As the summer months approach, college football’s return creeps closer and closer.
Monday saw another stop along the road to the new season, as Fox announced three Big Noon Saturday matchups, including two early-season nonconference showdowns.
Big Noon Saturday is looking STRONG in 2024 💪
Sep. 7: Texas at Michigan
Sep. 14: Alabama at Wisconsin
Nov. 30: Michigan at Ohio StateCan't. Wait. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/G0HHZlpY3N
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) May 13, 2024
On September 7, the network will air what could end up being a Top 10 matchup between the 2024 College Football Playoff national champion Michigan Wolverines and the Texas Longhorns and quarterback Quinn Ewers. Texas and Michigan have met just once in the two programs’ illustrious histories. The Longhorns came away with a 38-37 win in the 2005 Rose Bowl thanks to a game-winning field goal as time expired.
The following Saturday, September 14, the Big Noon Saturday crew will head to Madison’s Camp Randall Stadium as the Wisconsin Badgers host the new-look Alabama Crimson Tide. This will be just the fifth nonconference road game the Tide have played since Nick Saban was hired in 2007.
This will also be just the second nonconference road game Alabama has played against the Big Ten in that span. The Tide defeated Penn State 27-11 in Happy Valley in the 2011 season. Saban’s retirement this offseason means that this game will be the first true test of new head coach Kalen DeBoer.
The final game announced Monday was, of course, the annual meeting between Michigan and the Ohio State Buckeyes, which will take place on November 30. Michigan will look to extend its winning streak over Ohio State to four straight games, but Ryan Day and the Buckeyes have to have this circled on their calendars after how their last three attempts against the Wolverines have gone. A fourth straight loss to their biggest rivals could have significant repercussions for Day.