Penn State Noon Kickoff
October 3rd, 2022 at 12:38 PM ^
Then that means MSU game will be at night
October 3rd, 2022 at 12:42 PM ^
Not saying you're wrong, but is there a specific reason that will most likely be the case? An October 29th night game sounds like the last thing we'd want, so I would hope Warde would try to avoid that at all costs.
October 3rd, 2022 at 12:46 PM ^
ND in 2019 was at night on 10/26. 2017 11/4 vs Minnesota was at night. 11/6 vs Indiana just last year was at night.
Last weekend in October is fair game for night.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:14 PM ^
If you’re at the game week #1 ask an usher what the night games are for the year. They will be able to tell you then.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:39 PM ^
Nope. MANY people would like it at night.
October 3rd, 2022 at 12:53 PM ^
I like it for 3:30 on ABC/ESPN. OSU v. PSU will be Big Noon, with Ok. State v. KSU as the ABC primetime game and Kentucky v. Tennessee as the night ESPN game.
I could see the possibility of M v. MSU being a 4:00 Fox Tim Brando special.
It is possible it is a night FS1 game, but I would bet against it.
(It is possible that MSU just keeps losing, and that also brings the possibility of a noon BTN or a Pam Ward situation on the Ocho)
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:27 PM ^
FOX has a World Series game that day, so doubt there is a 4pm football game.
October 3rd, 2022 at 2:29 PM ^
BTN would put a UM/MSU game in primetime in a nanosecond.
October 3rd, 2022 at 12:53 PM ^
Well if ESPN has first pick that week, OSU-PSU is likely night game. I don’t really know how Fox could’ve come away with the weeks of UM-OSU, PSU-UM, and OSU-PSU and the only premier matchup ESPN got was ND-OSU. So I’m starting to think ESPN has first pick that week and that puts us on at Fox at noon or 3:30-4pm.
October 3rd, 2022 at 12:54 PM ^
It is my understanding that Fox has first pick every week if it is a BIG game. I am not certain about that, though.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:03 PM ^
Paywalled but the Athletic did a general write up about it a few years ago. Fox has #1 overall pick for big ten right now (which they use for Michigan/OSU). But it's not a weekly #1. Fox and ESPN have some kind of draft system they use to pick the rest of the games.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:03 PM ^
You're not certain about that because you're wrong. They take turns.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:09 PM ^
Ok thanks, Bad Mood.
October 3rd, 2022 at 8:27 PM ^
Yup. This has been reported for months...not sure why people needed the graphic, we knew 4 FOX games, PSU noon, MSU 7:30.
Let's play some football!
October 3rd, 2022 at 12:39 PM ^
That is 4 Fox Big Noon games in a row. Michigan the official team of Fox Sports!
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:01 PM ^
And at a minimum 5 for the season.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:07 PM ^
Fox Big Noon is the de-facto Michigan Football Network.
Suck it, Longhorn Network.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:41 PM ^
Urban taking notes for Day
October 3rd, 2022 at 12:40 PM ^
Not a fan, I like noon games but for a maize out it should be at night.
October 3rd, 2022 at 12:56 PM ^
Maybe they figure Maize Out in broad daylight will blind our opponents with the radiance of a hundred thousand suns.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:00 PM ^
Oh no.....Penn State's arrows will blot out the sun!!!
October 3rd, 2022 at 9:04 PM ^
Then we will fight in the shade.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:06 PM ^
You must not have young kids who like to watch the game. I love this because now my kids can watch the Maize out live with me instead of recording and watching the next day
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:08 PM ^
No I don't, But at least make it 3:30 so it ends at night.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:35 PM ^
It's Saturday - let the kids stay up and watch it!
October 3rd, 2022 at 3:42 PM ^
I mean, in theory. But if they're young kids they may not make it. You can give a 6 year old permission to be up until midnight but that doesn't mean that they won't konk out at 8:30.
October 3rd, 2022 at 8:38 PM ^
While possible, I don't know of many kids that are incapable of staying up until 11pm and also have the attention span to watch a 3.5 hour football game. I'm sure those kids exist, but I'm 0/3 and imagine there aren't many out there.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:11 PM ^
Maize-out night games are a competitive advantage.
Everybody talks about the competitive advantage of Penn State's white-out night games - and rightfully so - but Michigan maize-out night games are legit.
Seems a shame to waste one by not making Penn State have to play in a maize-out night game.
October 3rd, 2022 at 12:41 PM ^
Can someone explain why we know this makes MSU a night game?
I don't really know much about how the networks decide outside of the 12- and 6-day options.
October 3rd, 2022 at 12:43 PM ^
Crazy speculation?
October 3rd, 2022 at 12:56 PM ^
I'm convinced. I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.
October 3rd, 2022 at 12:58 PM ^
2-5 Staee at night on the BTN maybe
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:03 PM ^
Sounds like something BTN would do. They made the Indiana game a night game at the big house last year…and IU had a disaster of a season up to that point.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:05 PM ^
I believe there are contractual requirements to play a certain number of night games per year.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:28 PM ^
It's an educated guess based on the actions and preferences of the networks historically and especially this year.
FOX is likely to choose PSU-OSU for Big Noon, assuming they have the option. They have somehow not yet featured OSU this year, and PSU only for the Thursday night opener at Purdue. Actually, they have never been to Happy Valley in the four years of FOX travelling for their pregame show, so for the sake of variety I think they would prioritize that game.
