Michigan-Alabama In Dallas In 2012 Comment Count

Brian

michigan-alabama-2000You probably dismissed the idea of Michigan playing a huge nonconference game against Alabama in two years in Jerryworld as crackpot rumor-mongering of the sort the internet specializes in. Michigan's on the road against ND, leaving a maximum of six home games, it's transparently silly to play a college football game thousands of miles from either college, and Michigan hasn't played a neutral-site OOC game basically ever. It seemed instantly implausible.

But apparently it is happening. The contract is being signed Monday. Which is tomorrow.

The following details are unconfirmed but of interest since they come from an established source:

  • Game is happening because a desperate Jerry Jones "overpaid."
  • Michigan will be the nominal home team (important mostly for TV rights) and receive more money.
  • There's no additional game scheduled and there may not be.
  • Jones might be well-positioned to provide some advice on HD scoreboards.

This comes with a set of crazy conflicting emotions. Hurray awesome nonconference game, boo that it's in fricking Dallas in a corporate death star of an NFL stadium and not a home-and-home in Ann Arbor and Tuscaloosa. I guess that's what it takes for a lot of actual nonconference games to get done these days, but awesomeness of trip to Dallas to see M play 'Bama <<<<<< awesomeness of M-Bama home-and-home. On the other hand, awesomeness of M-Bama Dallas >>>>>>> awesomeness of M-BGSU anywhere.

[Note on sourcing: in this case I am going with one source, but he is a very established one.]

Comments

Dallas Wolverine

August 8th, 2010 at 12:18 PM ^

Is right there are alot of transplant people from Michigan here and Jerry World will sell out fast with a large following of Blue! This is awsome for someone who does not get alot of chances to see the Wolverines I am beside myself with JOY and I will be first in line for tickets.

 

Hail!

Raback Omaba

August 8th, 2010 at 12:20 PM ^

I would prefer a Home/Home with Bama (or at least maybe a neutral site trade off, say one game in Detroit/Chicago and one in Atlanta/NO), but this is definitely awesome.

beantownwolve

August 8th, 2010 at 12:23 PM ^

Is it somehow possible that UM could play:

* Bama

* ND

* OSU

* PSU

* Nebraska

* MSU

* Wisconsin

Or something along those lines?  This would be the toughest schedule I have ever seen.  Having said that, the national exposure for a good Michigan team against a schedule like that would be huge.

Vasav

August 8th, 2010 at 12:44 PM ^

Especially if we go to 9 conference games, that's what our schedule is going to look like more often than not. MSU and OSU are given. PSU is likely to be annual as well. Nebraska and Wiscy will come off every now and then, only to be replaced by Iowa. Notre Dame is annual except for two years down the road, and I expect them to be replaced by a BCS team in those years.

What makes 2012 a bit rougher is ND and OSU are assuredly away and Bama is neutral site. But we'll have a ton of skill position seniors on offense, a more mature defensive backfield and d-line, and it looks promising that we'll fill and mature our o-line and LB corps by then. So hopefully it'll be a season to remember.

steve sharik

August 8th, 2010 at 12:51 PM ^

...have schedules like this while the other power conferences continue to schedule light, then expect Darth Delany to push hard for a playoff system if we start to see Big 10 teams other than the champion get pushed out of BCS games.

TheBlue

August 8th, 2010 at 12:25 PM ^

Thank God this is coming to Dallas, I have been waiting forever for a game to come here. I was hoping that Michigan would of came here for the Cotton Bowl in 2007, but they went to Florida instead.

 

Anyway, Alabama shouldn't be so loaded as they will be this year. As Bacon said, they wont have Ingram or their QB. and Michigan should be loaded if RR gets something going this season.

BigBamaFan

August 8th, 2010 at 2:44 PM ^

By 2012 the 2008 recruiting class will be RS Sr's (#1 recruiting class) the 2009 recruiting class will be RS Jr or true SR (#1 recruiting class) the 2010 recruiting class will be RS SO or True JR's (# 4 recruiting class) the current 2011 class will be RS Fr or true SO (current #3 recruiting class) and the 2012 class will be true Freshman (Which Bama will more than likely land the nations top QB-He is from Alabama)

 

Alot can happen by then but the QB position is loaded right now with RS AJ McCarron a rivals top 100 player that looks to be a truley great QB in the making.Phil Simms The top QB is last years recruiting class.Jameis Winston (2012's top QB most likely)

 

Saban has recruited Bama to be a machine and the depth across the board looks much like the QB position a ton of talented players in every area.

ish

August 8th, 2010 at 12:27 PM ^

i was there when we beat alabama in the orange bowl and i'll be there when we rock them this time.  let's roll the tide.

U Fer M

August 8th, 2010 at 12:28 PM ^

Good game, but neutral site kind of sucks, would have been great to see the game in the Big House, then down in Tuscaloosa. Hopefully, M will field a competitive team by then!!

restive neb

August 8th, 2010 at 2:42 PM ^

Alabama doesn't have the opening in their schedule for a home-and-home until 2015.  Therefore, they have been searching for a neutral site opponent to fill the slot.  Michigan is the latest team rumored for the matchup.  Previous rumors included Texas Tech, UCLA, and Miami.  Let's hope this latest rumor sticks.

Edit:  Alabama plays home-and-home versus Penn State in 2010 and 2011; GaTech in 2013 and 2014; and MSU in 2016 and 2017.  A home-and-home would have to be separated by 3 years (which would still be acceptable in my book).

goody

August 8th, 2010 at 12:33 PM ^

Brandon could be the best thing to happen to Michigan since Bo.  First the night game, then a new mega HD screen, and now huge non-conference game against Alabama.  Rodriquez will be in full stride in 2012 and contending for a national title. 

Put me on record for loving this and any other huge non-conference game Brandon decides to schedule.

brad

August 8th, 2010 at 12:38 PM ^

the Big Ten will go to Texas!

What an intriguing match up.  North vs. South, Red vs. Blue, Offensive Genius vs. Defense Genius, Left vs. Right, Right vs. Wrong.  Its pretty much God vs. the Devil.

 

M-Wolverine

August 8th, 2010 at 3:05 PM ^

Saban formerly of MSU...Rich turning down the Bama job, making Saban the coach...Michigan and Bsma's all time record vs. each other....

Boy, we really have to improve this year, so we can stay the course, improve recruiting, and be ready for this match-up.

TheDirtyD

August 8th, 2010 at 1:07 PM ^

Huge game most likely primetime. Gameday will be there. My facebook is blowing up right now with people wanting to travel down for the game. Were gonna have fans there, a lot of them and we get paid more. I dont understand whats not to like about this.

Bryan

August 8th, 2010 at 1:12 PM ^

I was at the last 'Bama game at the Orange Bowl, and I plan on being at this one. Sucks that it's not a home and home, but it's not a umass/ emu/ dsu. 

Dave Brandon is quickly reaching mythical status

Don

August 8th, 2010 at 1:18 PM ^

1). This is actually a great recruiting tool for RR—"hey, you come to Michigan, and you'll get to play in a historic game against Alabama in a noteworthy location that will get mind-boggling amounts of national attention."

2). If ND stays on the schedule that year, it's a brutal lineup of games we have. Which makes me wonder if—considering the fact that evidently we don't actually have a signed contract with ND—Brandon is canceling the game with the Irish in 2012 and essentially replacing it with Bama.

Regardless, this is an awesome move.