Joel Klatt says that Michigan-Penn State game will be on Fox, implying a noon kick
Nothing has been officially announced yet, but on his podcast today, Joel Klatt mentioned he and Gus Johnson will be the announcers for our game against Penn State. So, obviously, that means the game will be on Fox, and Joel and Gus being the announcers heavily implies a Big Noon kickoff. Now, Big Noon technically doesn't guarantee an actual noon kickoff (Iowa-Penn State last year kicked off at 4pm ET despite being a "Big Noon" game), but it usually does.
I have mixed feelings. I'd probably rather the MSU game be a night game, but it's a shame to waste the Maize Out on a day game, especially a noon game. I wish the Athletics Department had waited for more clarify on the TV schedule before scheduling the Maize Out.
Link (in case embed doesn't work). Relevant part at 25:16-25:26.
September 19th, 2022 at 9:26 PM ^
While I’d prefer a noon kickoff, I kind of feel like you’re wasting a Maize-Out on a noon kickoff. That seems like something that should happen under the lights.
I’d rather wait all day for the PSU game and just get the MSU game out of the way first thing.
September 19th, 2022 at 9:30 PM ^
I've thought so as well...however, I just thought about this and I'm going to hold judgement because it might be an opportunity to Maize Out vs. PSU...and basically do the same thing at night against MSU.
The pom poms make the maize out, not the fans wearing it. If they have pom poms for both games, it won't matter if MSU is a maize out or not. It'll just mean a better atmosphere for a sleepy noon game against PSU.
September 19th, 2022 at 9:56 PM ^
Looking at the Oct 15 schedule for college football, Michigan vs Penn State is the most attractive one for a night game for TV ratings. Fox has the rights to the MLB NLDS game 4 scheduled for FS1. It is way too early to predict the games times. Starting times probably won't be set until the last possible moment.
September 19th, 2022 at 9:46 PM ^
How do you “waste” a maize out??
September 19th, 2022 at 10:12 PM ^
When you’re at your own one yard line and are facing a delay of game ……. but call the “maize out” anyway to avoid the penalty
September 20th, 2022 at 9:50 AM ^
Picture of Anthony Morelli's punishment for wasting a maize out. :)
September 19th, 2022 at 9:28 PM ^
Yup, and MSU will be a night game.
September 19th, 2022 at 9:55 PM ^
Dammit, I got a king gizzard concert that night! Was really hoping for an earlier kickoff.
September 20th, 2022 at 5:19 AM ^
Sounds like they did you a favor 😝
September 20th, 2022 at 5:19 PM ^
Fine by me. Hard to beat kicking Sparty's ass in primetime.
September 19th, 2022 at 9:29 PM ^
Does the program have a UTL mandate? Will there always be at least one night game?
September 19th, 2022 at 9:31 PM ^
No, but we will always play one.
I feel like everyone forgets that we already played a night game at home.
September 20th, 2022 at 6:39 AM ^
It was Hawaii, what difference did it make at night or at noon? The blowout was always going to be a blowout. Does anyone even remember any details of that game, other than JJ won a job?
September 20th, 2022 at 10:09 AM ^
right, but was it billed as a UTL? Not a ton of publicity.
September 20th, 2022 at 10:50 AM ^
Michigan probably made that a night game as a gesture of goodwill to Hawaii. Would have been a 2pm kick on the island.
September 20th, 2022 at 11:52 AM ^
This is true and probably the only reason to have the game at night. It's hard enough to expect the Hawaii players to travel across 6 timezones for the game, the least we can do is give them an extra 6 hours to prep.
In 2016 Hawaii was the home opener and a noon kickoff. However, it was the first game of the season so in theory they had an opportunity to travel to Michigan earlier and get more used to the time change.
September 20th, 2022 at 12:58 PM ^
Also september can be hot and night games are nicer than afternoon games roasting in the sun
September 19th, 2022 at 9:33 PM ^
Why does everyone assume MSU will be a night game? Isn't it driven by TV? If Fox has first pick and wants M/MSU that week at noon, it'll be a noon game.
September 19th, 2022 at 9:37 PM ^
Ohio State and Penn state is probably the more attractive television option and it's the same day as um-msu. Therefore it would fall to ESPN and probably be played on the 730 Abc slot
September 19th, 2022 at 11:29 PM ^
Well the police seem to think it will be a night game. We also don't know even know if Fox has first pick that week, or whether they'd pick us or Penn State-Ohio State.
September 20th, 2022 at 12:06 PM ^
Assuming FOX has first pick for 10/29 and is already choosing the U-M/PSU game for Big Noon, they will already have their visit to Ann Arbor checked off for the year, and might prefer to rotate a bit and go to PSU for the game vs OSU.
However, it's not even certain that FOX has first pick. ABC/ESPN does have some chances to choose ahead of them, and might think that coming to Ann Arbor for Gameday, featuring the defending Big Ten champions and ever-telegenic Coach Harbaugh, with a big in-state rivalry game for the evening feature would be great. We know they like the M-MSU matchup, they went to East Lansing for it last year even though they didn't even broadcast the game (and directly competed with FOX).
There are three top-25 (as of now) SEC matchups which might be chosen instead, including UK-UT and Ole Miss-Texas A&M, plus the Jacksonville FL-GA game (on CBS). But through next weekend, they've already been to the South 3 times (Austin, Boone NC, and Knoxville next week) so again, for the sake of variety and TV ratings, I think ESPN will be inclined to prioritize the M-MSU game at the end of October.
