Opening at Utah Sept. 3 is unusual and is a vast break from Michigan football's past, the first Thursday game for the program in modern history.
Also, the Wolverines have rarely opened in a true road game, the last time coming in 1998, a 36-20 loss at Notre Dame, in the starting debut of Tom Brady.
Yet the exposure of being one of the first games of the season was something former U-M athletic director Dave Brandon said was appealing when the game was scheduled.
On Tuesday, former U-M coach Brady Hoke said it was his idea for the Wolverines to open 2015 in Salt Lake City.