It's Not An Opener
Pushback from the Michigan athletic department on the UMass thing:
"That's not true -- not even close," Draper said. "We're talking to them, (but) not for that date."
Michigan, he said, intends to make the season opener the "dedication" game for the stadium, which is currently under construction, adding suites and a new press box.
"We're trying to do something special," said Draper, who indicated Michigan is talking to a "couple teams" for that day.
Since Michigan hasn't played a nonconference game on the road outside of South Bend since 2003 and teams you could designate "special" would probably demand a return game, I can't imagine what that would be. Western and Eastern… at the same time?
This doesn't change the fact that scheduling UMass would be totally lame, but at least there's the hint of an outline of an actual BCS opponent in Draper's words. Now watch them schedule Ohio Wesleyan.
Someone make a list of teams with that date open.
We should schedule University of Chicago. Rekindle the rivalry! Crush the Maroons!
I agree.
They should bring in a historical power but a favorable current matchup.
Army?
we could play "Hail to the Victors" like it was the first time ever.
Ohio Wesleyan beat us once and tied us once in four match-ups. That's better than at least half the Big Ten historically.
I bet they'll just move ND into that spot.
Sorry -- that game will be at ND, right?
Other conferences do it.
Reprise the infamous 1994 game. And not the most difficult of BCS opponents in 2010, most likely.
Toney Clemons rematch game, or maybe try to line up Threet at ASU.
I know there's huge opposition to scheduling teams that we should easily beat but, honestly, does anyone really want to dedicate the newly revamped Michigan Stadium w/ a loss? There's a reason they TRY to find the weakest opponent for the homecoming game.
How about, in an ode to Bo, we play Miami(OH)? Not a big time big name school but at least there'd be some historical significance to the thing...
I vote for Slippery Rock
The perfect game (while completely unrealistic) is West Virginia.
Maybe a rematch with App State?
Beat down a recruiting rival from down there...
Hope is renewed. I'm putting all of my money on Northern Illinois. Its been a while since we've played them.
There isn't going to be a lot of options. Scheduling a team 15 months out is not going to bring in any big time BCS teams. Which is too bad because it would be nice to bring in a good team that would not only make the "christening" mean something but also add to the strength of schedule.
In lue of a good BCS team what about an Academy team or a team from Conference USA like Marshall or East Carolina?
I am an alum of both UM and ECU. I've always thought it'd be interesting for both my teams to meet. But man, it'd be a tough call for who I should pull for. Maybe I could get one of those half-n-half license plates you normally see with UM/MSU, except with UM/ECU. GO BLUE. GO PIRATES.
SIGH.
I go to Central and always support them, but Michigan is always first. I began watching Michigan in elementary school. By the time I got to college, the attachment is far too deep to ever root for someone over Michigan.
They have an open week in the 2010 season, only have one road non-conference game as of now (uh, it is Oklahoma), and have severe budget problems. They could use the money of a game in the Big House.....
http://seminoles.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/fsu-m-footbl-sched-h…
any BCS team would be awesome
edit: well maybe not iowa state but thats the only one
there are several bad non-BCS teams. For example I would not enjoy Syracuse, Duke, or Wazzou (historically maybe, presently meh).
Time has come for me to weigh in on this issue as it seems to be quite popular on blogs, message boards, and other nefarious internet mediums.
The LAST thing we need to do is to schedule anything but a sure fire ass whooping to the opposing team. We have been the butt of many jokes since the beginning of the 2007 season and even this year we are going to be a .500 team. So you need to have a really positive outcome at the opening of your newly renovated stadium and to set the tone for...wait for it....atonement.
Now you can jump on your high horse and beat your chest and talk about how we're Michigan and we are better than that, but the truth of the matter is we're at a crosroads in our history and the last thing we need to do is to have the opening of the stadium tarnished by a loss. For any other game in 2010 and beyond, you can beat your chest and complain about the quality of opponents all you wish.
Personally, I travel all the way from Atlanta to watch games and I have paid for plane rides, hotels, rental cars, and all the things that come along with traveling to AA encompasses because never have I ever regretted sitting in Michigan Stadium wtching the Wolverines on a Saturday no matter who they were playing. There is no finer place to be on a Saturday afternoon in the fall. So, if the Administration wants to schedule some cup cake team for that opening weekend, then we'll be just one of many many BCS schools playing cupcakes that first weekend.
Do you really want to have FSU come in here after what happened in '91(?), especially at the opening of the renovated stadium? I say schedule a tech school the first week and FSU the next week.
We don't improve as quickly as we hope, schedule a cupcake, and (God forbid) lose? That would be a googleplex times worse than scheduling a decent team (e.g. FSU) and risking a loss. I hate to say it, but the past two seasons haven't given me much hope for winning fluff OOC games.
Should the Wolverines dare to reach out to an SEC team like Mississippi State or Auburn? Would that be worth the risk? Would those teams have first weekend openings for 2010?
I don't care if we win the dedication game. Schedule a good team to make it a nationally televised game/event. If they're the better team, and they win, so be it. I would much rather watch us lose in a good game to a good team than paste some patsy just so we can say we won. If winning is our only goal, let's drop to D-III and take the title every year!
Everything is nationally televised now :) (BTN is a God-send seeing as how I'm in Texas and I get all the M games all while some A&M games aren't even televised!)
