UCLA Series No Longer Scheduled
October 26th, 2019 at 12:33 AM ^
Yet, we cannot even win conference games. Makes sense to play the cupcakes and not schedule Notre Dame. Harbaugh is out of the Big Ten race in week 7.
October 25th, 2019 at 4:29 PM ^
Michigan vs ND is usually the highest rated CFB game of the season. It draws a huge national audience and is considered one of the top traditional rivalries in the game. Amazing how people who rip on the program and what they perceive as “lowered expectations” also seem to want to water down the schedule to give Michigan a better chance at the CFP. Playing good teams, after all, gives Michigan a better chance of losing, right?
Let’s not concern ourselves with what the program wants, or the players, or the season ticket holders. No, let’s only concern ourselves with some self-appointed committee wants for entry into its farcical playoff. Until the CFP consists of 8 (or even 16) Conference Champions and ONLY conference champions, it will remain a farce. That’s why the SEC split up UGA and Alabama, so they could have a good chance of getting both into the CFP. The system was set up for them to game it, and destroyed a great SEC rivalry for the fans of each school. Should the B10 do the same? Michigan would have a better chance of winning its division, and, if it’s only loss were to OSU in the B10CG, getting into the CFP. Bullshit!
Michigan, IMO, shouldn’t be trying to game anything. Michigan should play football against other highly recognizable and historically great programs whose fanbases travel and similarly enjoy top match ups. I care fuck all about playing tomato cans! Michigan will make the CFP when it wins the East and the B10. Simple. Padding the schedule is chickenshit.
October 25th, 2019 at 5:02 PM ^
That’s why the SEC split up UGA and Alabama, so they could have a good chance of getting both into the CFP. The system was set up for them to game it, and destroyed a great SEC rivalry for the fans of each school.
What? Georgia and Bama were split long before the playoffs existed. Also, if the SEC were only trying to maximize playoff representation, they would have put Auburn or LSU in the East because until the last 2-3 years they have been much stronger programs than Georgia (and may be again this year)
October 25th, 2019 at 5:07 PM ^
Nobody gives two shits about the game outside of the two fanbases.
October 25th, 2019 at 5:16 PM ^
Michigan vs ND? That’s not what the TV ratings say.
October 25th, 2019 at 5:32 PM ^
Both have national fan bases.
October 25th, 2019 at 4:56 PM ^
I love this, very much.
Schedule cupcakes whenever, and wherever possible. Seriously. The BIG10 is tough enough as it is. No need to add more tough teams.
October 25th, 2019 at 5:04 PM ^
Harbaugh and Manuel: Keep doing this shit and I will drop my season tickets.
October 25th, 2019 at 5:05 PM ^
You’ll be replaced easily.
October 25th, 2019 at 5:53 PM ^
Michigan will win more. Your tickets will sell to someone. They can add more seats. Those will sell.
I'm all for adding cupcakes, and blowing them out to kingdom come.
October 26th, 2019 at 10:18 AM ^
They'll just go to the next person on the waiting list.
October 25th, 2019 at 6:06 PM ^
I wonder if this has anything at all to do with the recent bill (Senate Bill 206) passed in California and how that could influence better prospects headed to California for a chance at $$? UCLA might be a much tougher team in the next few years depending on how this new law plays out in the recruiting world.
October 25th, 2019 at 6:09 PM ^
I think I can speak for all west coast alums when I say this is fucking horseshit.
October 26th, 2019 at 3:08 PM ^
Seriously. This was going to be a definite road trip for me. The Rose Bowl would look like Big House West. Way to shit on the fan base for another overpriced cupcake game Warde.
October 25th, 2019 at 6:28 PM ^
Damn, looking forward to going to Rose Bowl
October 25th, 2019 at 6:55 PM ^
I hate this. Play real games against good teams. We get enough rutger playing rutger.
October 25th, 2019 at 6:59 PM ^
I knew they would start cancelling these series. So pathetic. Fuck you Warde.
October 25th, 2019 at 7:12 PM ^
Two of the more iconic unis no longer matching up. Shame. Playing west coast schools would be nice to open that market a bit more from a recruiting standpoint
October 25th, 2019 at 8:13 PM ^
Much of this conversation revolves around jockeying for playoff position..
Insert Jim Mora gif.. Playoffs? Your talking about... playoffs?
This programs best road win is at Northwestern and the level of disarray is such that timeouts are required before actual game time comes off the clock. When do we think its realistic that we ocercome OSU much less do it on regular basis to be in playoff position? Also our guys dont seem give a shit about bowl games so lets keep the big name oponents on the schedule and enjoy the matchup in the beginning of the season when they are still engaged before annual Thanksgiving demoralization.
October 25th, 2019 at 9:14 PM ^
Sad—when a couple of incredibly well-paid M employees throw away the historic credibility of the program to stash cupcakes for job security.
Dont want to play in front of 5 star California recruits,
Pack those 3-4 stars into Ann Arbor to watch romps vs the Chaminade of college football and one of the few D1 teams in NC that won’t put up a decent game....
Very sad for the athletes to see this weave and bob mentality when they are recruited to be the “Champions and the. BEST”.
If Ohio State did this we would call them chicken-shit cowards!
October 25th, 2019 at 9:21 PM ^
Boooooooooooooo warde!
October 25th, 2019 at 9:41 PM ^
Why because Urban might be the head coach?
October 25th, 2019 at 10:55 PM ^
Meh, whatever. Michigan needs every W it can get these days. These two are easy wins. Playing UCLA doesn’t move the needle much for me.
That being said, I will be P-I-S-S-E-D if we cancel either the Texas or Oklahoma series.
October 28th, 2019 at 11:21 AM ^
If they wouldn't save the UCLA matchup, why would they do so for Oklahoma or Texas? This whole mentality of "everything for CFP ranking" is absurd, especially if it means playing zero meaningful games out of conference.
October 26th, 2019 at 8:08 AM ^
The Playoff will be expanding soon anyway, so an extra challenging game will not be so threatening.
Next thing you know we'll be schleduling Slippery Rock.
October 26th, 2019 at 10:16 AM ^
To everyone worried about $200 tickets for ECU - there are 110,000 people at the stadium. However 25 million watch the college football championship game. I'd rather have that exposure than worry about 110,000, who are still going to buy tickets.
October 26th, 2019 at 3:06 PM ^
A team that can’t beat UCLA isn’t going to the championship game anyway.
October 26th, 2019 at 3:05 PM ^
This sucks. Can’t believe how many here are happy about this. I remember when the point of being a fan was being entertained by interesting football.