ESPN loves Michigan, and I think would jump at the opportunity to come to Ann Arbor for Gameday, especially to feature the defending Big Ten champions and coach Harbaugh. They went to EL last year for the M-MSU game and came to Ann Arbor for OSU, even though they were not broadcasting either. Assuming the game is available for the night slot, I'm sure they would want to do it. It's the only compelling option to feature Michigan at home the rest of the season. It's possible to host Gameday but not the ABC primetime game, and vice versa, I just don't know if they want to.
Oklahoma St-Kansas St and Kentucky-Tennessee are the (as of now) ranked-vs-ranked options for that day, but I don't think anyone cares about OSU-KSU that much, and they've already been to TN this season. Notre Dame-Syracuse and Florida-Georgia in JAX (on CBS) are other options for Gameday but less likely IMO.
I think it just makes sense for the league and networks to move the chess pieces necessary to make the night game happen. The UF-UGa game in the 3:30 slot is another reason they would not want M-MSU in the afternoon. It's possible that MSU is so bad that they shy away (looking through the past few seasons they do try to get ranked matchups), but I think the rivalry aspect makes it enough no matter what the visitor's record is. And even if ABC passes, BTN may step in and try to make the game start at 7:30.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:45 PM ^
If Tennessee defeats LSU this weekend - and, would set up a "Top 10" matchup of undefeated teams with Bama - do you think the eSECpn network will pass that by to go to Michigan for Penn State?
Personally, I think the odds are in the 25% range for Michigan - PSU to host game day on the 15th.
October 3rd, 2022 at 2:01 PM ^
The SEC bias on ESPN is overrated. So I don't think that is a factor, and if it is it's just a reflection of the biggest college football fanbases. If anything, they favorably bias Michigan in terms of coverage - see what I said above about Gameday choosing two Michigan games last year that ESPN did not even broadcast.
To answer your question - no, I don't think they would come to Ann Arbor for a top-10 game over a similar one in Tennessee, especially one where they would be head-to-head with FOX. Yes it's possible but I'd guess somewhat lower than your 25%. I realize this contradicts what I said about not wanting to go back to Tennessee, but they haven't done the Third Saturday in October rivalry since 1995, and Alabama has a 15 game winning streak that is pretty exciting to see if UT can break.
I think that Gameday skipping M-PSU only increases the chance of hosting Gameday on October 29. I don't think ESPN would miss two chances to come and show Michigan.
October 3rd, 2022 at 2:22 PM ^
Respectfully, there is no way Game Day comes to Ann Arbor on October 29th - it's not going to happen. At this moment - I would bet they cover the Bucks at Penn State matchup. OR - consider that Kentucky vs Tennessee game - depending on what happens over the next few weeks.
Or - eSECpn and Game Day could do something really interesting. They could go to Tuscaloosa - and conduct Game Day - and, the theme would be Title IX based - since Bama's women's softball team has a "fall ball" double header that afternoon.
October 3rd, 2022 at 3:33 PM ^
ESPN will NOT come to AA for the Sparty game. Sparty will be 2-5 at that point.
October 3rd, 2022 at 12:42 PM ^
WTF. Who do we have to knob (it's a technical term) to get a freaking 3:30 these days!!??
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:04 PM ^
Why do you want 330?
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:10 PM ^
3:30 is my favorite timeslot. Gives a full day tailgate but also in bed at a reasonable time. Plus game typically ends once it's dark/dusk.
12 means a short tailgate and typically a more subdued atmosphere. Night games provide great atmosphere but in bed very late. 330 is the sweet spot.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:14 PM ^
This. A noon start kills all of the pre-game activities way too early. And if we have both College Game Day and Fox Big Noon Kickoff in Ann Arbor for the game, it kills being able to attend those to the end.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:16 PM ^
3:30 games are awesome and it is a shame Michigan never gets to play them. Think about Manningham against Penn State, the Northwestern shutout in 2015, the hamblasting of Purdue in 2003. Day becomes dusk becomes night. The lights go on. It's just an awesome spectacle and I miss it.
October 3rd, 2022 at 2:09 PM ^
I'm with you, I really miss 3:30 starts. Also coming to mind are 2004 Halloween braylonfest vs MSU, Tate's comeback against ND in 2009, the infamous blocked punt vs MSU 2015 (ignore the ending, that was high intensity start to finish), Jourdan Lewis' game sealing pick of Wisconsin in 2016, the rout of PSU in 2018.
I love the vibe of 3:30 games. Nice fall saturdays turn into pressure packed finishes at dusk. It's beautiful.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:38 PM ^
Who goes to bed early on a college football Saturday night? My gawd, man, you're missing a shitload of GREAT football! Expand your horizons - stay up and watch other teams! CFB is great entertainment, and there are so many fun teams to watch each week...
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:48 PM ^
An 8:00 game ends at 11:30. If you go to the game and have a 1-2 hour drive afterwards, it makes for a late night.
October 3rd, 2022 at 2:07 PM ^
Pac 12 after dark.
October 3rd, 2022 at 2:44 PM ^
My friend I go to every home game. Night games means I'm getting home at 1-2 am depending on traffic and other factors. And that is after getting to campus by 8am for big games or 11am for "bad" games (like Indiana last year).
I used to stay up for PAC after dark but two kids under 5 means I'm up by 7am Sunday regardless, not that anyone gives a shit about my life choices lol.
October 3rd, 2022 at 1:11 PM ^
Why do you want 330?
Obviously, I'd prefer a night game, but even 3:30 is workable. Noon kicks for big games suck...