Big Ten Announces Five Prime Time Games to Appear on ABC/ESPN

[Madison Hawk]

Big Ten Announces Five Prime-Time Football Games to Appear on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 During 2008 Season :: Five Conference Programs Scheduled for Nighttime Appearances in Upcoming Campaign


Sept. 27 - ILLINOIS at PENN STATE, 8 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Oct. 4 - OHIO STATE at WISCONSIN, 7 p.m. CT, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Oct. 11 - PENN STATE at WISCONSIN, 7 p.m. CT, ESPN or ESPN2
Oct. 18 - MICHIGAN at PENN STATE, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2
Oct. 25 - PENN STATE at OHIO STATE, 8 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2

 

[Madison Hawk]

Ohio State vs. USC

I forgot to mention that both Matt Sarz's webiste (http://mattsarz44017.tripod.com/2008/week3.html) and the other top reliable schedule source from an LSU fan (2008 College Football TV Schedule) both list Ohio State vs. USC as a 8:00 EDT start on either ABC or ESPN.

 

[thecristman]

Big Ten Announces Five Prime-Time Football Games to Appear on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 During 2008 Season :: Five Conference Programs Scheduled for Nighttime Appearances in Upcoming Campaign


Sept. 27 - ILLINOIS at PENN STATE, 8 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Oct. 4 - OHIO STATE at WISCONSIN, 7 p.m. CT, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Oct. 11 - PENN STATE at WISCONSIN, 7 p.m. CT, ESPN or ESPN2
Oct. 18 - MICHIGAN at PENN STATE, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2
Oct. 25 - PENN STATE at OHIO STATE, 8 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2

I guess by looking at that schedule that our Hawkeyes are still not good enough to be on national tv. So sad, but it doesn't appear that this year will be any better than last.

 

[SabresRule]

At least you'll always have the Orange Bowl and that Hail Mary.

 

[thecristman]

If we could keep from getting arrested all the time, we might have a good team.

 

[Madison Hawk]

I guess by looking at that schedule that our Hawkeyes are still not good enough to be on national tv. So sad, but it doesn't appear that this year will be any better than last.

I am cautiously optimistic this year. The Hawks have a lot of talent returning, a favorable schedule with most of the tough games at home and a chip on their shoulder. Iowa seems to do best when they are overlooked.

Of course, I am eternal optimist so it is also possible that Iowa could disappoint again this year.

 

[Jimbo]

Big Ten Announces Five Prime-Time Football Games to Appear on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 During 2008 Season :: Five Conference Programs Scheduled for Nighttime Appearances in Upcoming Campaign


Sept. 27 - ILLINOIS at PENN STATE, 8 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Oct. 4 - OHIO STATE at WISCONSIN, 7 p.m. CT, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2
Oct. 11 - PENN STATE at WISCONSIN, 7 p.m. CT, ESPN or ESPN2
Oct. 18 - MICHIGAN at PENN STATE, 4:30 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2
Oct. 25 - PENN STATE at OHIO STATE, 8 p.m. ET, ABC, ESPN or ESPN2

Not to mention the Ohio State Michigan game, that one will be on ABC or ESPN, probably ABC.

Jimbo

 

[SatinKzo]

Wow, Penn State gets 4?

Honestly, I don't consider the Mich/Penn State game prime time

 

[SabresRule]

Wow, Penn State gets 4?

Honestly, I don't consider the Mich/Penn State game prime time

One word: Reputation.

Penn State is a more popular, less loathed version of Notre Dame.

 

[SatinKzo]

So Penn state is the Miller Lite to Notre Dame's Bud Light?

 

[thecristman]

I am cautiously optimistic this year. The Hawks have a lot of talent returning, a favorable schedule with most of the tough games at home and a chip on their shoulder. Iowa seems to do best when they are overlooked.

Of course, I am eternal optimist so it is also possible that Iowa could disappoint again this year.

I guess it is good to be optimistic. One of my employees is a Hawkeye fanatic. He was the head of the national I club for many years and is very active in it. But i would have liked to seen more changes announced during the off season that may have sparked some needed course changes. The lack of any real announced changes makes me worry that it will not change much. But I will be there saturday for the spring practice and hopefully I will see some bright spots. And you are right, history has shown that the Hawkeyes seem to do the best when they are considered to be the worst.

GO HAWKS

 

[mattsarz]

The Big Ten essentially had a primetime telecast window last year that rotated between ABC, ESPN and the Big Ten Network. Sounds like the first portion of the season will be mostly the BTN games, then ABC & ESPN will have several weeks of evening games.

