Under The Lights
For those of you who are bored like me i thought id share the 2011 and 2013 Michigan-Notre Dame night games. Ill never forget the 2011 game. Denard was magical running the Michigan offense for the big comeback. It just seemed that everything went our way that day. Night games at Michigan Stadium have been epic. The game atmospheres are the best i have ever seen at Michigan Stadium. Has the athletic department said when the next night game would be? Personally i would have 1 game at night every year no matter the opponent. Mybe penn st next season. thoughts?
December 17th, 2013 at 7:49 PM ^
pumped up crowds are good for the team and recruiting and exposure, so yes, every year would be cool, it's the 21st century, not 1976.
December 17th, 2013 at 7:52 PM ^
The crowd noise is just amazing. Im sick and tired of people saying michigan stadium is a library on gamedays i think more night games would make the stadium far more intimidating. Too bad the stadium canrt be that energized every home game
December 18th, 2013 at 11:06 AM ^
I like the idea of night games, but does an awesome night game make the noon start vs. "MAC Regional School A&M State" that more boring?
I hate seeing huge swaths of the student section empty
Not sure they are related, but that game vs. Akron had horrible visuals to a TV audience
December 18th, 2013 at 11:54 AM ^
That Akron game had the Athletic Department changing the student ticket general admission policy where every row was packed in to capacity before people were allowed to sit higher in the stadium. This made the holes more obvious, since instead of being holes it was literally 50 *completely* empty rows at the start of the broadcast.
December 18th, 2013 at 3:02 PM ^
didn't realize that
December 17th, 2013 at 7:51 PM ^
December 18th, 2013 at 11:29 AM ^
Why not more than one? Teams all over the country have night games all the time, but no, here at Michigan, we can only seemingly have night games when they're a big deal. There is nothing wrong with playing more night games.
December 19th, 2013 at 8:57 AM ^
^^^ This.
Fans, recruits, the media are watching more than just once a year. Put your best foot forward as often as you can.
It worked for Penn State. Having grown up in PA and having brothers that went to PSU, I've followed that program for a long time. Penn State day games are just another BCS football game. It's their night games and the white out they do with them that put them on the map as a "phenomenal game environment". Before they started doing that, there was nothing noteworthy.
Like Penn State, the difference between Michigan day and night games is like . . . um, day and night.
December 17th, 2013 at 7:51 PM ^
I broke two chairs against a tree in the backyard during UTL I... I broke none this year. I need to care more.
December 17th, 2013 at 8:06 PM ^
Do you just break chairs after a win or what?
December 17th, 2013 at 8:11 PM ^
If you actually cared you would burn them.
December 17th, 2013 at 7:56 PM ^
December 17th, 2013 at 7:59 PM ^
If they are going to do it, it would be either Minnesota or Penn State; unless... App State under the lights???
December 17th, 2013 at 8:05 PM ^
The whole playing app st game is shit. Why play them again if we win its meaningless and u know all there gonna do is show us those highlights all over agian. hell most people probably forgot bout the game why bring back horrible memories?? While there at it why not schedule toledo agian
December 17th, 2013 at 8:10 PM ^
Yeah, curse that Dave Brandon guy. I heard he killed six kittens while he was the CEO at Dominos. Allegedly. Remember the six.
December 17th, 2013 at 8:11 PM ^
This reminds me - has anyone gone up to the broadcast booth to check on Don Criqui? I believe he had been waiting for some signal, and I have to think that if he hasn't seen it by now, then it may never happen. In any case, I would think the weather and Winter Classic preparations have obscured the source of the signal.
December 17th, 2013 at 8:20 PM ^
I was worried about him making it home after the game - man he sounded shaken :)
December 17th, 2013 at 8:58 PM ^
December 18th, 2013 at 12:44 AM ^
December 17th, 2013 at 8:17 PM ^
December 17th, 2013 at 8:27 PM ^
December 17th, 2013 at 9:16 PM ^
it's not like they are gonna accumulate and play 5 night games one year because they played none the previous four year...play one per year
December 17th, 2013 at 9:27 PM ^
December 17th, 2013 at 9:49 PM ^
Bama played night games (kick after 6 ET):
Colorado State, Ole Miss, Kentucky, Arkansas, LSU, Mississippi State
Ohio State:
Cal, WIsconsin, Northwestern, Penn State
Mizzou:
Murray State, Indiana, Arkansas State, Vandy, South Carolina, Tennessee, Ole Miss, A&M
Pitt:
Florida State,Old Dominion, Georgia Tech, Notre Dame
Notre Dame:
Michigan, Purdue, Arizona State, USC, Pitt, Stanford
A small sample spread amongst conferences, locales, weather...
December 18th, 2013 at 1:40 AM ^
I think TV plays a big role in if there will be a night game next year. Let's face it, a night game on BTN probably isn't going to have the same 'WOW' factor as a game on ABC or ESPN. As others have said, the home schedule is pretty weak next year. The only game I could see ABC or ESPN thinking about putting in there evening slot is PSU.
December 17th, 2013 at 8:37 PM ^
I see your point but IMO if there isnt one game each season worth playing at night, then it isnt worth buying season ticks
December 17th, 2013 at 8:39 PM ^
Night games give you exposure on a national level and theres nothing wrong with blowing out a lesser opponent at night. I think bama played Colorado st, ole miss and miss st at night. Didnt see anyone complaining.
December 17th, 2013 at 8:56 PM ^
I agree they should be special games, but with 2014's home schedule being so weak, it would be great if they had two night games. That would make the price of next year's season tickets actually worth it, maybe.
December 17th, 2013 at 8:56 PM ^
this year's (I know, dreadful, and I think on BTN) game in Happy Valley and do a 6:00 start or something like that on ESPN? Or 8:00, whatever. I don't think Utah or Minnesota would create much excitement.
If we do that, the future schedules set up where UM could play an early-ish Big Ten game against a "brand name" team in early October each year — I've heard a Bill Simonson interview with Dave Brandon where he's used almost those exact words to describe what he envisions. So...
2014 Penn State
2015 Northwestern
2016 Wisconsin
2017 Michigan State (yes, I know ... perhaps a 5 or 6:00 start?)
2018 Nebraska
2019 Iowa
Each of these games falls within the first two weeks of October. Perhaps in 2020 that rotation can begin again and we'll skip Minny, Purdue, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland and Rutgers (and maybe NW next time around) unless one of them suddenly becomes consistently good.
Love UTL ... been to both of 'em. Looking forward to more.
December 17th, 2013 at 8:56 PM ^
I think 1 night game each year would be awesome! Penn State would be great for a night game. I would love for Michigan to magically somehow beat them by 20+ next year. Never liked PSU and this year made me dislike them even more.
December 19th, 2013 at 9:02 AM ^
Plus, fair is fair . . . they always play us at night at their place. And our record since they started doing it is not good.
They are in our division now, so we need to take advantage of any edge we can get. Since we have ruled out night games against OSU and MSU, we need to at least take advantage of them against one of our top division foes.
December 17th, 2013 at 9:06 PM ^
Brandon already said UM is planning to host one night game each year. PSU is the only logical 2014 game to do this. I am planning on it - already booked my hotel room.
December 17th, 2013 at 9:53 PM ^
I will absolutely be there if PSU is the night game for 2014. They marked the start of the spiral downward this year. I'd like nothing more than to see us blow them out by 20 on national television.
December 18th, 2013 at 8:45 AM ^
December 18th, 2013 at 10:11 AM ^
Thanks for posting these. I attended UTL1 with my father and it is a memory that will last a life time.