Michigan vs. Alabama 2012 at Cowboy Stadium??

Submitted by Jedelman11 on

Its behind a paywall and apparently just a rumor, but there is a report on Scout that Michigan will  be openning its 2012 season against Alabama in Dallas Texas.

(Link for those with memberships): http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=14&f=1016&t=6187317

Hopefully by then its will be defending national champions Michigan laying the beat down on a strong Crimson Tide squad...

MGoDC

August 5th, 2010 at 8:53 PM ^

9 big ten games, 3 OOC games.

Even if we get 5 big ten home games that year, since ND and Alabama would be away games that leaves at most 1 more OOC game at home. Totalling 6 home games instead of the 7 or 8 we play every year currently.

It still sucks.

TTUwolverine

August 5th, 2010 at 9:19 PM ^

But shit man... that would be a brutal schedule.  9 Big Ten games, Notre Dame and Bama away.  Oh well, I say go for it, and I vote home and home.  I don't think it makes any sense whatsoever to play a Big Ten/SEC game in the heart of Big 12 country, no matter how big and sparkly Jerryworld is. 

ChitownWolverine82

August 5th, 2010 at 10:29 PM ^

It makes perfect sense.  Dallas is in the heart of Texas, which has a ton of recruits.  If they see a high profile game in their territory that isn't the Longhorns, then we get more exposure.  There will be a lot of hype around the game and it will be a good chance for RR to invite some huge prospects out to see the Maize and Blue.  Not only that, but we are playing an SEC team which will also be viewed by our southern recruits.  This is a chance for a lot of eyes on UM, and many of which will be top 100 recruits. 

Plus Dee Hart can run all over The Tide and HaHa (fingers crossed).

Sambojangles

August 5th, 2010 at 9:20 PM ^

Why play in Texas when we have perfectly good stadia in both Ann Arbor and Tuscaloosa? It makes more sense than playing USC in Atlanta, but not much more. Texas is really far away, and I would hate to lose the home game (especially since ND is away too). I'm all for playing big schools, but not at neutral sites, and not if it means there are only 6 home games.

Plus, assuming it would be Labor Day weekend, going to the football game is the highlight of Welcome Week. The game on Saturday gives everyone something to look forward to (except drinking) and a good reason to drink in the morning.

ppudge

August 5th, 2010 at 9:41 PM ^

It makes little sense.  Play a home and home with Bama.  Neutral site games are terrible for college football.  See nearly every bowl game not played in January, and all conference championship games outside the SEC seem poorly attended (exceptions for a couple of bowl games like the Holiday for instance).  One of the reasons college football always seemed better than pro to me is the campus settings with the band, student enthusiasm, pagentry, etc.  Moving a game to a pro stadium nowhere near either campus seems pointless.

Besides the big bowl games, the only neutral site games I can remember are the Red River Rivalry, but that's played every year in Dallas, which is at least close to Oklahoma and actually in the state of Texas and the World's Largest Cocktail Party (if it can still be called that), but again, played in Jacksonville which is actually in Florida which borders Georgia.

Of course MSU is playing at Ford Field against FIU (or FAU?) this year - I'm sure that place will be rockin'!

Zone Left

August 5th, 2010 at 11:08 PM ^

The game in Atlanta (whatever it's called), has been really successful.  It could work out okay to have a one-time game in Dallas, but I'm still on your side.  I kind of like two or three stress-free Saturdays each fall.

WolvinLA2

August 5th, 2010 at 10:01 PM ^

This would be awesome.  Please happen. 

It would be the biggest program win in a while.  Well, except the game just before it where we win the National Championship.

Maize_and_Drew

August 5th, 2010 at 10:16 PM ^

If this is true then it shows that Dave Brandon has a shit ton of confidence in Rich Rodriguez to get the job done at Michigan. 

There's no way in hell Brandon would schedule Michigan vs Alabama at Cowboys Stadium if he thought he'd be hiring a new coach in 2011 or 2012.  No way.