The Big Chill at the Big House – Michigan State vs. Michigan

The Cold War. Michigan State and Michigan played at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing back in 2001 in front of a record setting crowd of 74,544 fans. These two college teams pioneered today’s NHL Winter Classic. Now the two teams who started it all will face off again, this time in Ann Arbor, MI, on December 11, 2010.

picturemichigan_umstadium2Michigan Stadium, nicknamed The Big House, will have a maximum capacity over 108,000 by the time this game takes place. While it’s too early to tell if the game will sell out, a new attendance record for a hockey game is certainly expected.

Red Berenson, University of Michigan hockey coach, had this to say about the game: “This will be an unbelievable event. Not only is this a great rivalry between two top programs, but for it to be held in the Big House atĀ MichiganĀ is beyond what any of us have ever dreamt. This is finally a reality and it could be the largest crowd ever to witness a hockey game of any kind. I know our team, our staff and our fans from all over the country will be counting the days until the Big Chill at the Big House arrives.”

The ice will be placed right in the middle of the football field with the red line of the ice hockey rink layered right over the 50-yard-line of the football field. The end-boards of the hockey rink will reach to the 17-yard-lines on either side of the field. The Big Chill will be the fifth Division 1 hockey game to be played outdoors.

“To me, it’s a throwback because it’s how I started,” said Berenson. “It’s just a little of everything and you see the players enjoying it and the fans enjoying it. There’s just something magical about it.”

Michigan and Michigan State skated to a 3-3- tie in the original Cold War. The rematch between the two teams will be counted as one of Michigan’s two home games against the Spartans.

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