ARIZONA STATE FOOTBALL

ESPN’s May: They’re Notre Dame, you’re ASU

Apr 12, 2013, 7:41 PM | Updated: 8:02 pm

LISTEN: Mark May , ESPN College Football Analyst

ESPN NCAA football insider Mark May upset many an ASU fan Thursday with this tweet:

May was, albeit in broken english, commenting on the report that Notre Dame is dropping a visit to Tempe from its 2014 schedule.

A guest of Arizona Sports 620’s Burns and Gambo Friday, May explained his thoughts in more depth.

“In that situation, wouldn’t you want to kind of take the high road,” May said, questioning Arizona State athletic director Steve Patterson. Patterson, through the media, has essentially called out Notre Dame for the ordeal.

May said ASU could look at the situation and realize Notre Dame is still going to pay them good money, and the Sun Devils can fill that spot in their schedule with someone else.

“They made a mistake in scheduling,” May continued. “They will probably send Arizona State a nice, big check. Arizona State is going to play them this season at a neutral site.”

The Devils are set to travel to Arlington, Texas to battle the Fighting Irish on October 5 at Cowboys Stadium. However, this game was supposed to be part of a three-game series between the schools, with the neutral site game followed by one in Tempe in 2014 and another in South Bend in 2017.

But Notre Dame, which is moving into the ACC, has to rearrange its schedule to accommodate the new conference. So, they’re trying to chop ASU off their docket, which is understandably not something Sun Devil faithful are pleased with.

But May, who said this happens fairly often in college football, disagrees with how Patterson and ASU have dealt with the issue.

“You pick up the phone, you scream at [Notre Dame athletic director Jack Swarbrick], you work it out, you hammer it out, and you say ‘so we’re not going to do it in 2014 Jack, when are you coming here?'”

In fact, May said said the Sun Devils need to acknowledge the situation for what it is.

“They are Notre Dame, you’re ASU, face the facts,” he said. “As far as history goes and prestige goes and where programs are aligned, Notre Dame’s in the top three of all-time.

“ASU’s not.”

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ESPN’s May: They’re Notre Dame, you’re ASU