The Michigan-Notre Dame rivalry will be back on in 2018, the schools announced on Thursday.
The Fighting Irish will host the 2018 game on Sept. 1, and Michigan will host the series the following season (Oct. 26, 2019). Sports Illustrated's Ryan Krasnoo first reported the renewal. The schools haven't faced each other since 2014.
Wolverines coach Jim Harbaugh and Fighting Irish coach Brian Kelly last month both expressed support for bringing the series back.
"Two of football's premier programs, Michigan and Notre Dame playing each other makes sense on every conceivable level and is good for football, good for the players and good for the fans," Harbaugh wrote in a text message to The Associated Press. "Geographically it makes sense. In 2 to 2 1/2 hours we can get on a bus and be on their campus and in 2 to 2 1/2 hours they can get on a bus and be on our campus. Any other argument is a distraction, it makes sense, so let's play."
Kelly took to Twitter for some lighthearted ribbing of the UM coach.
"This is a game that holds great significance for the student-athletes and coaches who compete on the field," stated UM athletic director Warde Manuel in a release. "A great deal of credit goes to Coach Harbaugh and Coach Kelly for initiating the discussion of scheduling this series. This rivalry is also important for the fans of both programs, and we look forward to renewing one of college football's great rivalries."
According to Manuel, discussions are ongoing about extending the series beyond 2019.
The two schools faced off every year from 2002-14. Notre Dame won the last meeting, 31-0. Michigan leads the all-time series, 24-17-1.
Michigan canceled a future series with Arkansas to make room for the Fighting Irish and will pay a $2 million cancellation fee. Arkansas Director of Athletics Jeff Long was informed of the decision via email Wednesday night, according to the school.
"Primarily, we are disappointed in Michigan's timing in pulling out of a non-conference football series between the SEC and the Big Ten that has been set for four years," Long said. "While there are many other quality opponents that would help us strengthen our non-conference schedule, the late notice of Michigan's cancellation makes securing those games substantially more difficult. Our focus will be to find a program that welcomes the opportunity to compete against a nationally respected program in the most competitive conference in college football."
Notre Dame gave Michigan notice that it was breaking off the series just before the 2012 game, as the opt-out clause required three games advance notice. The Fighting Irish had just entered an agreement with the Atlantic Coast Conference to play five ACC games per year, prompting the decision to end the series with the Wolverines. That agreement continues, with the Fighting Irish facing Duke, Syracuse, North Carolina State, Miami and Virginia Tech this fall.
In the two-year-old era of the College Football Playoff, top programs all over the country are strengthening their future non-conference schedules, as the CFP selection committee strongly considers strength of schedule in choosing four playoff teams. Last month, Arizona State announced a two-game non-conference series with Oklahoma State for 2022-2023. Last year, Georgia and UCLA agreed to a two-game series for 2025-2026.
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