September 19th, 2022 at 9:34 PM ^
Do the schools have any say in game times anymore?
How does OSU/Wisco end up primetime on ESPN? I feel like ESPN and UM would prefer UM/PSU and night and MSU at another time.
September 19th, 2022 at 9:48 PM ^
Will all depend on records….. if Sparty keeps losing like Saturday, Oct. 29 could be an 11 am start on Raycom.
September 19th, 2022 at 11:39 PM ^
With Wayne Laravee on the call.
September 20th, 2022 at 1:33 AM ^
I absolutely loved Wayne Larrivee growing up. To me, he was synonymous with Michigan Football in the late 90's / early 2000's. He'd always be on the home games vs bottom tier Big Ten teams that wound up on the original ESPN-Plus. I didn't have cable growing up and the local ABC or another network would simulcast the ESPN plus streams to the southwest Michigan market.
September 20th, 2022 at 6:36 AM ^
He's still doing Packers games with some help from a new analyst:
September 20th, 2022 at 10:11 AM ^
Pam Ward was always a sign that one or both teams weren't meeting their preseason expectations.
September 20th, 2022 at 11:11 AM ^
The team in East Lansing has a few interesting games before they take the bus ride to Ann Arbor - I believe their schedule is: host Minnesota, at Maryland, host Bucks, and host Wisconsin.
Their record might be very interesting by the end of October.
September 19th, 2022 at 9:49 PM ^
That's why the big ten is getting so much money for these TV contracts: they don't.
FOX gets first pick, and Michigan-Penn State is always going to draw a ton of viewers with 2 of the largest fan bases, and even more so as a top 10 matchup (which it looks like it's going to be). ESPN gets the scraps under the current contract.
September 19th, 2022 at 10:14 PM ^
Not how it works exactly…they both alternate weeks on when they have the top pick. Hence, the reason why ND/OSU was the primetime game in Week 1 on ESPN. Fox had the first choice of which week it wanted and always picks Week 13 and the UM/OSU game.
September 19th, 2022 at 9:41 PM ^
So fucking stupid.
So a game against a 4 loss msu team is at night?
We play penn state and ohio state at noon.
And msu at night.
Beyond stupid.
September 19th, 2022 at 11:58 PM ^
Yes. Just think of how much we would have beat OSU by if we played them at night.
September 20th, 2022 at 12:20 AM ^
You realize we have 1 win in 10 years?
If night games are so "hype", then why not use it against the team we need every intangible advantage possible.
September 20th, 2022 at 4:31 AM ^
Probably because OSU is away this year…no thanks
September 19th, 2022 at 9:43 PM ^
Which means Franklin will be kicking sad field goals by 12:30
September 20th, 2022 at 7:13 AM ^
I have a history with the Men's Wearhouse (and, very indirectly, George Zimmer).
In the late '90s I found myself (as a consultant) at a client with what would soon be an outmoded dress code (suits, every day).
No one had any fashion sense and there was no pressure to "look your best." I had two nice suits and couldn't see wasting them on that environment.
I went to Men's Wearhouse and got two not-nice suits off the rack for $200 (one blue, one gray). In two years (the approximate term of the "engagement") they were both threadbare. I haven't had to deal with "business dress" since.
September 19th, 2022 at 9:56 PM ^
The only big game that should kick at noon is The Game. Outside of that, I like 3:30 or 7. Crowds are just better
September 19th, 2022 at 10:16 PM ^
Wow. Have made plans to attend MSU game this year with friends and family based on personal preference to see day games. Oh well. Fingers crossed. Agree with Maize out points made earlier too. As long as Michigan beats MSU & PSU it'll be just fine.
September 19th, 2022 at 10:22 PM ^
Obligatory...
September 19th, 2022 at 10:35 PM ^
Can we please get a 3:30 kickoff for a big game. It give you enough time to enjoy a comfortable tailgate experience without having to wait until 2:00 a.m. to get served at pizza house.
September 19th, 2022 at 10:43 PM ^
September 19th, 2022 at 10:46 PM ^
Which game do we want to win more? Make that one the night game. I think we need PSU to be at night. We can reluctantly absorb a loss to MSU and still win the B1G East. That's not really the case with PSU who have the bodies to take down OSU. MSU has no chance of beating OSU and they will likely drop a couple other games along the way.
September 19th, 2022 at 11:16 PM ^
In recent years both UM and MSU have suggested they prefer that the game not be at night due to crowd control issues. I know they played one at night -- the O'Korn nightmare. But maybe that was actually a late afternoon game?
September 20th, 2022 at 8:50 AM ^
It was a night game. And a painful one.
September 20th, 2022 at 10:38 AM ^
I was there and the rain was really awful too....
September 20th, 2022 at 2:35 PM ^
I was across the street at a tailgate that night, the crowd was cool! I think both fanbases can behave at a night game like they did before. Just a myth that “Sparties will tear up AA” after a night game.
September 20th, 2022 at 8:11 AM ^
I am tired of noon games. Whatever happened to 3:30 games. Best time IMO. Still lets you have your morning.
September 20th, 2022 at 8:17 AM ^
Agreed - I much prefer a 3:30 game. I dont mind night games as long as they are NOT on Fox.
September 20th, 2022 at 9:24 AM ^
Judgment Day part II?
September 20th, 2022 at 1:02 PM ^
Lot to happen first but it looks likely