2007
9/1 - BTN (regional coverage: BG-Minn, Ind St.-Ind)
9/8 - BTN (regional coverage: W. Ill-Ill, Syr-Iowa)
9/15 - BTN (Duke-NW)
9/22 - ABC (Iowa-Wisconsin) & ESPN2 (Purdue-Minn)
9/29 - ESPN2 (Ohio St.-Minn)
10/6 - ABC (Ohio St.-Purdue)
10/13 - BTN (Indiana-MSU)
10/20 - ABC (Michigan-Ill)
10/27 - ABC (Ohio St.-Penn St.)
11/3 - BTN (Illinois-Minnesota)

In case you are curious, there are no Metrodome conflicts in September, so there are no games that U. of Minnesota will have to play at night due to a Twins game that same day.

 

[Madison Hawk]

The Big Ten essentially had a primetime telecast window last year that rotated between ABC, ESPN and the Big Ten Network. Sounds like the first portion of the season will be mostly the BTN games, then ABC & ESPN will have several weeks of evening games.

I believe that ABC gets first choice of games each week, and they have not released other potential prime time games to the BTN yet. Here is my best guess on the remaining prime time schedule for the Big Ten:

Aug. 30: Syracuse vs. Northwestern (BTN Split)
Northern Illinois vs. Minnesota (BTN Split)

Sept. 6: Eastern Michigan vs. Michigan State (BTN Split)
Marshall vs. Wisconsin (BTN Split)

Sept. 13: Central Michigan vs. Purdue (BTN)

Sept. 20: Notre Dame vs. Michigan State (ABC or ESPN)

Unfortunately, there may not be any November prime time games. The Big Ten likes to avoid night games in November when the weather gets cold. Last year, the only November night game was Illinois vs. Minnesota in the Metrodome. This year, Minnesota has three home games in November: Northwestern (11/1), Michigan (11/8) and Iowa (11/22). The best chance of a night game is the Northwestern game on the BTN as ABC will likely hold on to the other two for potential showing on ESPN or ESPN2.

 

[Jimbo]

I believe that ABC gets first choice of games each week, and they have not released other potential prime time games to the BTN yet. Here is my best guess on the remaining prime time schedule for the Big Ten:

Aug. 30: Syracuse vs. Northwestern (BTN Split)
Northern Illinois vs. Minnesota (BTN Split)

Sept. 6: Eastern Michigan vs. Michigan State (BTN Split)
Marshall vs. Wisconsin (BTN Split)

Sept. 13: Central Michigan vs. Purdue (BTN)

Sept. 20: Notre Dame vs. Michigan State (ABC or ESPN)

Unfortunately, there may not be any November prime time games. The Big Ten likes to avoid night games in November when the weather gets cold. Last year, the only November night game was Illinois vs. Minnesota in the Metrodome. This year, Minnesota has three home games in November: Northwestern (11/1), Michigan (11/8) and Iowa (11/22). The best chance of a night game is the Northwestern game on the BTN as ABC will likely hold on to the other two for potential showing on ESPN or ESPN2.

If it's anything like last year, the pecking order will go to ABC, then ESPN, ESPN2 then BTN.
BTN had an agreement that they would be allowed to have like 3 major games of thier choice.

Jimbo

 

[scottc98]

Also remember that each B10 team MUST have atleast one B10 game on the BTN.

Thats why Wisc v OSU was on the BTN last year even though it was a major game. OSU hadn't had a B10 game on the network (just OOC games) by that time and ABC already picked up the Ill and Mich game for OSU.

There is some priority picking by ABC and ESPN based on past contracts. I just hope that it doesn't change once their contract gets renewed.

 

[heisman27]

In case you are curious, there are no Metrodome conflicts in September, so there are no games that U. of Minnesota will have to play at night due to a Twins game that same day.

Thank god it's their last year in that dump.

 

[Madison Hawk]

Also remember that each B10 team MUST have atleast one B10 game on the BTN.

Thats why Wisc v OSU was on the BTN last year even though it was a major game. OSU hadn't had a B10 game on the network (just OOC games) by that time and ABC already picked up the Ill and Mich game for OSU.

There is some priority picking by ABC and ESPN based on past contracts. I just hope that it doesn't change once their contract gets renewed.

ABC gets first pick every week (subject to the one Big Ten game and two overall games on the BTN rule that you mentioned). After ABC picks, the ESPN picks first for 9 games and the BTN picks first for 3 games and second (after ESPN and before ESPN2) for 3 games. The ABC/ESPN contract has nine years remaining so this selection procedure will remain in place for a while.

