UTL III in 2014
Detroit News article on Under The Lights III in 2014. The opponent is TBA.
Brandon said it (obviously) won't be a November game or even a late October game. But it will be a B1G conference team that is a "big brand" and a sexy matchup.
2014 home schedule-
| 8/30 | vs Appalachian State |
| 9/13 | vs Miami University |
| 9/20 | vs Utah |
| 9/27 | vs Minnesota |
| 10/11 | vs Penn State |
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Not too many choices.
September 9th, 2013 at 3:41 PM ^
Man, what a snoozer home schedule. Scheiße.
September 9th, 2013 at 3:41 PM ^
September 9th, 2013 at 3:44 PM ^
Looking at the schedule closer, the crazy thing is that after September UM only has 3 home games in October and November.
September 9th, 2013 at 7:13 PM ^
I'd be ok with this... it's a Pac-12/Big 10 matchup. That's good for an ESPN primetime game at least. Maybe even Gameday that early in the season
September 9th, 2013 at 3:48 PM ^
“If we’re going to bring a big-brand conference team for a big showdown game, we may make that the night game and make that special.” - Dave Brandon, in the article
Of those games *looks at 2014 schedule again in disbelief*, then the most likely candidate for getting a night slot and decent ratings would be Penn State based on how things are right now (not accounting for what 2014 could look like for them, which might not be pretty). If it is going to be a rivalry or trophy game, then it would have to be Minnesota by default.
That schedule....*hangs head*
September 9th, 2013 at 3:50 PM ^
However I would imagine that on "name" alone it would have to be Penn State.
Also, that home schedule is so bad that 'fail' doesn't even come close. 'Fail' would be an improvement.
September 9th, 2013 at 3:53 PM ^
We need to make MSU a home game in 2014. They lose almost all of their starters on D and possibly Narduzzi along with losing all of their OL. Tickets could be 5 dollars and half the stadium maize and blue.
September 9th, 2013 at 3:53 PM ^
that that is the worst home slate ever. It's still shocking how bad it is. If the Big Ten hadn't shafted us and we still had MSU at home it might have been just bad. That is just awful
September 9th, 2013 at 3:56 PM ^
So is it DB's goal that the only night games we do in the Big House be epic, ABC/ESPN primetime game-of-the-week type affairs against nationally ranked opponents? I mean, I $ee his logic in that. But absent that opportunity (such as with the crappy 2014 schedule), why not just pick a game, put it on BTN, and have it just be a game that happens to be at night? Surely that would not cause us to lose any revenue.
September 9th, 2013 at 4:01 PM ^
September 9th, 2013 at 4:41 PM ^
A night game should be a special event. Keep in mind, it poses some challenges to the fans, like having to drive home after midnight (which may require many to get hotel rooms when they'd normally just drive in and out). If you throw a crap opponent in there, a lot of fans might not want to bother.
September 9th, 2013 at 3:57 PM ^
You just reminded me of how bad that home slate is next year. Yeesh!
September 9th, 2013 at 4:02 PM ^
Could be Utah since they are Pac12 now.
September 9th, 2013 at 4:04 PM ^
Well, let's win this season because next season's road schedule will be brutal
September 9th, 2013 at 4:09 PM ^
September 9th, 2013 at 4:15 PM ^
September 9th, 2013 at 4:19 PM ^
Michigan plays at MSU for a 2nd straight year in 2014.
Indiana plays at Michigan for a 2nd straight year in 2014.
Penn State plays at Indiana for a 2nd straight year in 2014.
MSU plays at Penn State in 2014 (first match-up between the two since 2010; the 2010 game was in State College).
Flip all those games around --- everyone stll has the same number of home and road games! Problem solved.
September 9th, 2013 at 4:43 PM ^
Good catch. How the B1G not recognize this? You'd think that for a series like UM-MSU, which is over 100 games old, they'd have investigated every possibility before flipping it.
September 9th, 2013 at 8:18 PM ^
U-M wouldn't mind if this flip occurred, obviously.
IU would probably support it. As stands now, they visit (host) OSU and U-M in the same year. You'd think they'd want the opposite, if simply to guarantee one decent crowd in Bloomington.
PSU shouldn't care. The only "downside" would be visiting (hosting) both Michigan schools in one year, but PSU did that from 2005-2010 anyway.
One never know what people are thinking up there in East Lansing, of course But you'd think THEY would want the OSU/U-M home games split 1 every year too. Oregon visits in 2015, but otherwise their 2015 home schedule looks a lot like U-M's 2014 home slate. Maybe they see the even-number years as their years to make "runs" at the Eastern Division title.
September 9th, 2013 at 4:44 PM ^
Why are we even playing Minnesota next year -- aren't they in the other division?
September 9th, 2013 at 4:21 PM ^
Almost certainly Penn Schtate.
