For the third season in a row, the Michigan hockey team could be involved in an outdoor game. In the 2009-10 season, Michigan took on Wisconsin at Camp Randall Stadium, and last season the Wolverines played Michigan State at the Big House. Now it looks like the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry is headed outdoors.
The Associated Press reports that plans are being finalized for Michigan and Ohio State to play at Progressive Field in Cleveland in January. The Michigan Daily's Stephen Nesbitt reports that the specific date of the game is Jan. 15, 2012, although nothing is official just yet.
Progressive Field is the home of the Cleveland Indians and holds more than 40,000 people. It would serve as Ohio State's home ice for this game if it happens, although Cleveland is only about three hours away from Ann Arbor, so you can bet there would be a lot of maize and blue in the crowd.
Perhaps there will also be a lot of red in the crowd, but not necessarily worn by Ohio State fans. Eleven Warriors, an OSU blog, mentioned on Twitter that there is a rumor the Wolverines and Buckeyes would play as part of a doubleheader. The other game would be the Red Wings vs. the Blue Jackets, giving the NHL a non-Winter Classic outdoor game.
I would be quite surprised if the NHL allowed the Wings and Jackets to play an outdoor game, but a doubleheader would be very cool, especially since there's no doubt the stands would be filled.