Michigan v. Alabama in Dallas? Conflicting Reports on the Potentially Epic Match Up

You know something is up when MGoBlog is posting on a weekend. According to one of Brian's more trusted sources the Michigan Wolverines and Alabama Crimson Tide are on the verge of signing an epic-Jerry-Jones-has-lost-his-mind deal to play one another at Cowboys Stadium (aka, Jerry World) in 2012. On paper this sounds awesome. Two of the winningest programs in College Football History, Saban v. Rodriguez, a game that's hyped like the Super Bowl. EPIC WIN, right?

Personally I'm not so crazy about the idea of giving up the opportunity for a home and home, but that's just my old school college football hey-you-damn-kids-get-off-my-lawn mentality. I want to play a home-and-home with Alabama. Do some tailgatin' with our buddies from Roll Bama Roll. Drink their homemade "medicine water," deep fry everything, and get them to explain who this "Bear Bryant" is that they're always talking about. That said, I'm not oblivious to the recruiting benefits of a game like this, nor an I oblivious to the amounts of money reportedly involved.

But that's if the game actually comes to fruition.

In this morning's Detroit News, Angelique Chengelis reports on direct quotes she received from Michigan Football Spokesman Dave Ablauf about the Michigan Alabama match up:

That's a far cry from an outright denial, but the Mobile (Ala.) Press Register is reporting that the Michigan Alabama match up is possible but not imminent. The Press Register cited a source within Alabama saying:

If you like conspiracy theories, the fact that both Ablauf and the Alabama source used the word "imminent" could lead you to believe that OMG he's in the house! But I think it's more a coincidence. I don't doubt for a second that the two schools are in negotiations for a potential meeting, but it doesn't sound like the ink is dry or that the pens have even been taken out of the box.

So what does it mean?

Nothing, really. If MGoBlog's source was premature in leaking him the information, big deal. The story was prefaced as depending on a single, trusted source, and were I in Brian's shoes I would've run with it too. Is this Herbstreit telling us that Les Miles is bolting LSU for Michigan a few days before his bowl game? No. It's not. And let's be honest, has that announcement really hurt his long term credibility as a football announcer or reporter? No, it hasn't. So if Brian's wrong, he's wrong, but that's not going to stop me from checking his site every day. But right now it looks as though the deal he reported isn't close to being finalized. On the other hand, when/if this match up does come to fruition, Brian should get some major accolades for breaking a pretty significant story.

While we wait for that to be sorted out, let's celebrate the fact that today marks the start of MICHIGAN'S FALL FOOTBALL CAMP! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!