The Michigan Wolverines have canceled their 2020-21 home-and-home football series with the Virginia Tech Hokies, the school confirmed on Thursday.
The cancellation or postponement of the Michigan-Virginia Tech series appeared imminent after Arkansas State recently scheduled a game at Michigan for the same date as the Hokies game in 2020.
According to the UM release, Michigan will pay Virginia Tech a $375,000 cancellation fee.
The Michigan-Virginia Tech series was first announced back in 2013. Michigan was scheduled to host Virginia Tech in Ann Arbor on Sept. 19, 2020 and then travel to face the Hokies in Blacksburg on Sept. 11, 2021.
As a result of the series cancellation, Michigan has moved up their home game in 2021 against the Washington Huskies by one week. Washington and Michigan will now meet in Ann Arbor on Sept. 11 instead of Sept. 18.
This is the second high-profile home-and-home football series that Michigan has canceled in the last two years. Back in 2016, the Wolverines canceled a 2018-19 series with Arkansas in order to schedule games against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Michigan payed Arkansas $2 million for that cancellation.
Football Schedules
paid
Pathetic. They’ll practice in Florida or Italy but not play in Virginia.
Following the Penn State way. Play no one who has any chance of beating you ooc
Annoying when these good series get cancelled.
Cpafan – Penn State has VTech scheduled for 2020 and 2025. They also have a home and home with Auburn and WV scheduled. Explain to me how that is weak
UCLA needs a few games for those two years. That would be an interesting series
More ND games in 2020 and 2021.
That isn’t true……they might earn that L when they play SJSU in a few years…..
They have home and home’s with Washington, UCLA, oklahoma and Texas. Are you trying to sound uninformed?
Uh, let’s not forget they are playing Pitt 4 years in a row and they already lost to them once at Pitt. They have Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Auburn scheduled twice each from 2020 to 2025.
This is why teams have no business scheduling games so far in advance believe I saw 4-5 games scheduled on here this week for 2031. Come on man that’s ridiculous a lot of that’s can happen with conference realignment or just realignment with in the own conference. Makes no sense to schedule these games that far ahead.
Replace Virginia Tech with Arkansas State is awful. I think Michigan thinks one Big 5 Conference out of conference game is all they want from here on out. They only have one scheduled per year now for the next 8 years. This is a bad trend for us fans who like to see good football in September.
Although they are only playing one OOC games against Power 5 they are scheduling tough, Oklahoma, Texas, UCLA (can be either tough or weak) and Washington.
A cancellation fee of 375k is nothing, especially compared to the 2M fee for the Arkansas series.
As much as I hate to see another quality non-con P5 series go, I get it from the schools’ perspective. The playoff committee has basically said “don’t lose more than one game and you’re in”, so why play VT when you can buy a home win against a G5 team?
Yes, I was going to share the same idea.
Who have they played the last ten years ooc. Wouldnt even reschedule Pitt. Chose to play San Jose and Nevada instead
In 2008, Penn State hosted Oregon State and traveled to Syracuse.
In 2009, Penn State hosted Syracuse.
In 2010-2011, Penn State traveled to and then hosted Alabama.
In 2012, Penn State traveled to Virginia.
In 2013, Penn State played Syracuse at a neutral location in East Rutherford, NJ.
In 2016-2017, Penn State traveled to and then hosted Pitt. Penn State is scheduled to travel to and host Pitt in 2018-2019 respectively.
In 2020, Penn State is scheduled to travel to Virginia Tech.
In 2021-2022, Penn State is scheduled to host and then travel to Auburn.
In 2023-2024, Penn State is scheduled to host and then travel to West Virginia.
In 2025, Penn State is scheduled to host Virginia Tech.
I’m no Penn State fan, but that is every year since 2008 except for two seasons that they have played or will play a P5 out of conference.
A very unsurprising UM move
I agree that this is bad news for us fans. That said, when you have Alabama only playing 9 P5 games a year and getting every other benefit of the doubt in the world, do you really blame Michigan here?
I get it now, Cpafan is one of those butthurt Pitt fans that’s upset Penn State doesn’t want to help them sell out there stadium anymore. When Pitt gets to the level of West Virginia, maybe then Penn State will schedule them
I have season psu tickets but would like them to play someone out of conference who is top 25 instead of playing Syracuse oregon state or Pitt plus teams who have no chance
When I want to see mass ignorance I go to two places: MSNBC, and the comments section of FBS Schedules
That’s FB Schedules man! :)
Jeff,
I clearly understand you have a gripe with Alabama because of the committees decision but please, give it a rest. I am surprise no one is coming on here defending Michigan that this is ok because Michigan plays a 9-game conference schedule.Like that extra in conference game with Rutgers is going to mean so much for a play-off chance at the CFP. It does not matter if Michigan picked up Arkansas St or not, they need to get through the BIG East 1st.
It’s clear the committee thinks playing an 8 game SEC schedule is equal to or better than playing 9 Little Ten games. Little Ten teams NEED that extra OoC game to equal what the SEC gets in just 8 games.
Cpafan – you’re an idiot. You won’t respond to other responses. Here’s mine. Stop typing. You clearly have no interest in being a real college football fan. You have no idea of what you comment on. The Penn State way? Penn State typically schedules well with regards to other programs in the Power 5 landscape. For example – The only true road game Alabama has played recently? Penn State. Auburn also has a true home and home commitment approaching. Meanwhile you troll Michigan sites and complain about PSU. You’re awesome. (Sarcastic) And I’ll add to boot – Michigan schedules strongly too.
I’m trying to figure out what I said that was inaccurate? Alabama’s schedule is laughable compared to Michigan, compared to Ohio State, compared to USC and so many others. That doesn’t take away from the fact that Alabama is a good football team. If I am Michigan or Ohio State or USC, and I see that Alabama play 2 50/50 games a year, 2 75/25 games a the remaining games are 95%+ chance of winning and Alabama is getting in no questions asked if they only lose 1 game; why would other teams take on these extra challenges when Alabama clearly doesn’t?
Day,
You are right on one thing. Michigan is never getting through the BIG East with Ohio St, Penn St and Michigan St all in front of them. It’s fine for you to point out the gimme game against Rutgers every year, also fine if you point out Illinois if they happen to be one the schedule…just so long as you acknowledge the gimme that Vanderbilt is and Tennessee has become. If you want to start breaking down schedules just let me know, thats an easy argument for me.
Lol. Cause the SEC East is just SOOOO tough right now.
Honestly, the SEC on the whole was pretty weak last year. The top 3 (UGA, Bama, Auburn) were great, but who was next? LSU? The team that lost at home to Troy?
I respect what the SEC (or should I say Bama) has accomplished on the national stage. But the myth that the conference is just so great 1-14 is nauseating and false. Any of the top 4 in the Big Ten East is playing three top 20 programs, no matter what, every year. And that doesn’t factor in the years they draw Wisconsin out of the West. That’s as strong as anything you’ll see out of the SEC these days.
The ACC is better than both right now anyway.