bill asking Monica Lewinsky to come back and be his personal assistant. You know, give it another shot...no, no reason to retread over that soiled, desolate ground. Leave that corpse in the ground I say.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:37 PM ^
It wouldn't be the worst thing because that is what we are supposed to do.
Also Bret Bielema and Luke Fickell are also look like goblins.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:28 PM ^
We win, we call it a day, everyone moves on feeling somewhat vindicated. It's a wash and all is forgotten.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:30 PM ^
That's not how things work.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:37 PM ^
If we can't let go of this, it will never be forgotten. it's time we face it, embrace it, and erase it (sorry for the Jesse Jacksonism) by playing another game ans showing that it was an anomaly. And then we move on. Finally.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:46 PM ^
Beating them once isn't going to make up for the #5 ranked team in the country that was loaded with seniors losing to them in the Big House! We could beat them by 100 and it wouldn't make any difference as the series would then be tied 1-1.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:29 PM ^
WHO UPVOTED?!?
August 25th, 2011 at 4:29 PM ^
"F-ck me running."
August 25th, 2011 at 4:29 PM ^
No mercy this time around. We better drop 100 on them. I still blame that loss on Gingell.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:29 PM ^
for every seemingly brilliant thing Brandon does (night games, firing RR, Scoreboards, etc) he does some totally asinine stuff (waiting to fire RR, considering mascots, App St., etc.)
August 25th, 2011 at 9:50 PM ^
TIING!!!
He's like a monkey with a bazooka. He just closes his eyes and fires that 'ole marketing cannon at everything that moves.
Sometimes he scores a direct hit and lights up the sky, sometimes he wipes out his own guys with friendly fire.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:29 PM ^
The ays have it. Bad decision.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:30 PM ^
What is this, a revenge game?
Does Dave Brandon know how often ESPN is going to show the highights from THE HORROR during the week leading up to that game? I'm just glad I'll be out of Knoxville by that time.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:30 PM ^
The University of Michigan has announced its first "Old Wounds" game, which will take place Aug. 30, 2014, at Michigan Stadium during the Wolverines' season-opening game against Appalachian State. Each fan attending will be given a wooden stake commemorating the teams' first meeting in 2007 -- fans may use the stakes to create noise during the game, or stab each other in the heart if things go the same way they did last time.
Fans are encouraged to bring videos of their most embarrassing moments to be shown on the brand new scoreboards, so that they can share in re-living the most traumatizing events of their lives in front of 113,000 strangers.
"We are trying to tap into the unique experience of being a Michigan fan," said AD David Brandon. "We want to make sure every one of our fans who come here can experience something that to them is uniquely Michigan, whether that experience be singing a Journey song along with a hundred thousand other fans, or having their souls shredded into a thousand million tiny pieces when ultimate horror is wrought upon them right at the apogee of hope."
"We're Michigan," agreed head coach Brady Hoke.
For the half-time show, the university plans to honor 50 veterans by painstakingly reenacting the deaths of the vets' best buddies in combat.
The game, sponsored by Prozac, will be shown on the Big Ten Network, with the two weeks prior to the game dedicated to replaying Michigan's worst defeats.
The university also announced that the game will be the school's official "bring your ex-" day, with half-priced tickets to the person who broke your heart.
Kordell Stewart has been invited to perform the ceremonial coin toss.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:52 PM ^
Thank you for a good laugh! Ah, the horror, the horror, who will protect the innocent children?
August 25th, 2011 at 4:55 PM ^
Purely brilliant.
August 25th, 2011 at 5:10 PM ^
Don't forget the 4th quarter final drive when the fans will each get to line up and be hit five yards out of bounds by Shawn Crable.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:31 PM ^
Winning won't wash away The Horror, of course. But this faces forward and acknowledges we're not some wounded sally who can't ever think of that wound again.
We invite them back. We should win big. It won't change anything, but the fact that we don't need it to is what we're reclaiming.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:32 PM ^
Meh, not worried. By then Hoke will have the machine in tip-top shape with top 5 recruiting classes for 3 years. I hope we kick their ass 63-7 and block every one of their field goal attempts.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:38 PM ^
nobody is worried that we're going to lose again, just that this is a terrible fucking idea where michigan has nothing to gain.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:52 PM ^
I hope we block one of their kickoffs
August 25th, 2011 at 9:57 PM ^
Tell me you didn't say "Top 5". Freudian slip?
August 25th, 2011 at 4:32 PM ^
I just won't watch or read any of the pre-game hype. I'll turn on the TV at kick-off time and watch UM stomp Appy State back to the stone age. It will remind everyone how Michigan is back in force and a college football powerhouse.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:32 PM ^
so what we live with the horror a week before the game then kalis, magnuson, wormley and co destroy them and we move on in life.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:32 PM ^
my stomach actually started churning after reading this. i would like to get some revenge for the horror but i'll be on pins and needles more for this then next years opener against alabama. i just hope the team has had some form of success by then, otherwise it's gonna be extra brutal leading up to the game.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:32 PM ^
This is a lose-lose situation. If you win, well, of course, you are supposed to win. If you lose, you will have double infamy. This makes no sense. I think we should never play a FCS team. There is nothing to gain. While I support playing strong opponents OOC, surely, there are some scrub FBS teams that want a big payday if you are looking for a cupcake team.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:33 PM ^
When RR blew the App State game, I knew, I just fucking knew, he wasn't a MMM, a Michigan Manball Man, that game told it all. Always fun to be ahead of the curve.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:43 PM ^
...you know Lloyd lost the App State game, right?
August 25th, 2011 at 4:33 PM ^
August 25th, 2011 at 4:35 PM ^
I wonder if MSU wants to schedule a game vs Louisiana Tech
August 25th, 2011 at 4:39 PM ^
They do keep scheduling Central.... granted we're an hour away and with the series at 4-3 State, it's actually a pretty fair
August 25th, 2011 at 4:35 PM ^
August 25th, 2011 at 4:37 PM ^
what and lose twice in a row?
August 25th, 2011 at 7:38 PM ^
I think you meant 3008.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:35 PM ^
against a running qb by that time.
or d at all.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:40 PM ^
There is nothing good about this. Living out of state, I still have people that want to talk football come up to me, completely knowing that i an M fanatic, with some idiotic grin on their face, and bring up the horror and tell me what happened, like I don't friggin know.
Seriously Brandon.....this is stupid.
Revenge may be a reason for excitement or acceptance, but......
"this is michigan for god's sake......"
we don't need f'ing revenge against an FCS team.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:36 PM ^
ASU is currently investigating a move to the FBS subdivision.
August 25th, 2011 at 4:37 PM ^
I don't know how this is a lose lose situation. They have different players no armanti edwards and it appears that M will be strong by that time if you look at recruiting and mattison. It's a win-lose situation
August 25th, 2011 at 4:40 PM ^
Well last time we were ranked 5th in the country. We will not loose to them again but we have nothing to gain at all by playing them.