Overview

• In Week 4 on Sept. 20, Michigan State at USC will air nationally on Fox with an 11 p.m. ET kickoff.
• Michigan State’s official account acknowledged the timing with “It’s gonna be a late one folks,” as fans voiced strong criticism online and head coach Jonathan Smith had not commented.
• The matchup is expected to run to about 2:30 a.m. ET, raising viewing and competitive concerns for the Spartans’ East Coast fan base.
• Fox has leaned on late-night slots for West Coast Big Ten teams—rather than the Big Noon window—and previously helped finance expansion that put the league on both coasts.
• A Rutgers–USC late-night game on Fox last October drew about 2 million viewers off a World Series lead-in; this broadcast follows Arizona State–Baylor at 7:30 p.m. ET, and it is the teams’ first meeting since 1990 and MSU’s first Coliseum visit since 1978.