September 9th, 2013 at 4:24 PM ^
September 9th, 2013 at 4:21 PM ^
With a pathetic home schedule like 2014 - which games are going to be the "premium" $100 ticket games ? PSU and ______ ?
Go Blue!
September 9th, 2013 at 5:08 PM ^
Good question. We may seriously want to think about buying out one of those early cupcakes and/or cancelling the ND game to find someone good to come here.
September 9th, 2013 at 4:38 PM ^
September 9th, 2013 at 4:39 PM ^
How's this for comprimise:
Have 1 night game a year against whomever makes sense (likely Tv $en$e) but then all the other games are at noon. Good?
September 9th, 2013 at 4:51 PM ^
You don't like 3:30 games?
September 9th, 2013 at 11:05 PM ^
I love 3:30 games. Time to pre-game/tailgate/do chores, game over by dinner. Night's free.
September 9th, 2013 at 4:54 PM ^
September 9th, 2013 at 4:54 PM ^
September 9th, 2013 at 4:56 PM ^
this is still a question? it's penn state.
September 9th, 2013 at 4:59 PM ^
There really isn't a need to do this every year. Make it special and meaningful, not just because you have to prop up a crappy home schedule.
September 9th, 2013 at 5:05 PM ^
Whoever they decide on for the night game next year, it still doesn't make up for the absolutely horrendous home schedule that we have. Unless Utah somehow turns in a ridiculously good season. When your best home game is a sanction-plagued Penn State, you know you've got scheduling problems.
But Penn State has the TV following, and it'd make for halfway decent ratings, so in the end, it might as well be them.
September 9th, 2013 at 5:41 PM ^
has a chance to be better in 2014 than Penn State. Utah has a history of popping in and out of the Top 25 every now and then, and it seems like Utah and Michigan like playing each other. If Utah was just a bit better and came in to 2014 ranked (not as likely now post-Urban Meyer effect), that would be a pretty good candidate. But assuming Utah remains mediocre like they have been for the past few years, just pass on a UTL for 2014. The flip side is if DB is feeling frisky he could make up for it by possibly doing 2 in 2015:
09/12 Oregon St
09/19 UNLV
09/26 BYU
10/10 Northwestern
10/17 Michigan St
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11/07 Rutgers
11/28 Ohio St
BYU has a national brand, but unfortunately they haven't been nationally relevant in a while. State an option for obvious reasons, and Northwestern could be an option as well considering Fitzgerald has made them into a perennial Top 25 contender and a nuisance in the Big Ten.
September 9th, 2013 at 5:50 PM ^
I say try to hang 70 on Appy State.
September 9th, 2013 at 6:28 PM ^
88-0...you came to the wrong house boys.
September 9th, 2013 at 6:43 PM ^
I seriously doubt next year's game will be called UTL3. There's nothing to dress up.
And Dave Brandon better hope that this years team builds a lot of excitement for next year, and Devin stays, because if not, our 100K+ streak could break
September 9th, 2013 at 6:57 PM ^
September 9th, 2013 at 7:37 PM ^
You're underestimating the power of the block M if you think it's ever going to end. If it didn't end when Michigan went 3-9 and 5-7 in consecutive years with GOOD home schedules, I don't think it ever will.
People want to see their team play. The snobs who are picky with games can give me their tickets if it's a "crap game". BS. There is no such thing as a crap game. IT'S MICHIGAN FOOTBALL. You're witnessing history. Every snap, every player, every game. You're part of history being there.
It only comes only a guaranteed 12 times a yea, people. 7-to-8 are in Ann Arbor. That's it. Eat it up because offseason sucks.
It's a thrill every time I step into those gates. No place I rather be in the world than Michigan Stadium, and that's the truth.
September 9th, 2013 at 7:56 PM ^
September 9th, 2013 at 11:09 PM ^
"It's Michigan..."
September 9th, 2013 at 10:32 PM ^
September 9th, 2013 at 10:26 PM ^
September 9th, 2013 at 10:30 PM ^
September 9th, 2013 at 10:37 PM ^
September 10th, 2013 at 3:56 PM ^
for Big House night games. Well obviously Ohio can't be one because that game is played in November, and I guess the reason for no State is that 0.12% of the fans ruin it for everyone else.
Soooooo for 2014 that leaves:
App State
Miami U
Utah
Minny
Penn St
Indiana (Nov)
Maryland (Nov)
Wow, if Brandon is really set on doing it each and every year, I guess you have to go with Penn State, unless Utah loses no more than one game and smacks the MWC around this season.
For 2015:
Oregon St
UNLV
BYU
Northwestern
Michigan St (Dave sez no)
Rutgers (Nov)
Ohio St (Nov)
If Oregon State somehow manages to win 10 games this season and stays loaded for 2014, MAYBE. If BYU's quarterback stays a runnin' fool and they keep putting up 40 a game, MAYBE. If Northwestern stays ranked and a B1G nuisance, I'd say probably.