Mick McCabe

Detroit Free Press

Muskegon football coach Shane Fairfield’s job this summer is going to be easier than expected.

“I won’t have to do a whole lot of motivating this off-season,” he said. “All I’ve got to say is: ‘Hey, you’re playing Week 1 at Michigan.’ I think that will be exciting enough.”

Muskegon, the winningest program in state history, will be one of 14 Michigan high schools to begin their seasons as part of the three-day “Battle of the Big House” Aug. 25-27.

The contracts, which were scheduled to be signed Friday morning, finalized what are believed to be the first high school football games to be played at Michigan Stadium.

Clarkston and Lapeer, which play at 7 p.m. Aug. 26, will be co-hosts of the event.

“I don’t care if we make a penny. I just want the kids to have that opportunity to walk out on that field,” said Clarkston coach Kurt Richardson. “It will be memories they will have forever. I think it’s awesome, and hopefully we can continue after this.”

Brighton and Detroit East English Village will open play Thursday, Aug. 25, at 4 p.m., followed by Walled Lake Western versus Farmington at 7.

Kalamazoo Central and St. Joseph will play Friday at 4 p.m., followed by Clarkston-Lapeer.

Saturday will feature a tripleheader beginning with Novi Detroit Catholic Central versus Sterling Heights Stevenson at 1, with East Kentwood versus Farmington Hills Harrison at 4 and Ann Arbor Pioneer versus Muskegon at 7.

Muskegon was supposed to host Pioneer this season in the first game of a two-year contract, but when the Big Reds scheduled a home game for Week 2, Fairfield volunteered to play the opener at Pioneer before the opportunity to play at U-M became a possibility.

“If this thing goes off great, the next year when Pioneer is supposed to come to us,” Fairfield said, “I’ll agree to go back and play there again.”

The Muskegon-Pioneer game will match the two winningest programs in state history.

“I’ll tell you what, I’m as excited as heck,” Fairfield said. “It gives you the chills and the goosebumps being able to think about traveling there, going down that tunnel, the history and what it does for the kids — the experience for your young people to play on such a big stage Week 1 against a great opponent.”

Battle of the Big House

When: Aug. 25-27.

Where: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor.

Aug. 25 games

Brighton vs. Detroit East English Village, 4

Walled Lake Western vs. Farmington, 7

Aug. 26 games

Kalamazoo Central vs. St. Joseph, 4

Clarkston vs. Lapeer, 7

Aug. 27 games

Novi Detroit CC vs. Sterling Heights Stevenson, 1

East Kentwood vs. Farmington Hills Harrison, 4

Ann Arbor Pioneer vs. Muskegon, 7