Michigan football team will host Akron in 2013
This announcement won't create much national buzz -- probably Zip, in fact -- but the Michigan football team’s 2013 schedule had a slot filled on Tuesday.
Akron will visit Michigan Stadium on Sept. 14, 2013, according to the Akron athletic department.
The Zips, a member of the Mid-American Conference, were 1-11 in 2010 and have been outscored 83-3 in losses to Ohio State and Temple this season.
That leaves one “TBA” on Michigan’s schedule for 2013. The Wolverines’ other non-conference games include a home date against Notre Dame on Sept. 7 and a trip to UConn on Sept. 21. The open date is the season-opener on Aug. 31.
Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon said he's had conversations with UConn about moving their game to a neutral site on the East Coast to draw a larger crowd, but the school wants to play it on campus at their 38,000-seat Rentschler Field.
It could be one of the last non-conference road games Michigan plays outside of South Bend, Ind.
"I don’t believe that we can or should go on the road for non-conference games when we can put 113,000 people in our stadium," Brandon said in July. "It's financially the right thing to do. It’s the right thing to do for our fans in terms of their ticket packages."
Two TBAs also remain on Michigan’s 2012 schedule (Sept. 15 and Sept. 29), although there’s room to fill just one. The other will be an open date. That schedule already includes non-conference games against Alabama (Sept. 1) at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, versus Air Force (Sept. 8) and at Notre Dame (Sept. 22).
In 2014, Michigan is still finalizing opponents for the third and fourth weekends of its schedule. The Wolverines will open that season with a home game against Appalachian State followed by a trip to Notre Dame.
Michigan and Akron have never played. The Wolverines are 28-1 against teams currently in the MAC, including their season-opening win against Western Michigan, and plays conference member Eastern Michigan on Saturday (noon, BTN).
Comments
cutty240
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 4:09 p.m.
Akron,Really .Well i guess when your 28-1 against the Mac.you should keep it up.At least it someone you can beat all the time.You wonder Why THE BIG TEN GETS THERE CLOCKS CLEANED IN BOWL GAMES.Maybe Delaney can Get a All Big Ten Bowl Game.At least one Big Ten team would win,but they could end up in a Tie.Ha,Ha,Ha.
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 12:18 p.m.
I'm not saying anything you folks don't already know, but to maximize home games means finding opponents who want the paycheck and won't ask for a game at their house. I'm mildly surprised at the U-Conn home and home. But since we agreed to it, its bush league to try and get U-Conn to give up their home field IMO
heartbreakM
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 1:19 p.m.
I agree with you Craig. Jury is out on Brandon--some good and innovative; some still pending. At least so far, the coaching hire seems good and more of a "fit". The UConn thing is interesting. I would think UConn would embrace the ability to play at Yankee Stadium which is not too far from home, or even at Gillette Stadium. Would get big exposure, a bigger payday, and a chance to upset Michigan on a bigger stage. And though there are a lot of michigan alums out there, I'd still figure that the UConn fans would outnumber Michigan even at the bigger places.
Mick
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 3:10 a.m.
Geez people, relax already. This year, WMU, a high level MAC Team, ND and SDSU is a solid squad. 2012, Bama, Air Force and ND. 2013, ND and at UConn and yes Akron and someone else who might be a decent program. In 2 years Akron might be a decent squad, you never know. What else do you want? Why should we play tough team after tough team when all these other top programs don't. They might have 1 to 1 1/2 decent opponents and directional U's on their OOC schedules. You know, in addition to the OOC Schedule, we play MSU, NEB, Iowa, TSIO, Northwestern and who knows how MInny will be in the future and some of the Leaders division year in and year out. So cut Brandon some slack for goodness sakes, he's been a stellar AD.
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 12:32 p.m.
Mick, You make some good points but you lost me at "Brandon.... he's been a stellar AD." I would say the jury is still out on Brandon.
heartbreakM
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 12:04 p.m.
I can't cut Brandon slack when he continues the weak scheduling that Martin started. In fact, I had hopes that Brandon would step it up, particularly after that Bama game was scheduled. So far, I am not holding my breath. And frankly, I don't care what other teams do. I care about what my ticket money is going for, and what my team and university are doing. Why is that USC has no fear to play and travel anyone and anywhere, yet we excuse all the other weak scheduling? What's a championship worth? If you have to play MAC schools, Div IAA schools and other sectionals to win it, then you are not a worthy champion. And don't give me how the B10 is so tough. The last 5 years have shown that B10 does not rate with the SEC, Pac10, Big 12, etc. (when measured by OOC records and bowl records)
MRunner73
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 11:16 a.m.
You make very good points and I agree in principal. It would be better if we include those MAC schools closer to us such as Toledo, Central Mich or even Bowling Green. Michigan is in the cat-bird seat when it comes to us attracting good quality OOC schools and that Dave Brandon is short changing the season ticket holders with rescheduling App State, etc.
heartbreakM
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 2:17 a.m.
David Brandon is turning out to be all flash and no substance. So far, he has stated that it is all about the money, that competition means nothing, and he has scheduled a neutral site game against Bama (good), home game against Air Force (fine, but not a high level team), and Akron and App State????? I've got a proposal. Schedule Stanford or UCal Berkeley as high level academic institutions like Michigan. Go with Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech with the same principles. Go for games against Kansas or Kansas State in the heartland (that is if you remain too afraid to schedule upper level teams from those conferences). Try to get a 2 for one with Arizona State or Arizona. What about Georgia Tech (since Brandon is probably too afraid of Georgia)? Those are teams that have some panache. It is ridiculous that Brandon has the nerve to tell fans what we want, with ticket packages and all. We want value for our high ticket prices, rather than pushovers who occasionally will beat us and embarrass the team and university. I don't think we need top 5 teams every week, but we do need good competition. You don't improve without it, and what is a championship worth unless the climb is challenging? That's what a fan wants (and an alumnus)
A2D2
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 1:28 a.m.
maybe their soccer team will show up.............
Basic Bob
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 4:13 a.m.
The defending NCAA Division I National Champions are playing in Ann Arbor, Tuesday, October 18. The Zips are currently ranked No. 4, while Michigan didn't even get a single vote in this week's poll.
MRunner73
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 12:14 a.m.
Thumbs down on Akron. More talk and less action on better oppenents. Is Dave Brandon afraid to schedule Toledo, one of the better MAC schools? Akron is for Ohio State and we would do better even getting Ball State back here. It is obvious that Michigan avoids Central Michigan, why is that? The answer is that CMU has beaten Sparty a few times, Toledo came close to upsetting the Buckeyes last weekend. As for SEC teams, we had a good game against Vanderbuilt in the Lloyd Carr era, bring them back here. I would love to see Michigan play Kentucky, another I-75 school as well.
Basic Bob
Wed, Sep 14, 2011 : 12:07 a.m.
Go Zips!!!
JustfortheRecord
Tue, Sep 13, 2011 : 11:44 p.m.
Connecticut know that if Michigan draws a larger crowd "somewhere on the east coast", most of that crowd is going to be screaming "GO BLUE!"
dconkey
Tue, Sep 13, 2011 : 11:36 p.m.
Really, Akron. Would be nice to see an SCC, Big 12, ACC team once and a while. But, it all about the Benjamin's.