Seven Michigan Football Games Selected for Television
6/16/2003 12:00:00 AM | Football
PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- The Big Ten Conference announced today (Monday, June 16) that seven University of Michigan football games have been chosen during the early selection period for television broadcast. Any of the remaining five contests may be selected to appear by the networks. Those games can be chosen under the six- and 12-day provisions of their contracts with the Big Ten Conference.
Michigan begins the 2003 season on Saturday, Aug. 30, against Central Michigan at Michigan Stadium. Chippewas head coach Mike DeBord, a former U-M assistant coach, brings CMU into the "Big House" for the second meeting between the two schools. The game will be played at 12:10 p.m. EDT on ESPN Plus.
The third meeting between Michigan and Houston has been selected for broadcast by ESPN at noon EDT on Saturday, Sept. 6. The Wolverines hold a 2-0 advantage in the series, winning games in 1992 (61-7) and 1993 (42-21) against the Cougars at Michigan Stadium.
On Saturday, Sept. 13, the two winningest programs in college football history will clash at Michigan Stadium. The Wolverines and Fighting Irish continue their rivalry in a nationally televised game at 3:30 p.m. EDT on ABC Sports. Notre Dame is the most common non-conference opponent for Michigan, and this will be the 31st meeting between the two schools. U-M leads the series by a 17-12-1 margin and is 9-6 in Ann Arbor.
The Pacific-10 Conference previously announced that Michigan's first road game of the season against Oregon on Saturday, Sept. 20, has been selected for broadcast by ABC Sports at 12:30 p.m. PDT (3:30 p.m. EDT). The Wolverines will play their first-ever football game in the state of Oregon when they face the Ducks at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Ore. Michigan holds a 3-0 edge in the all-time series with Oregon, with all three previous matchups played at Michigan Stadium.
What could be the 100th consecutive televised game for Michigan football has been selected for broadcast by ABC Sports on Saturday, Oct. 4. The Wolverines face defending Big Ten co-champion Iowa at Niles Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa, at 2:30 p.m. CDT (3:30 p.m. EDT). This will be the 51st meeting between the two schools, with Michigan holding a 37-9-4 series edge.
U-M's 103rd homecoming game will be played at noon EDT against Illinois at Michigan Stadium. ESPN, ESPN2 or ESPN Plus will televise the game between the Wolverines and Fighting Illini, with final selection of a network slated for later in the season. Michigan holds a 63-21-2 advantage in the all-time series and has a 27-9-1 edge at the "Big House."
"The Big Game" will be played for the 100th time on Saturday, Nov. 22, at Michigan Stadium beginning at noon EST on ABC. The traditional season-ending battle between Michigan and Ohio State will make its 16th consecutive television appearance on ABC Sports on the final weekend of the regular season. Every game in the series has been televised since 1967, a string of 36 straight contests.
Michigan enters the 2003 football season with a string of 94 straight televised games and is the most televised program in college football history, with 319 appearances.
Following is a listing of the Wolverines' early season televised games:
| Date | Opponent | TV Network | Time |
| Aug. 30 | Central Michigan | ESPN Plus | 12:10 p.m. EDT |
| Sept. 6 | Houston | ESPN | Noon EDT |
| Sept. 13 | Notre Dame | ABC | 3:30 p.m. EDT |
| Sept. 20 | at Oregon | ABC | 12:30 p.m. PDT (3:30 p.m. EDT) |
| Oct. 4 | at Iowa | ABC | 2:30 p.m. CDT (3:30 p.m. EDT) |
| Oct. 18 | Illinois | ESPN/ESPN2/ESPN Plus | Noon EDT |
| Nov. 22 | Ohio State | ABC | Noon EST |
Contact: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
