Game on?
For those pining over the apparent end of the Notre Dame-Michigan rivalry in 2014, worry not. Irish coach Brian Kelly said Wednesday that it could be coming back.
"I think it's trending up," Kelly said during an appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show." "It's something that we need to get obviously in line to get that going. I think that's something that everybody wants to get going and get Michigan back on the schedule.
"... I think that sentiment is coming back to the forefront of where college football needs to be. Some of those classic rivalries coming back together. I know we're going to be working hard to see if we can get that done."
The teams faced each other last season for the 42nd time in an off-and-on rivalry that has spanned more than 100 years.
In 2007, the two schools announced they would play annually through 2031. But before the 2012 game, Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick informed then-Michigan athletic director that the Irish were ending the series because they had agreed to play five games a season against Atlantic Coast Conference teams and had no room on the schedule for the Wolverines.
Michigan leads the all-time series 24-17-1.
The two programs are the winningest programs ever by percentage. They have combined for 1,798 victories.
Kelly said he hasn't been involved in the discussion to renew the series, "but using words like trending up, this is something that wants to occur, that's what I'm hearing," he told "The Rich Eisen Show." "I think you're going to see it happen."
Kelly, who first talked about resuming the rivalry on Eisen's syndicated radio show this week, said he doesn't think there's been any talks between the schools about a game. He also said they would probably have to be "creative'' to get the game back on the schedule. But he said he hoped his comments will get the process started.
"How quickly we get it going, at least it gets the momentum moving forward. I'm not going to get it going done myself, let's put it that way,'' he said.
Kelly also said he sees there being some advantage to being in a conference, although he reiterated the school believes it is best to remain independent. `
"Any time I'm asked that question, the one thing is I look at it and say, `Boy, it would be nice to play for a conference championship.' Then boy, on the other hand, you love playing in these great venues all over the country and different teams like Texas, and we're going to be playing Georgia down the line and some other storied programs. It's one I'm glad I don't have to make a call on.''
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.