 

[SideshowBob]

It seems like the full list of Big Ten night games are as follows:

8/30 Northern Ill @ Minnesota BTN
Michigan St @ Cal ABC
9/6 Mrray St @ Indiana BTN
9/13 Ohio st @ USC ABC
9/20 Ball St @ Indiana BTN
9/27 Illinois @ PSU ABC/ESPN/ESPN2
10/4 Ohio St @ Wisconsin ABC/ESPN/ESPN2
10/11 Penn St @ Wisconsin ESPN/ESPN2
10/18 Indiana @ Illinois BTN
10/25 Penn St @ Ohio St ABC/ESPN/ESPN2
11/1 none
11/18 none
11/15 none
11/22 Iowa @ Minnesota BTN

So... it's possible some games might be added to the BTN broadcast windows to "split" them. Though I would think we'd hear about it soon given how the Big Ten likes to set up all evening games in advance of the season. I doubt the November evenings will be used based on what has already been noted about them prefering not to have evening games in the cold of November.

Given that in week #1, we see a BTN game going against a primetime ABC game that is not a Big Ten home game, it seems that perhaps the Big Ten is simply restricted from using that window only if ABC is having a Big Ten hosted game. That makes me wonder if the BTN will add a night game on 9/13 against the tOSU at USC game -- perhaps not, even if they were allowed, simply because that game will likely suck away most any potential viewers anyway.

 

[Madison Hawk]

8/30 Northern Ill @ Minnesota BTN
Michigan St @ Cal ABC

Also, Illinois vs. Missouri on ESPN that night.

So... it's possible some games might be added to the BTN broadcast windows to "split" them. Though I would think we'd hear about it soon given how the Big Ten likes to set up all evening games in advance of the season. I doubt the November evenings will be used based on what has already been noted about them prefering not to have evening games in the cold of November.

Given that in week #1, we see a BTN game going against a primetime ABC game that is not a Big Ten home game, it seems that perhaps the Big Ten is simply restricted from using that window only if ABC is having a Big Ten hosted game. That makes me wonder if the BTN will add a night game on 9/13 against the tOSU at USC game -- perhaps not, even if they were allowed, simply because that game will likely suck away most any potential viewers anyway.

Good predictions. I believe that the BTN will add additional prime time slots in the early weeks to minimize conflicts. Likely candidates include:

Aug 30: Syracuse vs. Northestern
Sept 6: Marshall vs. Wisconsin
Sept 13: Central Michigan vs. Purdue or Florida Atlantic vs. Michigan St.

Also, I am very surprised that ABC/ESPN is not showing a Big Ten game on September 20. Either Oregon vs. Purdue or Notre Dame vs. Michigan State appear to be great matchups. One game will likely go in the 3:30 ET slot on ABC, but the other is still without a home. ABC is showing Georgia vs. Arizona State. Even if they wanted to have that game as a national game rather than a regional split, ESPN or ESPN2 would be a great prime time slot for either of the Big Ten games.

The Big Ten should announce its schedule for the first three weeks of the season within the next week or two.

 

[mattsarz]

I think there's a chance Syracuse-Northwestern ends up on ESPN2 at noon. Utah-Michigan is expected to be on ABC at 3:30pm and USC-Virginia has already been noted as a reverse mirror game. The Big Ten is the only conference that ESPN is waiting on for cable telecasts.

Remember that Illinois vs. Missouri is considered a Big 12 telecast this year.

September 20th is outside the 1st three weeks of the season, so they haven't made any decisions about that date yet.

The PAC-10 and Big 12 are taking their time re: their FSN/Versus selections, but someone found productions crew schedules for both and they look like this for FSN:

12 games for PAC-10, one time slot might be up in the air or missing
8/30 Washington at Oregon
9/6 BYU at Washington
9/20 Arizona at UCLA
10/11 12-day
10/18 USC at Washington St.
10/25 12-day
11/1 12-day
11/8 12-day
11/15 12-day
11/22 Stanford at Cal & Washington at Washington St.
12/6 Arizona at Arizona St. or Washington at Cal

I think that would guarantee that the Oregon-Oregon St. game would belong to Versus.

16 games for the Big 12
8/28 Wake Forest at Baylor
8/31 Colorado St. vs. Colorado
9/6 Louisiana Tech at Kansas
9/13 Washington St. at Baylor
9/20 12-day
9/27 12-day
10/4 12-day (2 games)
10/11 12-day
10/18 12-day
10/25 12-day (2 games)
11/1 12-day
11/8 12-day
11/15 Nebraska at Kansas St.
11/29 Missouri vs. Kansas