Michigan football team to play 4 late games, including primetime matchup against Nebraska
The Michigan football team's 11-win season last year included night game wins on national television against Notre Dame and Virginia Tech, pumping up the program's national profile after a three-year rut.
It shows in next year's schedule, which expands to four games with late starts, according to releases from the school and its TV partners.
Michigan quarterback Denard Robinson runs against Nebraska in the teams' first Big Ten meeting last season at Michigan Stadium. Their second conference meeting will be under the lights in Lincoln, Neb.
Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com
Most intriguing among them is a 8 p.m. kickoff time for Michigan's first-ever trip to Lincoln, Neb. on Oct. 27. It will play the Cornhuskers on one of the ESPN platforms, in a matchup that could be a candidate for the network's College GameDay.
Michigan beat Nebraska 45-17 last season in the Cornhuskers' first tour through the Big Ten. It was the teams' first regular-season meeting since 1962, when Michigan fell 25-13 at the Big House.
Along with the opener against Alabama and the finale against Ohio State, the Nebraska game will be one of Michigan's highest national profile games of the year.
The Alabama and Notre Dame games already were believed to be night matchups. The Wolverines' game against Purdue also will be a late start, with kickoff scheduled for 4 p.m. It will be broadcast by the Big Ten Network.
Michigan went 3-0 in night games last year, beating Notre Dame in the first night game in Michigan Stadium history, Northwestern in its first road game of the season and Virginia Tech in the Sugar Bowl.
Kyle Meinke covers Michigan football for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2588, by email at kylemeinke@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @kmeinke.
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