Earlier this week, the Big Ten Network announced its primetime football schedule. If you missed it, I have the entire schedule for you. It’s listed below.
Big Ten Network Announces 2011 Primetime Football Slate
Eight Big Ten teams will play night games on Big Ten Network this fall
CHICAGO – A trio of October conference games involving Iowa, Michigan, Northwestern and Penn State, a Friday night season opener at Spartan Stadium and non-conference matchups against ACC and Pac-12 foes highlight the 2011 primetime football schedule on the Big Ten Network. Five of the seven games involve 2010 bowl teams.
“We’re very excited about our primetime schedule and think it’s the strongest we’ve ever had,” Big Ten Network President Mark Silverman said. “There’s always extra electricity in the air for Big Ten night games, and we have some top-quality matchups.”
In all, the network will televise more than 40 games this fall. Start times and television arrangements for other early-season games, including the possibility of other prime time games, will be announced at a later date.
2011 BIG TEN NETWORK PRIMETIME SCHEDULE
Sept. 2, 7:30pm ET Youngstown State at Michigan State
This game will mark just the 10th night game in the 88-year history of Spartan Stadium, and the first since last year’s thrilling and memorable overtime victory against Notre Dame. It will be the first-ever meeting between the Spartans and the Penguins.Sept. 10, 7pm ET Virginia at Indiana
First-year Indiana coach Kevin Wilson will make his Memorial Stadium debut under the lights. The teams met two years ago in Charlottesville, but it will be the first time that Indiana has hosted an ACC team in Bloomington since 2000.Sept. 17, 7pm ET Arizona State at Illinois
The Fighting Illini will play the Sun Devils in Champaign for the first time since 1987, and for only the third time in history. Arizona State will be the first Pac-10/Pac-12 team to visit Memorial Stadium since 1994.Sept. 24, 7pm ET North Dakota State at Minnesota
Jerry Kill will coach his first home night game as Minnesota’s head coach, but it won’t be his first night game at TCF Bank Stadium. Kill’s Northern Illinois won at Minnesota 34-23 almost a year ago to the day, on Sept. 25, 2010. It will be North Dakota State’s first visit to TCF Bank Stadium.Oct. 8, 7pm ET Michigan at Northwestern
The game will mark just the 13th night game in Northwestern’s home stadium history. The primetime contest will be played almost 76 years to the date of the first-ever night game in Big Ten history, when Northwestern hosted Purdue on Oct. 5, 1935, in Evanston.Oct. 15, 7pm ET Northwestern at Iowa
Iowa will host only its sixth primetime game ever at Kinnick Stadium, and first against Northwestern. The Hawkeyes are 3-2 all-time under the lights in Iowa City, but Northwestern has won the last three meetings at Kinnick Stadium (2006, 2008 and 2009).Oct. 22, 7pm ET Penn State at Northwestern
In last year’s meeting at Beaver Stadium, the Nittany Lions overcame a three-touchdown deficit and Joe Paterno became the first major college coach to earn 400 career victories. Penn State is one of only two Big Ten teams that are undefeated against a Pat Fitzgerald-coached team.
That’s it.
