Notre Dame Cancels Series With Michigan

[TheImmortalGoud]

http://espn.go.com/college-football/story/_/id/8423552/notre-dame-fighting-irish-opts-series-michigan-wolverines

Michigan is the first casualty of Notre Dame's new arrangement with the ACC.

The Fighting Irish notified the Wolverines that they are exercising a three-year out in their series contract, meaning the last meeting between these two historic rivals will occur in 2014.

Through a Freedom of Information Act request, The Associated Press obtained a letter Tuesday from Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick to Michigan AD David Brandon, canceling the games from 2015-17.

The schools had extended their contract in 2007, taking the series through the 2031 season. But it was on a three-year rolling basis, giving either side the chance to opt out with three years' notice.

Notre Dame and Michigan announced this summer that a two-year break is coming in the 2018 and 2019 campaigns, but that they intended to resume the series in the years following.

"The decision to cancel games in 2015-17 was Notre Dame's and not ours," Brandon said in a release. "We value our annual rivalry with Notre Dame but will have to see what the future holds for any continuation of the series. This cancellation presents new scheduling opportunities for our program and provides a chance to create some new rivalries."

The Irish beat the Wolverines 13-6 over the weekend in the latest game of a storied series that dates to 1887. They've played every year since 2002 and regularly since 1978 after not meeting from 1944-77 or 1910-41. Michigan and Notre Dame were scheduled to take a hiatus during the 2018-19 seasons.

Brandon told the AP he was handed the letter on the field in South Bend, Ind., about an hour before Saturday night's game.

"I put the letter in my pocket and didn't bother to read it right away because I was focused on the game we were about to play," Brandon said. "I read it on the way home Sunday morning."

Notre Dame announced Sept. 12 that it would be moving all of its sports, except football and hockey, from the Big East to the ACC, with the football team agreeing to play five games per year against ACC schools.

Swarbrick said then that he hoped the football scheduling agreement could begin in the 2014 season, and he stressed that Navy, Stanford and USC were the rivals he felt were most important for the Irish to keep on an annual basis.

"While this move is a necessary precaution as we begin the process of meeting our new scheduling commitment to the ACC," Swarbrick wrote in his letter to Brandon, "please know that Notre Dame very much values its relationship with Michigan we look forward to working with you to ensure that our great football rivalry can continue."

Swarbrick's letter is dated a day before the schools met on the field and cites last year's contract.

"Because I am providing you with this notice prior to the commencement of this year's football game on September, 22, 2012," Swarbrick wrote, "there is no liability to Notre Dame for cancelling those games."

No. 10 Notre Dame (4-0) is in the top 10 for the first time since 2006. Michigan (2-2) started the season No. 8 and has dropped out of the poll after losses to No. 1 Alabama and then the Irish. Both teams have a bye this week.

Brandon said he hopes to work with Swarbrick on another contract to extend the series.

"The ball is in their court because they've triggered the three-game notice," he said. "We'll play them next year at Michigan Stadium for the last time in a while -- it appears -- and we'll make our last scheduled trip to South Bend in 2014. There will likely be nothing on the board for five years after that. Beyond that, I don't know what will happen."

The Wolverines have an NCAA-best .735 winning percentage in football and the Irish (.732) are second. Michigan leads all-time series 23-16-1.

 

[NAHSTE]

Who needs traditional rivalries when you can play the likes of Wake Forest and Duke 5x a year?

 

[Matt]

This is terrible.

 

[padman59]

Who needs traditional rivalries when you can play the likes of Wake Forest and Duke 5x a year?

ND has played Michigan 39 times compared to 75 and 83 times with Michigan State and Purdue respectively. I'd rather drop Purdue personally, but based on tradition, UM would still be the one from the Big Ten to go. Keep in mind that this is still a temporary postponement of the series for the time being.

 

[NAHSTE]

ND has played Michigan 39 times compared to 75 and 83 times with Michigan State and Purdue respectively. I'd rather drop Purdue personally, but based on tradition, UM would still be the one from the Big Ten to go. Keep in mind that this is still a temporary postponement of the series for the time being.

Which will allow you to achieve what exactly? A psuedo partnership with a basketball conference based 1000 miles away? Solid development.

