University of Michigan head coach Brady Hoke has done a great job of reviving the Wolverine football program that had come into hard times during the previous years prior to his arrival in Ann Arbor. A Michigan man to the fullest, Hoke is all about the tradition of the program and its legacy.
Part of the tradition for Michigan is their annual match-up with Notre Dame. A rivalry that has produced some of the most memorable games in college football history, is actually scheduled to conclude after the 2014 college football season. Hoke was asked about the ending of this special rivalry at the Michigan Sports Commission Annual Luncheon, and didn’t hold anything back about his thoughts on the matter.
Per Mlive: “The Notre Dame game, that rivalry, which they’re chickening out of. They’re still gonna play Michigan State, they’re gonna play Purdue, but they don’t want to play Michigan. I don’t know how they made that decision … I really do … But anyway, that’s a great national rivalry game. It’s a great game.”
Whether or not you agree with Hoke is up to you but I think the key factor seems to be the fact that Notre Dame decided to continue their match-ups with Michigan State and Purdue as opposed to also keeping Michigan.
For a rivalry that had become a constant over the years in college football, it is sad to see it go.