Blue may kick off in Classic By David Den Herder Daily Sports Writer For a short time, it looked like Michigan would go a year without a marquee season-opening football game. That time may have expired. According to a report, Michigan has accepted an invitation to play in the 2000 Kickoff Classic at the N.J. Meadowlands in late August, pending the confirmation of a suitable opponent. The Star-Ledger of Newark, N.J. said Michigan agreed to play in college football's famed early-season matchup, but has already shunned the proposition of facing No. 2 Virginia Tech. Boston College, another Big East possibility, has reportedly declined. Michigan's associate athletic director for media relations, Bruce Madej, would neither confirm nor deny the report that Michigan will add the Kickoff Classic to its schedule this fall. Michigan is currently slated to open the season by hosting Bowling Green and Rice. The Wolverines, who traditionally begin the season with a high-exposure matchup, would have opened next season against the two unranked, nontraditional teams before facing UCLA in Pasadena. Last fall, Michigan coach Lloyd Carr criticized Notre Dame for sneaking unranked Kansas into its schedule before the Irish faced No. 7 Michigan in Ann Arbor on Sept. 5. Despite early appearances, it seems Michigan will again go without a "warmup" game to start the season, and instead opt for a nationally-televised contest at Giants Stadium. According to BCS rankings, Michigan competed with the second-hardest schedule in the NCAA last season, second only to Alabama, which Michigan defeated in the Orange Bowl. With the Kickoff Classic in East Rutherford, N.J., Michigan conceivably seeks to draw from its heavy East Coast alumni base, and also hopes to increase visibility to East Coast recruiting prospects. Since teams may not appear twice in a four-year period, Miami (Fla.), Florida State, Texas A&M and Syracuse are not possible opponents for Michigan's first Kickoff Classic. Southern Cal, which played in the 1996 Classic, is technically eligible, but currently opens at home with Colorado. In last season's game, Miami (Fla.) defeated Ohio State, 23-12. Each team received a payout of at least $650,000. The 2002 game will mark the end of the Kickoff Classic, since the NCAA has voted to abolish early-season "bowl games." The first game was in 1983. Michigan's last early-season game was the 1996 Pigskin Classic at Michigan Stadium. Quarterback Scott Dreisbach passed for 372 yards to bring the Wolverines back from a 17-0 fourth-quarter deficit. Michigan defeated Virginia, 18-17, in Lloyd Carr's first game as head coach. Originally on page 1B in the 1-10-2000 issue of the Daily.