July 7, 2016 · 9:19 AM

Michigan breaks a date with Bert.

Good to see this game come back.

In order to make room for it, though, something’s gotta give.  In this case, it’s the home-and-home the Wolverines scheduled with Arkansas.  How bad do they want out?

This bad.

Can you put a price tag on karma?

20 Comments

Filed under Arkansas Is Kind Of A Big Deal, Big Ten Football

20 responses to “Michigan breaks a date with Bert.”

  1. ericdawg
    July 7, 2016 at 9:49 AM

    ND schedule should be loaded in 2018 as UGA is also included.

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  2. JCDAWG83
    July 7, 2016 at 10:09 AM

    Two things at work here in my opinion. First, Michigan/ND is a great natural rivalry matchup. Second, I’m thinking Harbaugh wants to limit his exposure to any legit SEC opponents as much as possible.

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    • The other Doug
      July 7, 2016 at 11:17 AM

      Arkansas is better than Notre Dame?

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      • JCDAWG83
        July 7, 2016 at 11:24 AM

        I don’t know who will be better in 2018 but I’m pretty sure Arkansas will be a legit SEC team and Harbaugh is wanting to make inroads in recruiting SEC states. Losing to an SEC team wouldn’t help his cause. He can lose to ND and the press’s crush on ND would paint it as a “good” loss. A loss to Arkansas would be painted as an embarrassing loss to a middle of the pack SEC team by a Big 10 “power”.

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      • Macallanlover
        July 7, 2016 at 11:26 AM

        Usually, certainly comparable, imo. Wonder if ND will ditch us in 2019 after we play there next year, would not surprise me (especially if they have Michigan back on the 2019 schedule.)

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      • Dylan Dreyer's Booty
        July 7, 2016 at 11:53 AM

        I think so. Certainly more dangerous, and in fairness to Michigan, less of a draw.

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  3. Hardcoredawg 93
    July 7, 2016 at 10:21 AM

    I doubt Harbaugh is afraid to play Arkansas. He simply knows that game is a great tradition for Michigan as well as nationally and his program will get a ton more out of it than playing a 2nd tier SEC team.

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    • ltrftc
      July 7, 2016 at 10:39 AM

      “get a ton more out of it”
      Largely this. The Arkansas game has more downside to it than up for Harbaugh. Having dismantled UF in the bowl game and taking his traveling circus on the road for satellite camps, he’s already getting the traction he wants relative to the SEC. There is no reason for him to expose the team to a possible loss to a team that has been middle-bottom of the SECw for a while now (even if trending up). Michigan/ND should be a very winnable game for him and in the event that it goes poorly, it will just fuel the ND hype machine and look like a quality loss.

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  4. rchris
    July 7, 2016 at 10:39 AM

    Seems I remember we tried to schedule a home and home with Michigan a few years back and they haughtily told us that since we were a “second tier” team the only way they would consent to play in Athens once was if we played them twice in Michigan. How did Arky get a home and home with them? (Although in vain, I know).

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