I’m pretty excited to have UConn come to the Big House. Some of Michigan’s fans are ignorant, and they don’t realize how good of a team UConn might be. I was hoping a big time BCS opponent (as in top 15 consistently) would come to Ann Arbor and I’m guessing most people were thinking the same.

We could be in for a decent series, although expect Michigan to be very good in 2010.

This is destiny.

For some reason, I scheduled Michigan in NCAA 10 for the same exact season (2010) about two days ago.

If I can sign anyone other than a two-star prospect from Idaho, this is clearly a sign.

Great post. I should have a UFR up, middle of the week in 2010.

COACHBT say UCONN not fit to have home and home WITH Michigan ONLY 1 game or EVEN 0 becuase COACHBT enjoy MAC teams better IF you don’t like COME to COACHBT’S E-blog to talk about IT.

eroc say NICE brick work at your skool. no sugarcoat, me like. what kind of brick? thanks, me hang up and listen.

Strange to see my Fran Drescher comment from MGoBlog end up here, but I guess that’s the risk you take when you diss a possible opponent on the internet tubes. I guess I can be blamed if it ends up as locker room material, although I’d guess most of the players don’t have a clue who she is, nor care.

Since I’m on a UConn blog, I’ll ask those who would know: was Edsall approached by Syracuse for their open spot after Robinson was canned?

Hey, Don (and the rest of the Michigan fans) – thanks for writing. Honestly, I thought that was hilarious and, frankly, around here, Edsall is the Fran Drescher to Jim Calhoun’s Jessica Alba. No offense taken (by me, anyway). Plus, everyone needs a bizarre rallying cry, and I think I’ve found mine.

As for the Syracuse thing (and one of the other UConn fans can correct me if I’m wrong): as I recall, it was a New York Times article that reported that Syracuse hired a firm to “gauge Edsall’s interest.” Both sides denied everything, of course. When SU and UConn played in November, reporters asked Edsall about it and he denied anything, and then took himself out of the running a couple days later. So while Syracuse probably approached Edsall, there’s little indication that Edsall ever considered leaving.

Many of us who were wishing for a more high-powered opponent have mistakenly been put into the category of those who think that UConn has no chance. While we all hope that the 2010 squad will have left the stain of 2008 far behind, only somebody with a very short memory can forget that the 2007 team which lost to Appy State was considered by many to be a legit pre-season contender for a national championship spot, especially coming off the near-miss in 2006. My problem with the matchup is not that UConn literally has no chance, but that should UConn pull off an upset, most people across the country, not to mention potential recruits, will not give Michigan credit for facing a worthy adversary, which Appy St was and UConn might well be. When a program is building itself like UConn is, public perception may lag behind reality by several years.

This is an interesting year for Edsall. IIRC he had two or three winning seasons, then a couple of losing seasons, then two more winning seasons in 07 and 08. Phil Steele is predicting a losing season and a 6th place finish in the conference, but I haven’t read his page on UConn closely enough yet to figure out why. From Michigan’s perspective, the best possible thing would be for UConn to win the conference this year, and beat a strong opponent in the BCS game.

What’s the over/under on percentage of UM fans at Rentschler (sp?)?

Other than BC in the 90s (Desmond 4 TDs), is this the closest to NYC (and its ridiculously high alum density) UM has played in recent memory?

UM Fan here direct from MGoBog.

Not all of us are stupid. Note the Diary post today in which many of us debate the benefits of playing UConn (there are a lot). In fact, I am a Toledo alum, so I know just how good you can be.

Lets make it a hell of a game! Just… lose. Seriously. After the last couple years of openers, I don’t think we could take it.

Don, you bring up a good point. Michigan is almost in a no-win situation because it’ll be expected to win and trashed if “upset.” While the Huskies are a BCS program, they are still viewed (like most of the Big East) in the lower tier. I would be the first to say our Big East championship was a crock.

For UConn, though, this is pretty much all gravy. You get the publicity of playing a marquee program and perhaps raising the program’s profile in Big Ten country, an area (I believe) Edsall rarely taps into. And they’ll obviously have the reverse effect, where they’ll be expected to lose and receive a heap of praise if they win.

And on top of all that, they actually get Michigan to come to Rentschler? With a home-and-home set with Tennessee for 2015, 2016, that’s two national champions the program has got to come to lil’ old East Hartford. Michigan has had its struggles, sure, but it’s still Michigan.

Now explain to me why UConn would ever do this cockamamie deal with Notre Dame and get absolutely nothing out it? They’ve shown they can pull big-name teams to Connecticut and incredibly weakened Dame’s elitist position. Don’t want to come to Connecticut? Fine. We’ll grab a team that, in my opinion, is more interesting and doesn’t require teeth-pulling to get something done. I want to play the Irish. I do. But not if I have to go to New York to see it.

Bravo, Randy.

I’m thinking a lot of UM fans will be making the trip to Rentschler field. Maybe 10,000.

As an alum of MAC school(Eastern Michigan), i understand how difficult it is to get a power conference team to come to your place. I saw Maryland at Rynearson, but that was it. Northwestern played at FF and Vandy is supposed to visit next year.

But no one wants to come to Ypsilanti. Congrats, UCONN on pulling that one off.

I think UofM will be just fine!

wooo EAGLE NATION

yeah, no one wants to come to Ypsi. :(

I referenced this article on my post.

http://mgoblog.com/diaries/yes-we-know-most-you-dont-want-uconn

I tried to convince Michigan fans that this was a good call. Please verify for accuracy.

Looks good to me, Tiger. I get why y’all aren’t 100% excited about this game, but hell, by the time it happens next year, I doubt anyone will care or even remember all the bellyaching.

Except when I post that MS Paint concoction every single day in August 2010, of course.

Michigan grad here, I am excited to be playing UConn. The team hasn’t played on the east coast since 1999. Looking forward to the series, best of luck in your games leading up to the series.