Notre Dame and Michigan are set to clash once again for a home-and-home beginning in 2018. It will be the first meeting between the two powerhouses since Notre Dame’s route of Michigan, 31-0, in 2014. Damien Dennis/The Pit
One of the most prolific college football rivalries is returning in 2018! … At least for a pair of games.
Thursday morning, the University of Michigan and the University of Notre Dame jointly announced the return of their history rivalry with a home-and-home series in 2018 and 2019. This will be the first meeting between the Wolverines and Irish since Notre Dame’s 31-0 shutout of Michigan in 2014 – The Pit’s first football game, funny enough.
Coaches Jim Harbaugh and Brian Kelly have been working for over a year to see the return of the rivalry. Damien Dennis/The Pit
“The competition between Michigan and Notre Dame has created a fair, healthy and productive rivalry over time, and it brings out the best in both programs,” said Michigan Head Coach Jim Harbaugh. “We look forward to facing Coach Brian Kelly and the Irish in the coming years.”
“I’m excited to see Notre Dame and Michigan, two brand-name programs, get back together on the football field,” said Kelly, the Irish head coach. “Both programs have a long and storied history of success. We’re talking about the two winningest programs in all of college football.”
The two schools have met 42 times, with the rivalry dating back to 1887. There have been a number of hiatus’ in the rivalry since then, despite it being one of the most popular in the college football world. Between 1887 and 1909, the Irish and Wolverines played nine times before a hiatus, keeping the teams apart until 1942 and 1943.
It wasn’t until 1978 that the rivalry became more regular, having played 31 times since then. The teams are tied at 15-15-1 all-time since then.
“This is a game that holds great significance for the student-athletes and coaches who compete on the field,” said Warde Manuel, U-M’s Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics. “A great deal of credit goes to coach Harbaugh and coach Kelly for initiating the discussion of scheduling this series. This rivalry is also important for the fans of both programs, and we look forward to renewing one of college football’s great rivalries.”
Back in April, both coaches as well as Manuel mentioned their interest in the return of the rivalry.
We wanted to make this game happen.
Since it’s the season opener at Notre Dame, @CoachJim4UM may need to break out the khaki shorts.
— Brian Kelly (@CoachBrianKelly) July 7, 2016
“Today is a great day for Notre Dame, Michigan and college football fans across the country,” Notre Dame vice president and James E. Rohr Director of Athletics Jack Swarbrick said in a press release. “Shortly after Warde Manuel was hired as Michigan’s athletic director, he and I began working to make this renewal of the series possible. That we could get games on the schedule as soon as ’18 and ’19 required a lot of work by our staffs and some great cooperation by the Big Ten, ACC and other schools that were on our future schedules.”
Notre Dame and Michigan will meet just the two times in the near future, with Mr. Swarbrick adding that the commitments of both schools would make an annual rivalry impractical.
The two schools are at the top of most statistical categories in the college football world. The Irish and Wolverines rank No. 1 and No. 2 all-time in Division I winning percentage, victories and television appearances. Meetings in 2011 and 2013 each set an NCAA regular-season attendance record.
Michigan is one of just 13 teams to have a winning record of Notre Dame.
Listen to the most recent episode of Upon Further Review to hear Damien Dennis and Evan J. Thomas discuss the return of such a rivalry.
