By Staff
PARK RIDGE, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference office released the game times and television plans for every home non-conference contest during the first four weekends of the 2008 football season.
The 2008 pre-conference schedule will feature 30 home matchups televised by ABC, ESPN, ESPN2 or the Big Ten Network, beginning with eight contests on Saturday, August 30.
The Big Ten is in the midst of a series of milestone media agreements which provide the conference with its greatest television exposure ever. During the 2007 football season, the Big Ten's media agreements resulted in the broadcast of every home game for the first time and nearly every contest was available on a national basis.
In addition, all regional afternoon football games aired on ABC will also appear on ESPN or ESPN2 in outer-markets, making those games nationally available. Remaining television selections beginning Sept. 27 and continuing through the end of the season will be made six or 12 days in advance of the game.
The complete list of television games announced today appears below.
Saturday, Aug. 30
Western Kentucky at Indiana, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Maine at Iowa, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Syracuse at Northwestern, ESPN or ESPN2, 12 p.m.
Youngstown State at Ohio State, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Coastal Carolina at Penn State, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Akron at Wisconsin, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Utah at Michigan, ABC, 3:30 p.m.
Northern Illinois at Minnesota, Big Ten Network, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 6
Eastern Illinois at Illinois, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Florida International at Iowa, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Miami (Ohio) at Michigan, ESPN or ESPN2, 12 p.m.
Eastern Michigan at Michigan State, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Ohio at Ohio State, ESPN or ESPN2, 12 p.m.
Northern Colorado at Purdue, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Marshall at Wisconsin, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Oregon State at Penn State, ABC, 3:30 p.m.
Murray State at Indiana, Big Ten Network, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 13
Louisiana-Lafayette at Illinois, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Iowa State at Iowa, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Florida Atlantic at Michigan State, ESPN or ESPN2, 12 p.m.
Montana State at Minnesota, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m
Southern Illinois at Northwestern, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Oregon at Purdue, ABC, 3:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 20
Florida Atlantic at Minnesota, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Ohio at Northwestern, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Troy at Ohio State, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Temple at Penn State, Big Ten Network, 12:00 p.m.
Central Michigan at Purdue, Big Ten Network, 12 p.m.
Notre Dame at Michigan State, ABC, 3:30 p.m.
Ball State at Indiana, Big Ten Network, 7 p.m.