 

[FirstTimer]

Which will allow you to achieve what exactly? A psuedo partnership with a basketball conference based 1000 miles away? Solid development.

:nahste:

 

[Jayrock]

Which will allow you to achieve what exactly? A psuedo partnership with a basketball conference based 1000 miles away? Solid development.

:niggaplease:

 

[FirstTimer]

News broke this morning from an Associated Press report that Notre Dame athletics director Jack Swarbrick exercised an out-clause in the contract between Notre Dame and Michigan to halt the series with the Wolverines after the 2014 season.

That’s three years earlier than planned, when Michigan asked to take 2018-2019 off from the rivalry that was renewed in 1978 and has played annually since 2002. The shift is the first domino to fall after Notre Dame’s move to the Atlantic Coast Conference.

From Larry Lage’s AP report:

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Notre Dame has notified Michigan it is exercising a three-year out in their contract, meaning their last scheduled game against each other will come in 2014.

A letter from Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick to Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon cancelling games in 2015-2017 was obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday through a Freedom of Information Act request.

There’s been no comment out of South Bend, but Michigan athletics director Dave Brandon was quick to confirm the story.

“The decision to cancel games in 2015-17 was Notre Dame’s and not ours,” Brandon said in a statement. “We value our annual rivalry with Notre Dame but will have to see what the future holds for any continuation of the series. This cancellation presents new scheduling opportunities for our program and provides a chance to create some new rivalries.”

With Notre Dame’s future schedule anchored to five games against ACC opponents, Swarbrick has discussed the challenges of building a schedule in the future. He’s held firm to the Irish’s commitment to playing annual games against Navy, and continuing to keep a West Coast presence, with annual match-ups against USC and Stanford filling that role. Long standing rivalries with Michigan State and in-state Purdue also hold importance to many, and while Michigan is thought of as a traditional Notre Dame rival, the reality is that the teams have played 40 times, with over a quarter of those games coming before 1943.

Notre Dame will play in Ann Arbor on September 7, 2013 and then Michigan will visit South Bend on September 6, 2014.

 

[padman59]

Which will allow you to achieve what exactly? A psuedo partnership with a basketball conference based 1000 miles away? Solid development.

*sigh*

Considering that ND already had Pittsburgh and Syracuse (in addition to Boston College, Miami, and Wake Forest sprinkled in) on the schedule for those years, they aren't really doing much to accommodate their agreement with the ACC.

 

[NAHSTE]

*sigh*

Considering that ND already had Pittsburgh and Syracuse (in addition to Boston College, Miami, and Wake Forest sprinkled in) on the schedule for those years, they aren't really doing much to accommodate their agreement with the ACC.

Removing Michigan is doing something, right?

 

[Jayrock]

Removing Michigan is doing something, right?

Yes, but not much

 

[padman59]

Removing Michigan is doing something, right?

:joker:

Okay?

 

[MVPete]

Didn't last year show us that SOS doesn't mean shit? Notre Dame usually has an incredibly tough schedule so them removing an overrated Michigan program is ok in my book.

 

[FirstTimer]

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) -- Notre Dame is opting out of its series with Michigan, meaning the last scheduled game between college football's winningest programs will take place in 2014.

A letter from Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick to Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon cancelling games in 2015-2017 was obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Brandon told the AP he was handed the letter on the field in South Bend, Ind., about an hour before Saturday night's game.

"I put the letter in my pocket and didn't bother to read it right away because I was focused on the game we were about to play," Brandon said. "I read it on the way home Sunday morning."

The Fighting Irish recently decided to move to the Atlantic Coast Conference in every sport except football, though the football team will play five games a year against league opponents.

"While this move is a necessary precaution as we begin the process of meeting our new scheduling commitment to the ACC," Swarbrick wrote in his letter to Brandon, "please know that Notre Dame very much values its relationship with Michigan we look forward to working with you to ensure that our great football rivalry can continue."

The Irish beat the Wolverines 13-6 over the weekend in the latest game of a storied series that dates to 1887. They've played every year since 2002 and regularly since 1978 after not meeting from 1944-77 or 1910-41. Michigan and Notre Dame were scheduled to take a hiatus during the 2018-19 seasons.

Swarbrick's letter is dated a day before the schools met on the field and cites last year's contract.

