Did the 2016 PSU-Michigan game officially get moved?
So someone in the Jourdan Lewis Tweet thread asked about projecting next year's team. I decided to glance at our future schedule just to refresh what our 2016 road games were, and I noticed something peculiar. The home PSU game was moved from October 15th to September 24th. I don't remember any official announcement on this. Is this a mistake or is UTL IV in the works?
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/081809aab.html
The Big Ten still has it listed on October 15th. So does PSU.
http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/future-schedules.html
October 29th, 2015 at 12:04 PM ^
It looks like they swapped the PSU game and the bye week for some reason.
October 29th, 2015 at 12:11 PM ^
The bye week later in the year is better?
October 29th, 2015 at 1:25 PM ^
Probably more that a night game earlier (warmer) in the year is better, I'm guessing.
October 29th, 2015 at 12:14 PM ^
October 29th, 2015 at 12:05 PM ^
I thought our bye week was after our non-conference games next year.
October 29th, 2015 at 12:08 PM ^
If this is true, the Penn State game will 100% be a night game.
I was kind of hoping that we'd have Wisconsin at night instead, but maybe we could do both? Probs not though.
This is really good for students if true; it would avoid a third year in a row of having our best home game(s) over a University Break.
(MSU 2015 and Penn State 2014 were over fall break and obviously OSU is always over Thanksgiving break now).
October 29th, 2015 at 12:10 PM ^
October 29th, 2015 at 12:10 PM ^
I hope so, but it's one thing to have multiple night games, it's another to have them two weeks in a row.
October 29th, 2015 at 12:18 PM ^
How is having two night games in a row more difficult than having two night games more spaced out?
October 29th, 2015 at 12:51 PM ^
Because two night games in a row would be back to back. Yeah, I got nothing.
October 29th, 2015 at 2:11 PM ^
Better business for local liquor stores.
October 29th, 2015 at 6:30 PM ^
But I'm sure the restaurants are sending darn near their whole serving staff home at kickoff for the night games.
October 29th, 2015 at 2:13 PM ^
Oh, it has nothing to do with difficulty.
It has to do with the fact that a sizable portion of this fanbase adheres stubbornly to "tradition" in whatever form and prefers day games. Thus two night games in a row might risk upsetting some of our fans and who knows if Hackett will want to do that.
I personally think both of those games could/should be night games. It is, however, rather rare to have two home night games in a 7 day span, even at schools with a much bigger night game history than Michigan.
If this schedule change is true, I'd put my money on Penn State being an 8PM game and Wisconsin a 3:30 game, but I'd hope for two night games.
October 29th, 2015 at 2:39 PM ^
It's not just some arbitrary adherence to tradition that is the issue. Night games cause a lot of hassles, especially for people who drive significant distances. They either have to get a hotel or drive extremely late into the night. Either way it effectively kills their Sunday. Once a year, you can put up with that. Twice or more, and you start thinking it might be better to drop the season tickets and just scalp certain games.
October 29th, 2015 at 2:40 PM ^
I wouldn't mind two night games but I would prefer them to be spaced out. B2B Saturday's getting NOTHING done around the house is a bummer.
October 30th, 2015 at 12:23 AM ^
When the night games first began, I felt they were cool both due to the novelty and also because they were against special, exciting teams, such as the Notre Dames of the world. Even as an old grad, I wasn't worried about breaking with tradition. My problem now is that our night games are now are being sold as 'special' but being played against what used to be ho-hum opponents that we rolled up 35+ points against. Old Penn State would be OK, but current Ped State and/or Wisconsin doesn't feel right and legitimizes programs that shouldn't be at our level.
I guess it indicates just how far we have fallen.
October 30th, 2015 at 1:27 AM ^
October 29th, 2015 at 12:10 PM ^
Both teams have that week free, and I am guessing both staffs would prefer the bye week later in the season. Tough to play an important divisional game that early, but I am guessing that is going to be more the new normal now with the 9-game conference schedule.
October 29th, 2015 at 12:08 PM ^
Both teams have an Open Week on that date, and it would break their seasons into two six game halves. It might have been a mutually beneficial decision and they went with it.
October 29th, 2015 at 12:12 PM ^
They were looking at Michigan and OSU back to back.
October 29th, 2015 at 12:18 PM ^
October 29th, 2015 at 12:19 PM ^
| Oct. 7 | at Northwestern |
| Oct. 14 | at Iowa |
| Oct. 21 | MICHIGAN |
| Oct. 28 | at Ohio State |
| Nov. 4 | at Michigan State |
October 29th, 2015 at 12:24 PM ^
Oof, that's a rough 5-game stretch in 2017. Wouldn't be surprised to see the Iowa game move.
October 29th, 2015 at 12:53 PM ^
Pretty sure, Nov. 4 is not in October.
October 29th, 2015 at 1:11 PM ^
Thanks, Mr. Smartypants!
October 29th, 2015 at 12:21 PM ^
October 15th --- that is PRIME TIME football season. Just saying "October 15th" gives you a picture of 60 degrees and sunny and tailgates and college football.
