Notre Dame-Michigan gridiron rivalry to end after 2014

Detroit, MI, United States (4E Sports) – The Notre Dame Fighting Irish have decided to end their rivalry with Michigan, opting to cancel games against the Wolverines from 2015-2017.

According to Bruce Feldman of CBS Sports, Norte Dame has notified Michigan that it will exercise a three-year-old in their contract, meaning the last scheduled game will be in 2014. Earlier, the schools had agreed to take a hiatus in 2018-19.

“The decision to cancel games in 2015-17 was Notre Dame’s and not ours,” Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon said on the school’s official Twitter account.

Brandon also made no guarantees that another agreement can be worked out in the future with Notre Dame to keep the rivalry alive.

“We value our annual rivalry with Notre Dame but will have to see what the future holds for any continuation of the series,” he added.

In 2007, the two schools have agreed to extend their rivalry through the 2031 season but on a three-year rolling basis, meaning each side has a chance to opt out with three years’ notice.

The two schools earlier announced a two-year hiatus in the 2018 and 2019 campaigns but expressed intention to resume the rivalry in the following years.

After the Wolverines lost to Notre Dame in 1909, the schools only met twice from 1910-77 due to longtime Michigan coach and athletic director Fielding Yost’s dislike for the Fighting Irish.

The programs have met regularly since 1978 and played every year since 2002. It has been considered as one of the most important match-up of the season as its outcome often had serious BCS and Top 25 implications.

Notre Dame recently joined the ACC in all sports except hockey and football, choosing to maintain its traditional football status as an independent, but still have a contractual obligation to face five opponents from that conference per season.

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