Michigan Football: Is seven home games every year a cop out?
Michigan football is committed to playing seven home games each season, which shed light on why UM cancelled a home-and-home with Virginia Tech.
It was a bit surprising recently, when the Michigan football team cancelled an agreement to play a home-and-home series with Virginia Tech. But thanks to some digging by MLive, we now know what’s going on with that.
At a Chad Tough event last weekend, local media got a lot of chances to talk with those associated with Michigan football. One of those interviews was with athletic director Warde Manuel, who addressed why the Wolverines called off their games against the Hokies.
Here is what Manuel said according to MLive:
“We need seven home games in every year,” Manuel said. “I don’t know the specifics of it standing here, but in one of those years we would have six.
“That was really the reason why (we got out of it).”
The Wolverines ended up scheduling Arkansas State and paying a fee to Virginia Tech to cancel. It’s easy to see the logic behind the move. More home games means more money.
It doesn’t take a genius to figure that out. However, being unwilling to schedule home-and-homes against good non-conference opponents could be costly.
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In some years, it won’t matter. It just depends on the Big Ten schedule, which will give the Wolverines four home games some years and five in others.
The seasons in which Michigan has five home games, it could afford to play an away game. The five conference home games and two non-conference home games would equal seven. But if UM has only four Big Ten games at home, it would need all non-Big Ten games at home to reach seven.
Ultimately, Michigan football isn’t doing things other schools aren’t. But still, I am not a big fan of the precedent. Winning on the road matters and beating a good team on the road is something that undoubtedly impresses the selection committee for the College Football Playoff.
Taking that chance away, at least in non-conference play seems like a questionable decision. That will be especially true if it leads to UM having difficulties scheduling qualify non-conference opponents in the future.
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A soft schedule can hurt you. And while money is important, it’s not everything. There is something to be said about a team that will play anyone, anywhere and in my mind, Michigan football should have that attitude.