with poll: U-M petition to make MSU match at Michigan Stadium a night game nears 1,000 signatures

By Kellie Woodhouse Higher education reporter

Posted on Thu, Jun 28, 2012 : 12:04 p.m.

Hundreds of students are petitioning U-M for another night game this season.

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

David Brandon might be reluctant to host a night game against Michigan State University, but a contingent of student fans have signed a petition to get the University of Michigan athletic director to change his mind.

More than 960 students have signed the petition for the Oct. 20, 2012, football match between the Spartans and the Wolverines at the Big House.

David Brandon has said he's reluctant to host a night game against MSU.

"The athletic department has all but ruled out the possibility of a night game next season. After the success of the Notre Dame night game this year, we believe the game against Michigan State on Oct. 20 would be a perfect opportunity to continue the tradition," reads the petition, which was created by U-M business student Patrick Firlik. "This is the only home game that is both early enough in the season and against a rival. We need support to make this happen!"

The petition is posted on UPetition, which only allows individuals with a U-M ID —mainly students and staff— to participate. It's unclear when the petition was created and Firlik did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Under Big Ten regulations, any football game occurring before the end of October is permitted to take place at night. Game times are usually negotiated between the teams and television networks on which the games will be aired.

The MSU game time has yet to be announced, but Brandon said earlier this year that it won't be at night because he's concerned about rowdy fans. (Brandon didn't immediately respond to a request to comment for this article.)

"I think the passion and the excitement of the crowd, to energize that with a night game, may be more than either one of us can handle," he told The Detroit News, speaking of a nighttime MSU match.

"I think we'd have to be very careful about that. But we'll see. You never know what the future holds."

MSU Athletic Director Mark Hollis, however, was less apprehensive in an interview with AnnArbor.com in May. "I love night games," he said.

The Wolverines will have at least three scheduled night games next season, on the road against Alabama, Notre Dame and Nebraska. Last year, Michigan Stadium hosted its first-ever night game against Notre Dame, during which the Wolverines won in the final seconds of the game.