Michigan's '14 Opener Against Appalachian State a Poor Attempt at Revenge?

Michigan fans remember it well. As the clock wound down, the Wolverines lined up for a field goal to finish off a second-half half comeback in the season-opener against I-AA opponent Appalachian State. As the ball was snapped, Corey Lynch of Appalachian State flew into the backfield and made history.

The kick was blocked, and Michigan was defeated, 34-32. The air left the stadium. You could hear a pin drop as Wolverine fans tried to understand what just happened to their beloved football team. The atmosphere was dead, and believe me, I know.

I was there.

I was offered free tickets to the game and hey, why not go down to a beautiful city, have a little fun and watch my favorite football team blow out an inferior opponent? I’m sure several other Wolverine fans had the same idea.

But what we saw that day was not an inferior opponent, but an opponent who was better prepared and whole lot faster than Michigan. On paper, App State didn’t stand a chance. But games aren’t played on paper, as the old cliché goes, and the Mountaineers proved that.

The Wolverines were No. 5 entering the season and had standout players Chad Henne, Mike Hart and Jake Long all returning for their senior seasons. They were expected to contend for a national championship after being ranked as high as No. 2 the season before.

Yesterday, Michigan Athletic Director David Brandon announced that the Wolverines would once again invite Appalachian State into the Big House. This has since been met with criticism from many fans and writers alike who think it’s really just a poor attempt at revenge for one of the biggest upsets in college football history.

But is it really?

I mean, Appalachian State doesn’t HAVE to accept the invitation to play the game. Granted, they’ll be receiving a large chunk of change for agreeing to play in the game, but is it worth it to be beaten down by an angry team?

I suspect Brady Hoke will want to avenge the Wolverines’ upset even though he wasn’t with the university when it happened. He is a proud man who loves the school, and any black mark on their record certainly makes his blood boil.

It wouldn’t surprise me to see Michigan really put the pedal to the metal and try to embarrass the Mountaineers. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see the Wolverines treat it like any other game against a subpar opponent and pull starters in the third quarter.

I don’t think Appalachian State will be sneaking up on anybody after their monumental victory in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines will be ready and will likely win, and likely win handily.

This shouldn’t be cause for criticism on the Wolverines, however.  Michigan is giving a smaller university a chance to come onto a national stage, which can be huge for a small school’s growth. Appalachian State is looking to move into the FBS in the next few years, and can thank the Wolverines for helping to springboard them into consideration.

Shame on the Wolverines for scheduling Appalachian State again? No, shame on those who call out teams for scheduling small, up-and-coming schools and contribute to the growth and parody of college football. Michigan could lose, but will most likely win big. Either way, the Wolverines should not be under scrutiny for putting the Mountaineers on their schedule.