Yup, BTN announces it’ll have 15 games in the first three week of the college football season, including two tripleheaders in that period. Let’s take a look at what it will air.
BTN TO AIR 15 FOOTBALL GAMES DURING FIRST THREE WEEKENDS
Network to air first-ever college football tripleheaders on Sept. 10 and 17
CHICAGO – BTN will air 15 Big Ten games during the first three weekends of the 2011 college football calendar, highlighted by the network’s first-ever college football tripleheaders on Sept. 10 and 17.
New in 2011, the Big Ten Conference has greater flexibility to schedule its football games throughout the day.
“The ability to schedule games with greater flexibility will enable Big Ten fans to catch more Big Ten football than ever before,” BTN President Mark Silverman said. “Airing consecutive games instead of having four to five on at once will create a much better experience for our viewers.”
BTN will kick off its football schedule with Michigan State, the defending conference tri-champion, hosting Youngstown State. The action kicks into high gear on Saturday with four games, including the season openers for Illinois, Iowa, Penn State and Purdue.
Eight of the conference’s 12 teams will play their home openers on BTN during first two weekends in September.
Every BTN football game telecast will once again be surrounded by Big Ten Football Saturday, the network’s pre-game, halftime and post-game show hosted by Dave Revsine and analysts Gerry DiNardo and Howard Griffith.
The Big Ten and its television partners will announce the remaining matchups and game times either six or 12 days before each game.
Overall, BTN will televise between 40 and 45 football games this fall.
When BTN is producing simultaneous football games, the network will split the feeds to allow Big Ten fans to watch the game with the most regional interest. In addition, cable and satellite providers will be able to carry the additional games via “Extra Football Game Channels.” Each week, fans can check local listings, their on-screen channel guide or www.BTN.com/channelfinder to find channel assignments for specific games.
Below is the 2011 BTN football schedule, including the previously announced primetime games. All times Eastern.
Friday, September 2
7:30 pm — Youngstown State at Michigan StateSaturday, September 3
12:00 pm — Indiana State at Penn State
12:00 pm — Tennessee Tech at Iowa
12:00 pm — Middle Tennessee State at Purdue
3:30 pm — Arkansas State at IllinoisSaturday, September 10
12:00 pm — Toledo at Ohio State
12:00 pm — South Dakota at Illinois
3:30 pm — Eastern Illinois at Northwestern
3:30 pm — New Mexico State at Minnesota
7:00 pm — Virginia at IndianaSaturday, September 17
12:00 pm — Eastern Michigan at Michigan
12:00 pm — Southeast Missouri State at Purdue
3:30 pm — Miami, Ohio at Minnesota
3:30 pm — South Carolina State at Indiana
7:00 pm — Arizona State at IllinoisSaturday, September 24
7:00 pm — North Dakota State at Minnesota
Additional Games – TBDSaturday, October 1
Additional Games – TBDSaturday, October 8
7:00 pm — Michigan at Northwestern
Additional Games – TBDSaturday, October 15
7:00 pm — Northwestern at Iowa
Additional Games – TBDSaturday, October 22
7:00 pm — Penn State at Northwestern
Additional Games – TBDSaturday, October 29
Additional Games – TBDSaturday, November 5
Additional Games – TBDSaturday, November 12
Additional Games – TBDSaturday, November 19
Additional Games – TBDSaturday, November 26
Additional Games – TBD
That’s all
