At 7:30 on Saturday night, plenty of folks in the state will be fixed on the annual clash between Michigan and Michigan State during the first-ever night game between the two.
John U. Bacon, Michigan Radio’s sports commentator, joined Stateside to talk about what to expect on Saturday.
Not only does an evening game mean a whole day of pre-gaming, but it also means a late drive home for visitors.
“You don’t have too many roads leaving Ann Arbor to get that many people out,” Bacon said. “In addition to the 100,000 people who show up for this game, 100,000 more come to town to party, so your population basically triples in one day. That’s not healthy.”
Fans should expect a good game though, according to Bacon, who called the rivalry “underrated.”
“It’ll be a hard-fought game,” Bacon said. “When I talked to players in the '70s, '80s, '90s when Michigan was dominant during that time, they all tell me they felt worse on Sunday after a game against Michigan State than they did against Ohio State, which, to me, speaks volumes.”
Listen above for the full conversation. You'll hear Bacon’s predictions for the game.
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