Michigan-Michigan State football game time set for 7:30 p.m. Oct. 29 on ABC
Buckle up Michigan football and Michigan State football fans, because it's going to be a long one.
In case a bye week leading into the rivalry game between Michigan (7-0, 4-0 Big Ten) and Michigan State (3-4, 1-3 Big Ten) isn't enough time for trash talk and stale storylines, schedule makers built in a few more hours for build up.
The schools announced Monday the game Oct. 29 will be played at night, set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. on ABC. The two sides have met under the lights just once since their first meeting in 1898 — that was on Oct. 7, 2017, when the Spartans won, 14-10, despite entering as a 10-point underdog.
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Last year's highly anticipated, top-10 showdown in East Lansing was broadcast at noon on Fox, the time and place for each of the Wolverines' first four Big Ten games this season, but the network previously announced it will be in State College, Pennsylvania for the matchup between Ohio State and Penn State.
This is the second night game of the season for Michigan, the first since hosting Hawaii in Week 2 in a 56-10 drubbing that was delayed by lightning.
MSU is quite familiar with late afternoon and evening start times this season, the Spartans haven't had a single noon game this season. The 2022 opener was 7 p.m. Friday against Western Michigan. After a 4 p.m. Saturday kickoff vs. Akron in Week 2, MSU's Week 3 matchup at Washington started at 7:30 p.m. Eastern.
The Spartans' first two Big Ten games against Minnesota and Maryland were 3:30 kickoffs while its last two, at home against Ohio State and Wisconsin, were at 4 p.m.
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Michigan leads the series all time 71-38-5 and is 38-29-2 in rivalry games involving Paul Bunyan, but Michigan State is 2-0 since Mel Tucker took over in 2020, winning as underdogs both times. Harbaugh is 3-4 in the rivalry game in his seven years.
The line has not been set, but Michigan, undefeated and ranked No. 3 in the USA TODAY coaches poll, is expected to be a heavy favorite against Michigan State, which just picked up its first conference victory, a 34-28 overtime win vs. over Wisconsin.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan-Michigan State football game time set for 7:30 p.m.
