On Thursday, the kickoff times for six of Michigan football's 2025 games were announced. The games announced include Michigan's five first opponents - New Mexico, Oklahoma, Central Michigan, Nebraska, and Wisconsin - along with Ohio State. Below are the times. Let's talk about what stands out.
An Oklahoma Scare and Relief in Nebraska
First and foremost is the night game week two at Oklahoma. That's going to be a crazy environment, and it's going to be an early challenge for this Michigan team. With freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood expected to be the week one starter, he's going to be thrown into the fire instantly. We're going to see if he can be the real deal as a true freshman.
That's a game that can determine how Michigan's 2025 season fares. If the Wolverines show up and win against a good but not great Oklahoma team, then we'll know for sure that this team can compete for a Big Ten Championship and more. If they lose, the season isn't over, but any national championship dreams likely shift towards making the playoffs.
That's going to be a very tough game that will tell us a lot about this team.
Next, Michigan dodged a bullet against Nebraska with a 3:30pm kickoff. That was a game that very well could have been a night game, and we should be very greatful it isn't. Nebraska is a very tough place to play at anytime, but things get turned up a notch at night. Just look at the 2021 game between these two teams. Nebraska, a team that wouldn't make a bowl game, had a chance to beat a Michigan team that would win the Big Ten and make the playoffs.
Considering that the Huskers are fielding a competent team now that's led by a former five-star quarterback in Dylan Raiola, Michigan needed this to not be a night game. The Huskers are a team that could be ranked in 2025, making this a potentially very difficult matchup. If Michigan can escape with a victory, it will be set up in a great position to make a run in the Big Ten.
Aside from those two games, there isn't much else to note. Michigan football will play Ohio State at noon, as always. The Wolverines will host Wisconsin at 3:30 pm, which shouldn't be too impactful. The Badgers always play Michigan tough, but the Wolverines should be the better team and will be playing at home. I'm a fan of playing New Mexico at night in week one, as it'll give the team a lower-stakes chance to get comfortable under the lights before heading to Oklahoma.
If you're looking for games to circle in the first half of the season, it's definitely Oklahoma and Nebraska. Those will be two very difficult road tests that will likely tell us how the season is going to fare. If Michigan can go 2-0 in those games, they're set up for a very successful season. Anything else, and the Wolverines are going to have to work hard to reach their goals. Go blue.