AP:

Michigan coach Brady Hoke has taken the Notre Dame rivalry up a notch.

Hoke made a crowd chuckle on Monday at West Michigan Sports Commission luncheon by saying the Fighting Irish are “chickening out” from the storied series.

Notre Dame exercised an option in its football-scheduling contract with Michigan last fall to cancel games from 2015-2017.

Hoke lamented that the Irish will continue to play rivals Michigan State and Purdue, joking he knows why they made that decision.