Michigan gives Big Ten unequivocal no to Friday night football games

The Big Ten is bringing football to Friday nights starting in 2017.

Michigan doesn’t want in. The university gave the conference an unequivocal no when given the opportunity to schedule home and road games on Fridays, according to the Chicago Tribune’s Tedddy Greenstein.

Big Ten commissioner Jim Delany reportedly said that the school wants Saturday games for “consistency of presentation.”

Ohio State and Penn State are other programs where Friday night football games may not be feasible. The “league is reluctant to ask schools with giant seating capacities to host Friday night games,” per Greenstein.

Ohio State and Penn State’s home stadiums each hold more than 104,000 seats.

However, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith told the Columbus Dispatch’s Tim May that the Buckeyes will host one Friday night game every three years.

Gene Smith @OSU_AD told Dispatch OSU will host 1 Friday nighter every three years, but won't be in '17. https://t.co/w7C7Dsh5uZ

— Tim May (@TIM_MAYsports) November 2, 2016

The Big Ten’s new television agreement will include six prime-time Friday night games each year. The  Friday games to be played in 2017 will be announced within the next week.