September 25th, 2023 at 11:23 AM ^
September 25th, 2023 at 4:22 PM ^
Rumor from the Athletic Dept. is that the Purdue game will also be a night game, giving us three night games in four weeks. That sucks!!!!
September 25th, 2023 at 11:24 AM ^
Yuck. Night games suck. Give me noon every time. The teams is always in a good rhythm for nooners.
Thats not to be misconstrued to mean I don’t like night games at all. I do. I just don’t like them for Michigan.
September 25th, 2023 at 11:30 AM ^
Am not a big fan of Michigan night games, either. Maybe one per year and we just had that on the 16th. As for the chances MSU might not be a night game, Notre Dame is scheduled to play a consecutive night game, again this week. Anything goes in today's college football TV scheduling.
September 25th, 2023 at 12:28 PM ^
Notre Dame is on bye on 10/21, so there's no potential for a NBC shift on the M/MSU day. PSU/OSU is on 10/21, so it's likely to come down to which network has first pick for that week. If FOX has first pick that week and takes PSU/OSU, what else is NBC going to take?
WISC@ILL, MINN@IOWA, NW@NEB, RUT@IND. Even if MSU is 2-3 when NBC has to make the decision, it's unclear what else they would pick.
September 25th, 2023 at 12:44 PM ^
FYI, Brett McMurphy reported during the summer that Fox has the first pick that week. As you say, they’ll obviously choose Penn State-OSU, and the weak slate that week makes it all but certain NBC will choose Michigan-MSU with their pick
September 25th, 2023 at 12:48 PM ^
Why would Sparty want its absolutely terrible team to be disemboweled by its rival on primetime? Especially after the tunnel incident. High potential for battery-throwing and the usual Sparty drunken embarrassing fan behavior.
September 25th, 2023 at 10:45 PM ^
Just wait until they go to Ford Field at 2-9 against PSU with an empty stadium.
That going to be the crescendo of an embarrassing season with tickets going for free.
September 25th, 2023 at 1:34 PM ^
So, at least the Minn. game will prepare us to play another night game the following week. There's always a silver lining.
September 25th, 2023 at 2:13 PM ^
Michigan plays at home vs Indiana on 10/14 before the potential night game at MSU on 10/21
September 25th, 2023 at 4:34 PM ^
September 25th, 2023 at 11:57 AM ^
Maybe it's better for an away game, team catches up on its sleep? That's all I got.
September 25th, 2023 at 11:58 AM ^
I personally like it for away games. It gives me time to do stuff with the family during the day, then I can just settle in and enjoy the game at night.
September 25th, 2023 at 4:47 PM ^
This. Fall Saturdays in early October are usually really nice. I'd rather be outside doing stuff during the day and watch the game in the evening.
September 25th, 2023 at 12:42 PM ^
I have much more reason to loathe night games. I live in Spain, so this game will start at 1:40 AM my time, and I will be up watching it until well past 5:00 AM. But at least I will go to bed happy with a Victory.
September 25th, 2023 at 1:13 PM ^
Hey, JB! I'm getting a place near Malaga next year. Maybe we can share best internet and streaming practices in the Spanish market. No sense in reinventing this wheel if you already have it figured out. Thanks!
September 25th, 2023 at 1:26 PM ^
You must not be a dj in ibiza if you don't like staying up to 5am.
September 25th, 2023 at 1:39 PM ^
I love night games. If you're going, more time to tailgate. If not, your day's free for other stuff. The team should be able to prepare fine for a game at any time. And playoff games are mostly at night, so they'd better be ready for them
September 25th, 2023 at 3:13 PM ^
I'll bet a dollar that the players prefer night games over noon games.
September 25th, 2023 at 11:24 AM ^
Nice. Hopefully means the MSU game won’t be at night.
September 25th, 2023 at 12:13 PM ^
Iowa is playing a second consec night game as they will host the spartans in Iowa City on Saturday. That means the MSU game would be the 3rd night game for Michigan this season. (Hopefully, that's all)
The big networks don't care if some B1G teams play on consec night games or have 4 in a season, especially if they are ranked.
September 25th, 2023 at 12:15 PM ^
And yet, both team's schedules still list it as TBD. Seems like it's not exactly official yet.
September 25th, 2023 at 12:21 PM ^
I don't think the initial reporting for those game times have been completely accurate. The initial report came from a Brett McMurphy tweet, but there has been no official reporting from the schools or the Big Ten which made me think the initial reports were not set in stone. McMurphy's report was couched with the disclaimer that the games could be flexed to other networks. McMurphy had also reported at the time that the Maryland-OSU game next week would be on Peacock, but FOX picked it up as their Big Noon game today.
It's the first year of this new TV contract, and I don't think many people or even reporters know the ins and outs of how games are being selected. But based on previous contracts, I think all the predetermined TV times are already out there. I think the rest are still up in the air as the networks will exercise their choices in the 12-day window like in previous years. Another issue is that it hasn't been reported how the networks and FOX have divvied up the selection order for games. It's also complicated by the fact the first year of the new contract is playing out while CBS juggles the last year of their SEC contract simultaneously.
The MSU game may still end at up at night, but I don't think it is a given yet. PSU-OSU will probably end up on FOX that weekend unless NBC has the first choice for that weekend.
September 25th, 2023 at 12:49 PM ^
Brett M is a not entirely reliable source, as evidenced most recently by his Mel Tucker reporting, and the league has not confirmed that time.
September 25th, 2023 at 1:26 PM ^
And didn't he originally say Nebraska-Michigan would be at noon?
