Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel wants to see the storied Wolverines-Fighting Irish rivalry return. Speaking with Dan Murphy of ESPN.com, the new AD said he’d be down to discuss scheduling future games between the two schools.
“If there are opportunities in the future to bring the rivalry on the football field back, obviously I’d be open to having that conversation,” said Manuel, who officially took over Michigan’s athletic department less than two weeks ago. “It’s not only great for Michigan and Notre Dame football, I think It’s great for college football for that rivalry to continue at some point in the future, so we’ll see where that goes.”
The iconic rivalry ended in 2012 when Notre Dame opted-out of their three-year rolling series contract, which made Notre Dame’s 31-0 victory in 2014 the last game for the foreseeable future between the two college football powerhouses.
So why the sudden change? Well, former AD Dave Brandon was a key player in ending the series back in 2014, and since his resignation, Manuel is trying to right his wrongs. He admitted he’s unsure of when a game can be scheduled, but said he’s working on a way of making sure it happens.
“I’ve been involved in scheduling football for almost two decades now, and you can always try to find ways to put things together,” Manuel said. “I don’t know when the timeline would be, but I’m not worried that we’re out significantly.”
For those who never thought you’d see the two schools face off again, the news is promising. Both schools have plenty of incentives to work out a new deal, and continue their over century-old rivalry.
[ESPN]
