Michigan spending big bucks to bring BYU, Colorado to Big House

The Michigan Wolverines will pay approximately $1.3 million to both the BYU Cougars and Colorado Buffaloes to bring the two teams to Ann Arbor for games in 2015 and 2016, per MLive's Kyle Meinke.

The steep price is a result of the Wolverines not making return visits to either team's home stadium, according to Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon. The payouts are among the largest in the history of the program. The high cost is necessary to make sure fans remain intrigued by the competition, says Brandon:

"We're trying to be creative and give our fans a chance to see some programs they wouldn't have otherwise been used to seeing."

Although they don't play in a major conference, the Cougars will likely give the Wolverines a challenge in their 2015 meeting. BYU has won 10 or more games in five out of the last seven seasons.

Colorado, on the other hand, may not pose much of a threat to Michigan. The Buffaloes are in the midst of their worst stretch in decades, posting a losing record in six consecutive seasons. In addition to Colorado, the Wolverines have also scheduled non-conference games against the Hawaii Warriors and Ball State Cardinals in 2016.