"Because I am providing you with this notice prior to the commencement of this year's football game on September, 22, 2012," Swarbrick wrote, "there is no liability to Notre Dame for cancelling those games."

No. 10 Notre Dame (4-0) is in the top 10 for the first time since 2006. Michigan (2-2) started the season No. 8 and has dropped out of the poll after losses to No. 1 Alabama and then the Irish. Both teams have a bye this week.

Brandon said he hopes to work with Swarbrick on another contract to extend the series.

"The ball is in their court because they've triggered the three-game notice," he said. "We'll play them next year at Michigan Stadium for the last time in a while - it appears - and we'll make our last scheduled trip to South Bend in 2014. There will likely be nothing on the board for five years after that. Beyond that, I don't know what will happen."

The Wolverines have an NCAA-best .735 winning percentage in football and the Irish (.732) are second. Michigan leads all-time series 23-16-1.

"Michigan has always enjoyed and respected our national rivalry with Notre Dame," Brandon said. "We understand there have been periods of times that we've had a hiatus to take a couple years off to play other teams and that was something we expected along the way.

"It's unfortunate that it would appear we're going to go a substantial amount of time between games. But that is a decision Notre Dame has made. Our job is to find opponents that are exciting for our student-athletes as well as our fans to replace Notre Dame."

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...e-michigan-series.ap/index.html#ixzz27VGyNWtl

 

[JeremyHight]

Notre Dame Football Rivalries

- Navy - 84 meetings since 1914
- USC - 84 meetings since 1926
- Stanford - 25 meetings since 1925
- Purdue - 83 meetings since 1896
- Michigan State - 79 meetings since 1897
- Michigan - 38 meetings since 1887
- Army - 50 meetings since 1913

Then there are the 5 matchups from the ACC including rivals like Boston College, Pitt, and Miami. If Notre Dame wanted any leeway to have open weeks for big games, they had to cut a tie somewhere. In my opinion, it was either Stanford or Michigan. Stanford gives Notre Dame some more West Coast appeal, so it was an easy choice since Notre Dame already gets a ton of press in the East and Midwest.

 

[FirstTimer]

Notre Dame Football Rivalries

- Navy - 84 meetings since 1914
- USC - 84 meetings since 1926
- Stanford - 25 meetings since 1925
- Purdue - 83 meetings since 1896
- Michigan State - 79 meetings since 1897
- Michigan - 38 meetings since 1887
- Army - 50 meetings since 1913

Then there are the 5 matchups from the ACC including rivals like Boston College, Pitt, and Miami. If Notre Dame wanted any leeway to have open weeks for big games, they had to cut a tie somewhere. In my opinion, it was either Stanford or Michigan. Stanford gives Notre Dame some more West Coast appeal, so it was an easy choice since Notre Dame already gets a ton of press in the East and Midwest.

uke:

 

[Jayrock]

fuck purdue

 

[Maynard]

ND is so irreverent now...who cares who they play anymore. when was the last time they mattered? 20 years ago...maybe more.

the people who grew up on the tradition of ND are old and their kids are in their 40ies now....and their kids dont give a shit because ND has sucked their entire lifetime. sure you have a core of traditional fans and the homers around south bend....but the legendary status wore off a looooooong time ago. now they are just a mediocre team who cant sign anyone and cant win any games that matter

 

[Jayrock]

ND is so irreverent now...who cares who they play anymore. when was the last time they mattered? 20 years ago...maybe more.

the people who grew up on the tradition of ND are old and their kids are in their 40ies now....and their kids dont give a shit because ND has sucked their entire lifetime. sure you have a core of traditional fans and the homers around south bend....but the legendary status wore off a looooooong time ago. now they are just a mediocre team who cant sign anyone and cant win any games that matter

At least our games count.

 

[FirstTimer]

ND is so irreverent now...who cares who they play anymore. when was the last time they mattered? 20 years ago...maybe more.

the people who grew up on the tradition of ND are old and their kids are in their 40ies now....and their kids dont give a shit because ND has sucked their entire lifetime. sure you have a core of traditional fans and the homers around south bend....but the legendary status wore off a looooooong time ago. now they are just a mediocre team who cant sign anyone and cant win any games that matter

:walker:

At least our games count.

:lol: