April 15, 2009
The Big Ten Conference office released the game times and television plans for 14 home football contests today to appear during prime time on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or the Big Ten Network. The prime-time schedule will include three games each for Illinois, Indiana and Iowa and a pair of outings each for Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State and Penn State.
Illinois' season-opening State Farm Arch Rivalry game against Missouri at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis will start at 2:40 p.m. CT Sept. 5 and will be televised by ESPN. A week later, the Fighting Illini will host Illinois State on the Big Ten Network at 6 p.m. CT. Illinois' Big Ten battle at Indiana Oct. 17 will also start at 6 p.m. CT; it will be shown on the Big Ten Network as well.
The non-conference home schedule will hit prime time with three contests the opening week of the year, beginning with a Thursday night matchup between Indiana and Eastern Kentucky to kick off the 2009 campaign on Sept. 3 at 7 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network. Two prime-time tilts will be featured on the opening Saturday, Sept. 5, with the Illini taking on Mizzou and Wisconsin hosting Northern Illinois at 6 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network.
The Big Ten Network will feature a pair of contests to kick off at 6 p.m. CT on the second Saturday of non-conference play. The Illini host Illinois State and Minnesota takes on Air Force in the first game at the Gophers' new TCF Bank Stadium Sept. 12. Also that evening, four-time defending Big Ten Champion Ohio State and USC will square off at Ohio Stadium at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN.
The Big Ten schedule begins Saturday, Sept. 26, with Iowa hitting the road to face Penn State, The Iowa-Penn State contest will be played at 7 p.m. CT on ABC or ESPN. The conference's final non-conference prime-time game will also take place that night when Purdue hosts Notre Dame at 7 p.m. CT on ABC or ESPN.
The month of October will feature six prime-time outings, including four games on the Big Ten Network, one contest on ABC or ESPN and another matchup on ESPN or ESPN2. The complete prime-time schedule for the 2009 campaign appears below.
The Big Ten will hold the 2009 Football Media Days and 38th annual Kickoff Luncheon on Monday and Tuesday, July 27-28, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, featuring all 11 head coaches and some of the conference's top returning players. The 114th season of Big Ten football kicks off beginning with every team in action on Sept. 3 or 5.
2009 BIG TEN PRIME-TIME FOOTBALL GAMES
| Sept. 3 | Eastern Kentucky at INDIANA, 7 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network |
| Sept. 5 | Missouri vs. ILLINOIS, 2:40 p.m. CT, ESPN
Northern Illinois at WISCONSIN, 6 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network | |
| Sept. 12 | Illinois State at ILLINOIS, 6 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network
Air Force at MINNESOTA, 6 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network
USC at OHIO STATE, 7 p.m. CT, ESPN |
| Sept. 26 | IOWA at PENN STATE, 7 p.m. CT, ABC/ESPN
Notre Dame at PURDUE, 7 p.m. CT, ABC/ESPN | |
| Oct. 3 | OHIO STATE at INDIANA, 6 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network |
| Oct. 10 | MICHIGAN at IOWA, 7 p.m. CT, ABC/ESPN |
| Oct. 17 | ILLINOIS at INDIANA, 6 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network |
| Oct. 24 | IOWA at MICHIGAN STATE, 6 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network |
| Oct. 31 | MICHIGAN STATE at MINNESOTA, 7 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network
PENN STATE at NORTHWESTERN, 3:30 p.m. CT, ESPN/ESPN2 |
