Univ. of Michigan football has been making offseason overseas trips under coach Jim Harbaugh, and an international game "might not be far behind," according to Kyle Rowland of the Toledo BLADE. Harbaugh said that the school had "preliminary discussions" last summer about playing a game in Rome. UM and Serie A club AS Roma "developed a relationship during the past year" after the football team "traveled to Rome" in April '17 and Roma had a soccer match at Comerica Park in July. Harbaugh: "We'd love to partner with them in any and every way. With their new stadium coming out, I think that'd be natural for Michigan to play a game here when that opens." The $1.3B, 52,000-seat Stadio Della Roma is "projected to open" in '20. However, Harbaugh said UM would "never give up a home game." Harbaugh: "We'd never give up a chance to play at Michigan Stadium. But to do an away game here, sure. That would be the possibility." International regular-season games in college football are "not unprecedented," as there have been five since '12. Michigan in recent years has taken trips to France and Italy (Toledo BLADE, 5/7).
