The Free Press reported the Wolverines may move or cancel the Arkansas series to accommodate a game against the Fighting Irish, and playing two marquee nonconference games was undesirable for MI after the Big Ten moved to a nine-game conference schedule.
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The storied series with the traditional college football powers dates to 1887.
MI and Notre Dame made major headlines on Wednesday night when a report surfaced indicating that the Fighting Irish and Wolverines would resume their football series beginning in 2018.
The Detroit Free Press reported in May that MI and Notre Dame were in talks to play again because both shared an open week during the 2019 season.
After that decision by Notre Dame, former MI athletic director Dave Brandon said it would be “a long time” before the two schools played again.
Swarbrick also told Irish Illustrated that Notre Dame was working on two worldwide games in the coming years. The school also reportedly dropped the opening home game of the 2018 season against Arkansas.
The programs have played one another 42 times since 1887 with MI holding a 24-17-1 edge.
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The teams’ annual series has not been held since 2014 despite overwhelming support for its return, including from new MI coach Jim Harbaugh and Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly.
