Your A to Z guide for Michigan football’s home opener against Fresno State

ANN ARBOR, MI - A new head coach. An almost entirely revamped coaching staff. Newcomers at quarterback, wide receiver, the entire offensive line, linebacker and much of the secondary.

The University of Michigan’s 2024 football season will turn the page on last season’s national championship campaign, starting with the visiting Fresno State Bulldogs on Saturday.

For the first time since 2015, the team will take the field without head coach Jim Harbaugh, who was replaced by former offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore. Beloved program staples from Blake Corum to J.J. McCarthy to Mikey Sainristil have also moved on to the NFL, so veteran players that once played spot snaps will now be starters.

For those visiting the Big House, here’s all you need to know ahead of the season opener, from parking to tailgating and more.

Michigan-Fresno State game info

Kickoff: 7:34 p.m.

Where: Michigan Stadium

The teams: Fresno State at No. 9 Michigan

How to watch: NBC (streaming on Peacock, Fubo, DirecTV and Sling TV)

Michigan-Fresno State betting odds: -21.5 (Michigan football a multi-TD betting favorite vs. Fresno State)

How to buy tickets

While every home game is sold out through the Michigan athletics website, the secondary market has many options.

You can still find tickets for around $51 to $70 from Stubhub, Vivid Seats, SeatGeek, and Ticketmaster.

Weather forecast

Expect a brisk summer night around kickoff time, as the temperatures could fall to 58 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.

Playing with the big boys

This is the Wolverines’ first meeting with the Bulldogs, who have a reputation for punching above their weight by beating teams in power conferences.

Last year alone, Fresno State topped Purdue of the Big Ten and Arizona State of the now-defunct Pac-12. Two of the more prominent wins in recent memory include an upset of No. 13 UCLA in 2021, and another over the Bruins in 2018.

Overall, the Bulldogs are 14-33 all-time against current Big Ten programs, though 30 of those games are against the new West Coast programs arriving this year in Oregon, Southern California, UCLA and Washington.

The Wolverines have never lost to a Mountain West team, going 13-0 all-time. Last year, they topped conference runner-up UNLV in a 35-7 rout. The closest call against a Mountain West foe was against Air Force in a 6-point win in 2012.

Beer and food at Michigan Stadium

For the first time in Michigan Stadium history, alcohol will be sold at football games.

As far as the offerings, there is beer, wine, and a couple of canned cocktails available to all fans at various concession stands. A full bar is available at the club and suite levels. There is beer from five different Michigan breweries, including Founders and two based in Ann Arbor. At least one import beer will be offered as well.

A 16-ounce beer is expected to cost $12.25. A glass of wine, which will be poured from a box, will be about $10. The price for a canned cocktail -- think of something like a High Noon -- is not yet finalized, but could be about $15.

There are also a plethora of new food options around the stadium and suite levels, including a chicken Sammy, hot honey tenders, chicken and cauliflower rice bowls, elotes corndog, a beer-braised bratwurst, Philly cheesesteak fries, Great Lakes fish dip, duck pasty, burnt ends beef slider, maize and blue cake pops, macaron-custard sandwich, bacon jam and double smash burgers, and sandwiches with brisket, smoked chicken, barbeque jackfruit and cauliflower quinoa patties.

Read more: Witness Michigan Stadium’s new smorgasbord of food options this fall

Avoiding street closures

Prepare for detours around Michigan Stadium, as there are street closures in effect for all home games.

East Keech Street is closed between South Main and Greene streets, while parking is limited to permit holders on Greene Street from East Hoover Avenue to Keech Street.

The westbound right turn lane is closed on East Stadium Boulevard onto South Main Street just outside the Big House. South Main Street is closed from Stadium to Pauline boulevards.

The closures are in effect three hours before a game to the end of the game. The exception is southbound South Main Street, which is closed one hour before a game until its end.

See the street closure plan.

Where to park

Many lots around Michigan Stadium are permit-only, but there are numerous lots for guests looking for game-day parking.

Football parking opens around noon for night games. Vehicles should vacate all lots within two hours after the game or they will be towed. The university provides a comprehensive list of parking locations and pricing information. Check out this map for an overview of parking options near Michigan Stadium.