We could try to go for UVA. IIRC we scheduled the '95 game less than 15 months prior to the game. They will also be no better than Western as long as Groh is running the team. In limited googling it looks like they already have Southern Cal on the docket for 10-11, but who knows.
South Carolina? It looks like they have one open date left, and the three they have scheduled (Troy, UNC and Furman) are all at home. Also, our chances of winning are > 60%, and it's Spurrier!
Texas A&M? They have an as yet to be scheduled game with Lousiana Tech they could probably push back.
I liked the Colorado suggestion made earlier but it doesn't look like their schedule will accommodate with away games at Cal and Colorado St.
Could we move one of the Big Ten teams into that spot? At least it would be a big name school, it wouldn't require a return game, and it would be exciting due to the rivalry nature. Illinois, Wisconsin, or MSU would probably be nationally televised.
For whatever reason, we started the 1996 season against Illinois on Aug. 31, so it wouldn't be without precedent, although I would like to know why we did.
http://bentley.umich.edu/athdept/football/fbteam/1996fbt.htm
Make it a steel-cage Texas Death Match with University of Chicago (the History), Appy St. (the Misery), and West Virginia (the Vengeance). Heck, have Jon Cooper as Special Guest Referee, the Dead Schembechlers (sp?) as the halftime show, and Road Warrior Animal performing the coin toss. Tell me that wouldn't lead Sportscenter for days on end. Plus, with Michigan down 4 with less than a minute to go, the speakers would start blaring some random hard rock riff and the announcer could yell over the P.A. system, "That...that's Tom Brady and Desmond Howard's (he looks to still be in decent shape) music" as they rush onto the field and lead the team to a come-from-behind victory followed by Brady nailing Gisele on 50 yard line and Desmond donning a jet pack and flying into the night sky.
But seriously, any BCS team would be nice...
April 29th, 2009 at 12:57 AM ^
Words can not describe the sheer awesomeness of that post. Holy shit.
Tennessee has an open date Sept 4 next year. Their schedule says "to be determined". A home and home with them could be a wash b/c of the size of the stadiums is close and we might get a night game there in return.
The Vols are kind of where we were last year and we will be a year ahead of their rebuild. Besides, Kiffin is driving all his QBs away. This could be a good win-win for us.
I like the Vols match up. Two coaches in "newer" roles who should both have "their" programs in place by next year. UofM and Tenn. played in 2001 ...i don't rmemeber the outcome though. Point being it seems like a good game and I am sure Kiffin would love the publicity ... He takes anything he can get I mean have you seen the websites regarding his wife... The Vols B-ball coach said in an interview that he is trying to date her!!
I think Tennesse would take that game and maybe not even request a home and home.
I seem to recall a UT win against M in the Citrus bowl 45-17. Although UT was in the NC game when they lost in the SEC Championship.
April 29th, 2009 at 10:45 AM ^
...It is still a good matchup. It is a match up of potential coaching legacies in their infancy. Tenn is trying to regain respectability among the SEC powerhouses and the shadow of Payton's time there. They would have a lot to gain by coming up here. The Big Ten / SEC Rivalry is already shaping up. Unfortunately The Big Ten has assumed the role of little brother in it. Nonetheless, take on an SEC foe on a regular basis and give the blue hairs something to cheer about, for real, on their first day behind the glass in a luxury suite.
We lost.
April 29th, 2009 at 10:20 AM ^
... He takes anything he can get"
Tajh Boyd disagrees. Kiffin hates five star QB's and will not take them.
Maybe it will be a double-header like they did a couple times back in the early days.
Appalachian State AND Toledo, same day!
I don't really care who it is, although from a game interest standpoint a team with a pulse would be infinitely preferable. The fearfulness about playing a strong team that might actually beat us is bizarre and more than a little sad, considering how so many constantly yammer about how awesome our tradition is.
April 29th, 2009 at 12:24 AM ^
are D1 teams............
April 28th, 2009 at 10:28 PM ^
Can someone explain to me the importance of this being a "stadium dedication game"????
I mean, seriously? What are we dedicating, the luxury suites? The new press box? It's still fucking Michigan Stadium! There's no significance in saying we're dedicating Michigan Stadium other than for the Athletic Department to brag about something.
We've seem the construction progress. Nothing is being unveiled. The only difference is there will be a bunch of rich old people finally sitting in those steel structures that we see now.
Honestly, the last thing the athletic department should be doing is bragging about spending a quarter billion dollars right now, regardless of how it's funded (yes, I understand it is completely self funded).
April 28th, 2009 at 10:34 PM ^
South Carolina has a gunslinger if you can keep him out of jail. Good O-line and stout D.
East Carolina takes the thugs that get the boot elsewhere. Skip Holtz makes them behave in exchange for NFL contacts. No patsys there. This means either one would work for me. Live in fame or go down in flame.
Outside of the obvious "APP STATE GRUDGE MATCH", perhaps a rematch with an old bowl opponent like Washington State - I don't think we've played them since '97. Or a double header with a Michigan game followed by Slippery Rock vs ??
April 30th, 2009 at 12:59 AM ^
followed by Delaware vs. ??
It would look like an eight quarter game for those who drank too much at the tailgate.
NEBRASKA.
But they're already scheduled for W. Ky. on 9/4/10.
...Cincinnati would be good though they have a 2010 match up at Oklahoma.
"Michigan hasn't played a nonconference game on the road outside of South Bend since 2003".
Just wow.
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