Michigan Wolverines Secure Top Spots in TV Broadcast Draft for 2024 Season

Michigan Wolverines, the defending national champions, continue to dominate not just on the field but also in television viewership. A Fox executive recently highlighted the selection process for college football broadcasts, revealing the strategic picks for the 2024 season. This strategy underscores the significance of Michigan games in drawing large television audiences.

During an episode of The Joel Klatt Show, Michael Mulvihill, a Fox executive, detailed the network’s picks for the 2024 Big Ten games. Notably, the Michigan-Ohio State and Michigan-Texas games were selected as the prime choices, underscoring their expected high viewership and fan interest.

Key Michigan Football Match-ups and Broadcast Details

“The Game” between Michigan and Ohio State consistently drew significant viewership and was naturally Fox’s first choice, a decision reinforced by its historical ratings. The 2023 showdown attracted 19,065,000 viewers on FOX, marking it the most-watched regular-season college football game on any network since 2011.

Following this, the match-up between Michigan Football and Texas on September 7 was chosen as the second pick, reflecting its high stakes and crowd-pulling power. The strategic placement of these games highlights their importance not just competitively but also commercially.

“We felt this year that Texas-Michigan was probably a top three game just on its own merits,” Mulvihill explained. He emphasized the significant drop in viewer interest for other games on the same date, which solidified their decision to lock in this high-profile encounter.

“In the case of the Texas-Michigan game on Sept. 7, we really felt like if we didn’t get that game, it was a long way down to the number two and then an even longer way down to the number three. So we wanted to make sure that we locked in the top choice on a date where we didn’t necessarily feel there was a great depth of high quality inventory. So Michigan-Ohio State’s the one, Texas-Michigan becomes the two.”

Each game’s kickoff times have also been meticulously scheduled to maximize viewership. The season opener against Fresno State is set for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff under the lights at the Big House, ensuring a primetime slot. Meanwhile, “The Game” against Ohio State is slated for a noon kickoff, continuing its tradition as a marquee matchup in college football.

2024 Michigan football kickoff times that have already been announced: 

Michigan vs. Fresno State: August 31

The Wolverines are set to commence their national title defense at the Big House, illuminated under the night sky. The kickoff for the game against the Bulldogs is set for 7:30 p.m., and it will be broadcast nationally on NBC. Additionally, the game will be available for streaming on Peacock, although it is not exclusive to the platform.

Michigan vs. Texas: September 7

One of the standout non-conference games of the 2024 season will receive the “Big Noon” spotlight from FOX. This entails the network’s premier broadcast team — Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt — presenting the game, which will kick off just after noon at Michigan Stadium.

Michigan vs. USC: September 21

The kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET at the Big House. This premier conference game between the two leading teams will be broadcast on CBS.

Michigan at Ohio State: November 30

As expected, The Game will air at 12 p.m. ET on FOX.

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