Saturday, September 5, 2026. Kickoff 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
This is a new era at Michigan. Kyle Whittingham takes charge for the first time, in primetime at the Big House, after Sherrone Moore was fired in December.
The opponent is an in-state MAC program. The story is the man on the sideline.
| Kickoff | 7:30 p.m. ET · 6:30 CT · 5:30 MT · 4:30 PT |
| TV | NBC |
| Streaming | Peacock, Fubo, YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DirecTV Stream |
| Venue | Michigan Stadium — capacity 107,601 |
| Free option | NBC is available over the air with an antenna |
Whittingham’s First Game
Kyle Whittingham becomes the 21st head coach in Michigan history. He arrives after Sherrone Moore was dismissed in December following a 9-3 regular season — a firing that had nothing to do with results and everything to do with a university policy violation.
Michigan has now had four head coaches in a decade, in a program that employed nine between 1900 and 1989. Our head coaching history covers the full list.
The Big House in Primetime
Michigan Stadium seats 107,601, the largest in the United States, and every home game since 1975 has drawn more than 100,000 — over 300 consecutive games. Michigan led the nation in average attendance again last season at 110,842.
A night opener with a new coach will not be the game that breaks that streak. Our stadium and attendance page has the detail.
Western Michigan’s Trip
The Broncos travel about 130 miles from Kalamazoo, making this one of the shortest road trips of the weekend. In-state MAC programs recruit the same high schools as Michigan and there will be players on both sidelines who know each other.
How to Watch Free
NBC carries it nationally and is available over the air with an antenna. Peacock streams every NBC game, so a Peacock subscription alone is enough — no cable package needed.
It shares primetime with Clemson at LSU on ABC.
The Bottom Line
Western Michigan at Michigan kicks off 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday, September 5 on NBC and Peacock from Michigan Stadium. It is Kyle Whittingham’s first game as Michigan head coach. NBC is free over the air.