I have to agree...

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf-dr-saturday/brady-hoke-says-notre-dame-chickening-series-against-214145489.html

As a slightly above casual ND fan, it sure seems that way. Can't really blame them though. Playing their ACC schedule plus tradition rivals still like USC/MSU/Purdue is going to be a challenge year in and out. Need to have a couple softies in there and if you can avoid seeing the dickbag that is Brady Hoke, well that's just a bonus

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Team Cutler.

Is there more tradition with MSU and Purdue than there is with Michigan? I grew up with great Michigan/ND games in the 80's and 90's. Maybe that's changed...

No definitely not. At least not in my opinion. Safe bet that Michigan will usually have the best three out of those teams. It's clearly a play to get a softer game on the schedule going forward.

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Team Cutler.

Traditionally, ND has had tougher schedules, so I kinda understand the motive. I mean, you look at the Big Ten, most notably Wisconsin, and check out their non-conference schedules... Little Sisters of the Poor.

It goes back further than that, but Michigan is the reason Notre Dame was blocked from getting into the Big Ten in the early 1900s and pushed hard for all Big Ten teams to refuse to play them. Purdue, and I think MSU, basically said that we'll always play them. Now, this was many decades ago so it really doesn't matter today. However, Purdue and Notre Dame have pretty much always played but the Michigan series has taken decades off multiple times before.

Purdue is just a game that Notre Dame expects to win 80% of the time so we can stay. It's also the best way they have to play another game in Indiana. If anyone drops Notre Dame, it will be Purdue but I think the contract with them runs for a long time still. The 9 game schedule provides some scheduling challenges.

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You do not talk to me like that! I work too hard to deal with this stuff! I work too hard! I'm an important member of the CSFMB! I drive a Dodge Stratus!

Video

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=espn:9271568

ND vs. Purdue = 84 games.
ND vs. MSU = 75 games.
ND vs UM = 40 games.

So, yes...more history with MSU and Purdue than Michigan. Twice as much...

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@audioidkid

They likely have a decided win/loss advantage over those two as well. A losing record to Michigan if
I am not mistaken. I like watching the game but am ok with them taking some time off of it. They
could possibly meet in a big bowl game which would be even better than a regular season matchup.

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Michigan isn't good enough to say anyone is afraid of them. They won 5-6 games last year.

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I believe they went 8-5

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Flew too close to the sun on wings of pastrami

Well... there you go.