September 25th, 2023 at 2:34 PM ^
I believe that was him. I was pretty surprised when the Neb game was officially announced for 3:30...
September 25th, 2023 at 1:58 PM ^
Didn't Brett M report Tucker's firing? Tucker is fired, right?
September 25th, 2023 at 4:21 PM ^
That is not an official announcement. That is a fan blog writing an "article" based on a tweet from a reporter who has now proven himself to be somewhat unreliable.
September 25th, 2023 at 11:27 AM ^
Big win for me! I have plans through 5-ish that I could in no world get out of.
September 25th, 2023 at 3:27 PM ^
I'm in the opposite position. My daughter is getting married at 5. But...at least it's just Minnesota!
September 25th, 2023 at 6:41 PM ^
Congratulations Ruth!!
Hoping for a beautiful day and wedding for your daughter 👍🤗
September 25th, 2023 at 11:28 AM ^
either nebraska or minnesota was bound to be a night game. hopefully msu is a nooner. Hope to see a ton of maize in EL
September 25th, 2023 at 11:29 AM ^
I hope PJ brings his 4th quarter team to this game. What an epic meltdown vs. NW last weekend.
September 25th, 2023 at 11:33 AM ^
Minnesota has a week to get things worked out after losing to *checks notes* Northwestern. Minnesota at night has been tricky for Michigan in the past (2015).
September 25th, 2023 at 12:29 PM ^
2015 was because Jerry Kill announced that he would have to leave because of his health. Naturally Michigan just happened to be the next opponent when that happened and the players were going to play above their ability for their coach. I think we win that game by a couple scores under normal circumstances instead of a goal line stand.
2003 was a good Gopher team. Great comeback but giving up, what I believe was a school record rushing yards was yucky.
September 25th, 2023 at 1:16 PM ^
I remember that game like it was yesterday. That was back when a Friday night game was basically unheard of, but due to the Twins and the Gophers sharing a stadium, we had to play on Friday night. I still can vividly see their QB Abdul-Khaliq take a 3rd or 4th and inches QB sneak 75 yards.
To this day, it is up there as the wildest game of the 21st Century for Michigan Football.
September 25th, 2023 at 12:43 PM ^
Hard to compare to 2015 (Harbaugh's first year). Michigan had just endured one of the most brutal losses in its history followed by a bye week.
September 25th, 2023 at 11:40 AM ^
What is the max # of night games that Michigan has to play?
Harbaugh prefers noon games for Michigan and I totally agree.
September 25th, 2023 at 12:45 PM ^
TV controls most of this now. I have not seen much reporting on the new TV contract with regards to any limits on night games now that NBC has that exclusive Saturday night TV window.
MSU already has 4 night games scheduled (CMU, at Iowa, at OSU, vs PSU (Ford Field)), and that is not including the Michigan game which has also been reported to be at night. And MSU also had a 5PM kickoff vs Washington. Ouch.
September 25th, 2023 at 2:39 PM ^
I had no idea that the PSU-MSU game was at Ford Field. Why would MSU give up home game with all that comes with it (concession revenue, support for local businesses, etc.)?? I hope this doesn't become the norm. I don't care if, for example, we're playing a marquee opponent and we're supposed to be "on the road" and they do it at some random stadium. I would prefer it played at the college stadium, but I get it. I hope Michigan never gives up a game at the Big House for Ford Field.
September 25th, 2023 at 5:39 PM ^
I hope Michigan never gives up a game at the Big House for Ford Field.
I know there's "never say never" but that seems extremely unlikely.
On the other side I think it would be interesting to see the Lions play a game at the Big House.
September 25th, 2023 at 2:00 PM ^
2017 had three night games: MSU, @PSU, Minnesota. So three isn’t too uncommon.
September 25th, 2023 at 2:00 PM ^
2017 had three night games: MSU, @PSU, Minnesota. So three isn’t too uncommon.
September 25th, 2023 at 12:01 PM ^
From the "leaked" NBC schedule, I thought they also had MSU and Purdue as potential night games. That would be 4 on the year, which is the most night games I can ever recall M having.
September 25th, 2023 at 12:25 PM ^
I think that Brett McMurphy report has not been totally accurate. He had Illinois-Purdue and Purdue-Iowa as night games on NBC for the next two weeks, but both of those games have ended up at 3:30pm on Peacock. He had Michigan-Nebraska noon on FOX, and it is now 3:30pm on FOX. He also had Maryland-OSU on Peacock next week, and it was picked up by FOX for noon. But some of the other games he reported have been spot on. I think many of these games could get flexed to different networks and windows based on how the teams are doing in-season.
But I would expect with this new TV contract and NBC night games that Michigan will end up with at least 3 night games this year, and possibly more.
September 25th, 2023 at 1:16 PM ^
Hasn't the Pac12 being better than expected, especially with all the Colorado hype, led to Fox choosing more of their games.
Like the Michigan-Nebraska moving from 12 to 330 is a direct result of Fox deciding to do USC-Colorado for Big Noon.
September 25th, 2023 at 1:18 PM ^
Yes it has, that's for sure. Last year we got BIG Noon for a lot of clunker games because we were the biggest draw. Iowa and Indiana were Big Noon games last year. If not for Deion, I'm pretty sure Fox would have chosen UM-Nebraska over USC-Colorado even though USC has the reigning Heisman winner.
September 25th, 2023 at 1:57 PM ^
Nothing like a 10am (mst) football game...lol. It's still going to be dark when the Fox pregame broadcast begins to air. People in California have to really love this.