Official? Michigan to Play Alabama in 2012 in Dallas

We posted this a while back as a rumor, and I'm still not exactly sure how official this is...but Nick Saban has said this is going to happen and mgoblog is going with it, so I guess it's pretty much on.

Michigan is going to play Alabama in 2012...at Cowboys Stadium in Dallas.

Via the ESPN story:

Alabama coach Nick Saban said on his radio show Thursday he expects his Crimson Tide to face Michigan at Cowboys Stadium in 2012.

"It hasn't been announced yet, but we're going to play Michigan in Dallas probably for sure," Saban said.

Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, hosted four college football games in its first season -- including the Big 12 championship game. This year, TCU defeated Oregon State, 30-21, on Sept. 4, and Texas A&M and Arkansas will face off at the stadium Oct. 9.

Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon has indicated that he wants the Wolverines to play on the "big stage," according to The Detroit News.

Alabama, the defending BCS champion, has made a habit of scheduling marquee opponents in neutral sites. The Crimson Tide played Florida State in Jacksonville, Fla., in 2007 and followed that with games at Atlanta's Georgia Dome against Clemson (2008) and Virginia Tech (2009).

The previous meeting between the teams came in the 2000 Orange Bowl, where the Wolverines won in overtime, 35-34.

First off, I personally feel you can't get on any bigger of a stage than the Big House, so Brandon's comment bothers me a bit. Secondly, I would MUCH rather see a home-and-home series between these two traditional powerhouses. However, a game between these two schools on a neutral field beats no game at all...so I guess I'll take it.

We'll probably have to schedule 3 FCS opponents that year to make up for this.