Rivalry taking a break?

I was reading a little on espn.com yesterday, and I found some very disturbing news. No, this has nothing to do with the dog-hater or the conspiracy in the NBA. Nope, this has to do with the Michigan Wolverines and Notre Dame rivalry taking a break from their regularly scheduled week three game coming in 2011. The contract, I had no idea that there was a Michigan/Notre Dame game contract, ends at the start of the 2011 football season with out a fight. Notre Dame has already replaced Michigan with Oklahoma for a two year contract playing at both home fields. Michigan from what I have read, is looking at the Big 12 for an opponent as well. Their Athletic Director, Bill Martin, told The Ann Arbor News that they will be looking to face a power house team, if they can't find it in the Big 12 they will look elsewhere. This story does kind of bother me. Being a Michigan football fan, on their yearly schedule I look forward to the ND game. It's a big game between two storied programs early in the college football season. I wouldn't say that it is Michigan's big rivalry game considering Ohio State and Michigan St. games are bigger, but I will miss that Saturday afternoon game between these schools. Especially after the beating that the Wolverines put on the Irish last year.