It used to be unthinkable that Michigan and Michigan State would kick off at night, as the heated rivalry was just too much to bear at such an hour. And yet, each of the last four matchups between the Wolverines and Spartans has taken place at 7:30 p.m. ET.
However, with both teams struggling and a strong slate of ranked-on-ranked matchups or intriguing games otherwise the weekend of Nov. 7, would the networks still choose the battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy for prime time? Especially considering that each first-year head coach of the rivals has their program underperforming compared to expectations?
The verdict still isn't in, unfortunately, and the rivalry game in Ann Arbor will be waiting for a time and channel until after the Week 9 slate.
Here’s an early look at the Week 🔟 schedule: pic.twitter.com/wITT3dMOyZ
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) October 26, 2026
Michigan has won the last four matchups -- all night games -- but lost the last time that it played the Spartans outside of primetime. It was a ranked matchup on Fox Big Noon Kickoff in 2021, where MSU came back and won in the second half, though the Wolverines won out and went to the College Football Playoff.
The last time that Michigan and MSU both had new head coaches (Sherrone Moore and Jonathan Smith), in 2024, the maize and blue won, 24-17. But Mel Tucker won his first two games against the Wolverines as the Spartans' head coach (2020 and 2021), and Jim Harbaugh lost his first game vs. MSU as the leader of the Wolverines (2015).
After Mark Dantonio had great success against Michigan, the maize and blue have taken back the rivalry and made it lopsided once more, having won seven of the past 10, with a 75-38-5 record overall. Michigan is 9-10 since Dantonio took over in 2007, dating back to Lloyd Carr's last year overseeing the Wolverines.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan football vs. MSU kickoff time pushed to after Week 9