I get that mid-season bye weeks are preferred by the coaches, but I sort of feel like something is missing when my team isn't playing on an October Saturday.
Also, it would bring be on the EXACT anniversary of two other signature PSU/U-M games in Ann Arbor:
1994, Penn State 31 Michigan 24. One of the signature game of PSU's perfect 12-0 season. That game was played on October 15th.
2005, 11 years later, Michigan 27 Penn State 25 (Manningham TD). That was played on October 15th.
2016, would be, once again, exactly 11 years later.
October 29th, 2015 at 12:19 PM ^
Would rather WIsconsin be the night game
October 29th, 2015 at 12:34 PM ^
But maybe it still will be. The Penn State game on the 24th could be a noon or 3:30 kick and Wisconsin gets the night game. I like the idea of moving the night game around to other "traditonal power" Big Ten teams. Nebraska sets up nice in 2018, and if they didn't want to skip a year Iowa sets up nice for 2019. Then after that they could shift the "night game series" to those stronger non-conference games we have coming up, Va Tech, UCLA, Oklahoma, Texas.
October 29th, 2015 at 2:18 PM ^
This is a great idea.
I still feel like they unfortunately won't do this though. Typically September night games are sought after/preferred.
I definitely think Wisconsin would be more exciting, especially because the teams haven't played in so long.
November 18th, 2015 at 1:29 PM ^
October 29th, 2015 at 12:38 PM ^
October 29th, 2015 at 2:20 PM ^
And our first road game is at Rutgers which is sure to be at least 30% Michigan fans in a small/non-intimidating stadium against a not-so-great team. Nice way to ease into road games.
Then we'll have to go to East Lansing, which frankly is the most important game on the 2016 schedule. Absolute must win.
October 29th, 2015 at 5:34 PM ^
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October 29th, 2015 at 12:48 PM ^
Would love to have PSU & Wisconsin at night, but preferably Wisconsin since we haven't played them in what feels like decades.
October 29th, 2015 at 1:04 PM ^
October 29th, 2015 at 2:00 PM ^
Well, I scheduled my wedding for September 24th. I'm guessing some other Michigan fans did the same. I am really hoping they do not change this.
October 29th, 2015 at 1:07 PM ^
October 29th, 2015 at 1:28 PM ^
It will be the ultimate test to see if Michigan is truly back. Carr was still coach the last time we beat MSU in EL and Drew Henson was our starter when we last won in Columbus. Michigan desperately needs to win both games.
October 29th, 2015 at 2:22 PM ^
I mean we only have four road games. And one of them is Rutgers. Iowa is a pretty standard road opponent.
The rivals are always tough but we really need to prove ourselves next year. Especially in EL given how this game was "lost"
October 29th, 2015 at 1:30 PM ^
Very intriguing. I've seen no announcments about this, but if it's on the MGoBlue website it seems pretty legit.
October 29th, 2015 at 1:36 PM ^
Think of all the couples getting married next fall that thought they were being sneaky by scheduling it for a bye week. Just don't do it, it's too risky. No fall weddings. Never. Just say no.
October 29th, 2015 at 3:15 PM ^
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October 29th, 2015 at 5:26 PM ^
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October 29th, 2015 at 9:06 PM ^
Funny story on this topic: my family has had seasons for three generations now, everyone (uncles, grandparents, etc) goes to games. Back in 1985 my uncle was getting married, and his (now ex-) wife wanted a fall wedding. He acquiesced, but insisted they schedule it on either a bye or road game. She picked October 19th. To those that didn't have an immediate shudder from that, this ended up being the Iowa vs. Michigan #1 vs. #2 game. I think three quarters of the people at the reception ended up in the hotel bar watching the game and utterly ignoring the actual wedding stuff, including the groom and most of my family.
The moral of the story is no fall weddings. I just wish my buddy had known this rule, so I could be watching the game this weekend, not being a groomsman...
October 29th, 2015 at 10:56 PM ^
October 29th, 2015 at 1:40 PM ^
That UCF game is going to be blowout city. It looked good when they scheduled the game when UCF was decent. That OOC schedule is atrocious.
October 29th, 2015 at 3:00 PM ^
Nice find. That is great!
October 29th, 2015 at 5:43 PM ^
I just posted the "schedule" in the 2016 Depth Chart Thread a couple of days ago and commented about how that early bye week SUCKS and how we should be 11-0 by the time we play OSU, but the fact that we're going to be worn out is going to be extremely tough.
This team is undefeated going into Columbus in 2016.
I just hope we're healthy...that's an early bye--err "Improvement Week"
This is HUGE for next year. No more early bye--err "Improvement Week."
The perfect time to rest and recover for the 2nd half of the season. Especially if you're talking about playing in the B1G championship game as well.
I don't know who did this...but a very underrated switch! We'll take it!
Here's what next year's team should look like (if we kicked off today).
http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/annual-bye-err-improvement-week-look-ahead-…