RV parking

The longstanding tradition of RV parking at Pioneer High School ended two years ago, but there are still options for RV drivers this fall.

The Brown Lot by the Varsity Tennis Center opens at noon for night games and can be accessed by on-site, gameday only permits. Do not park there overnight unless you want to risk being towed.

The nearby Maize Lot near the Track and Field Stadium on the South Athletic Campus also opens at noon. Permits can be purchased on-site only on gameday. Again, do not park there overnight unless you want to risk being towed.

The Blue Lot across Stadium Boulevard from the University of Michigan Golf Course allows access with a Blue Lot RV permit. Blue Lot passes are sold to season ticket holders.

Questions about RV parking can be answered by calling university athletic operations at 734-647-1218 or Ann Arbor Public Schools/Michigan Event Parking at 734-358-7275.

Briarwood Mall is also partnering with Park N Party for RV parking and shuttles to the stadium. RVs may be parked from Friday evenings at 6 p.m. to Sunday by noon, according to mall officials.

Bookings can be made here. Prices, depending on vehicle sizes, costs around $350 to $550.

You can take the FootballRide shuttle operated by the Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority with a $3 roundtrip ticket for adults and $1.50 for youth and seniors. Shuttle departs and returns to The Kensington Hotel next to the mall.

This service is available for all eight home games.

Where to tailgate

There are options aplenty for football fans looking for a beer and a brat before kickoff, though Ann Arbor police are on the lookout for walkers with open alcohol containers.

You’ll find multiple party clusters, particularly in the lots around Michigan Stadium and Crisler Center. Many boosters and former players hang out in the concrete lots around the stadium, though those require special permits to access by car.

Feel free to walk up and say hi to friends.

The rest of the crowd

For most tailgaters, Pioneer High and the Ann Arbor Golf and Outing Club are your best bets to set up shop.

The Pioneer High School parking lot on the corner of Stadium Boulevard and Main Street opens at 11 a.m. for the Fresno State game. Those passes start at $65.

The high school lot attracts alumni and fans from all over the state, as well as opposing fans and pre-game show goers. While many Central Californians may skip on the trip to Ann Arbor, you may see a green V’s on Bulldog fans, which represents the university’s connection to the San Joaquin Valley.

The golf course off Stadium Boulevard packs in thousands of fans from across the world. Admission is $70 for the Fresno State, Arkansas State, Minnesota and Northwestern games. The price increases to $80 for Texas, Southern California, Michigan State and Oregon games.

Motor homes, buses, large trucks and other large vehicles are prohibited. Charcoal grills, fire pits or deep fryers are also not permitted. Gates open at 7:30 a.m. for general admission for all games except night games, when they open at noon.

Take a hike

Many homes, businesses and churches offer less expensive parking within a mile of the stadium for those OK hoofing it.

These areas are great for smaller barbeques, plus, you get to pile on the walking steps.

What to bring and what not to bring

There are some items you can bring in to Michigan Stadium and some you cannot.

Permitted Items include foam seat pads, small non-pocket seat cushions, binoculars (cases not permitted), cell phones and pagers, small cameras and radios, blankets and rain apparel.

Prohibited items include all bags, including purses and fanny packs’ bottles of any kind, alcoholic beverages, aerosol and spray cans, animals, apparel with profane language, containers of any kind, flags food, irritants, projectiles, strollers, video cameras, umbrellas and weapons.

The last title defense

The last time the Wolverines won at least a share of the national title was in 1997. The next year, even with starting quarterback and 7-time Super Bowl winner Tom Brady, started off disastrously.

Michigan lost its opener on the road by two touchdowns to rival Notre Dame. The next week, a Donovan McNabb-led Syracuse team built a 31-point lead before finishing off the Wolverines 38-28 at the Big House.

The defending champs would pull themselves together with eight straight wins, including consecutive double-digit decisions against top-10 teams in Penn State and Wisconsin. A loss on the road to Ohio State meant a tie for the Big Ten championship, and the Wolverines would finish 10-3 after a win in the Florida Citrus Bowl.

Michigan also tied for the conference title after its previous national championship in 1948, as the 1949 team tied with Ohio State to win the Big Nine. That 1948 team was a repeat national champ.

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