Many Ohio State Buckeyes and Michigan Wolverines football fans are understandably baffled about their respective teams not being scheduled for evening games over the final three weeks of the regular season. Turns out, there’s a specific rule that’s keeping them out of night time games.

The Ohio State Buckeyes’ final three regular season games are all scheduled for noon EST kickoffs. The Wolverines will host Northwestern at 3:30 EST this Saturday before concluding the regular season at Ohio State on Nov. 30 with a noon EST kickoff.

So, why can’t the NCAA schedule any of the perennial college football juggernauts in the Saturday evening prime time slots? According to Ryan Glasspiegel of the New York Post, it’s because both schools have the same strict rule in their TV Deals with NBC, FOX and CBS:

“In a peculiar arrangement, both Ohio State and Michigan have stipulations in their TV deals with Fox, CBS and NBC that they cannot be assigned to play at night in the final three weeks of the regular season, sources told The Post.

The Buckeyes and Wolverines could choose to accommodate a request to play at night late in the season, but Michigan hasn’t agreed to that in the last two years.”

Glasspiegel noted that the Buckeyes made an exception last year and moved a game against Michigan State to an evening start time. A Michigan rep also told Glasspiegel that the school isn’t interested in doing evening games after daylight savings.

are coming off a 45-0 blowout victory at home over Purdue that moved them to 8-1 on the season. Currently ranked No. 2 in the nation, Ryan Day’s squad will easily qualify for the inaugural 12-team playoff tournament.

After losing to then-No. 3 ranked Oregon 32-31 on Oct. 12, the Oho State Buckeyes have rallied with three straight victories. That included a statement 20-13 road win over the previously No. 3 ranked Penn State Nittany Lions.

Ohio State Buckeyes & Michigan Wolverines Are Headed In Opposite Directions

The Ohio State Buckeyes are coming off a 45-0 blowout victory at home over Purdue that moved them to 8-1 on the season. Currently ranked No. 2 in the nation, Ryan Day’s squad will easily qualify for the inaugural 12-team playoff tournament.

As for the Wolverines, it’s been a struggle in year one of the post-Jim Harbaugh Era. Losers of four of their last five, the reigning national champions are 5-5 and must win out over Northwestern and a much stronger Buckeyes team just to finish above .500.