ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — The Michigan State Spartans will be in Ann Arbor taking on the Michigan Wolverines for a big football game Saturday night. While neither team is currently ranked, the in-state rivalry always brings in more excitement and crowds.
On Friday night, fans were already in their gear at Good Time Charley’s.
MSU fan Bob Gauthier was in town from Marquette. His two daughters went to State, but now his granddaughter is a student at Michigan.
"The energy, you can feel it," Gauthier said of the atmosphere in town for a rivalry. "That makes everything so exciting.”
Richie Howden and his family are in town from Nashville, Tennessee. As huge Michigan fans, they visit Ann Arbor for a game at least once a year.
“I love being at rivalry games," Howden said.
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As for it being a night game?
"Ehh, it's going to be a little bit colder than I'd like being a Southern boy," Howden said. "But it’s still football weather in Michigan.”
The rivalry match up will be a night time kickoff for the third year in a row, and for MSU, it’s already their sixth night game this season. The feeling around town and among both fan bases is mixed.
“As a business, we don't mind them," said Bryce Davenport, director of operations at Watershed Hospitality Group, which owns Good Time Charley's. "It's a steady flow of people all day long, so it’s easier to manage.”
The battle for the Paul Bunyan trophy is always a crowded day in Ann Arbor, and Good Time Charley's will have all hands on deck. They open at noon and expect to have a line.
“Ownership will be here, I'll be here, any staff that can work," Davenport said. "It’s kind of an all-hands-on approach.”
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As for Ann Arbor police, night games are always more cause for concern with longer tailgates and all-day drinking. Like bars, they’ll also have all hands on deck and urge fans to be smart and have a safe ride home.
“Starts around 11 or 12 o'clock and goes all day into the night," Howden said of tailgating. "So I expect to see a lot drinking tomorrow.”
“We're going to hang out tomorrow morning. Should be a great day, tailgate in the afternoon," Gauthier said. "It'll be a long day, but we can handle it. We've done it before.”
The University of Michigan Division of Public Safety also posted a Q&A form for game day safety.
