Weeks 0-3 (And Other Special Games) Kickoff Times Release (Thursday 5/29)

[Seaofred92]

Tomorrow, weeks 0-3 will have confirmed TV networks and kickoff times announced for most all of FBS, along with “special” games like NU/Cockeye on Black Friday, any non-Saturday games, and homecoming. We get closer and closer every day to the start of the season.

What guesses do you have for NU?

Currently Known Kickoff Times (Will be updated upon release):

Week 1: Cincinnati (Kansas City, MO) - 9:00pm ESPN

Week 2: Akron - TBD

Week 3: Houston Christian - TBD

Predictions:

The Athletic Predictions: Weeks 1-3 B1G Friday Night Games

Matt Sarz Predictions: Weeks 0 + 1 Week 2 Week 3

 

[Seaofred92]

One additional item to note - NU historically prefers the home non-conference games to be at night in order to maximize the number of OVs the can have at a game for incoming recruits. Doesn’t mean they’ll always get the later kickoffs but even 3:30 or 4:00pm ET goes a long way towards it.

Also, Homecoming is October 4th v Michigan State. It’s not a tremendous B1G slate that day, with the biggest games being Wisconsin @ Michigan, Penn State @ UCLA, and Minnesota @ Ohio State. NU has say in the kickoff time for homecoming (as does every B1G school) but these games tend to be in the afternoon. My guess is they’d prefer this to start at 3:30 or 4:00pm ET.

 

[BIGSTICK67]

Need to get @Cornicator ITT

 

[BradWesley]

One additional item to note - NU historically prefers the home non-conference games to be at night in order to maximize the number of OVs the can have at a game for incoming recruits. Doesn’t mean they’ll always get the later kickoffs but even 3:30 or 4:00pm ET goes a long way towards it.

Also, Homecoming is October 4th v Michigan State. It’s not a tremendous B1G slate that day, with the biggest games being Wisconsin @ Michigan, Penn State @ UCLA, and Minnesota @ Ohio State. NU has say in the kickoff time for homecoming (as does every B1G school) but these games tend to be in the afternoon. My guess is they’d prefer this to start at 3:30 or 4:00pm ET.

We’re almost there.

 

[Cornicator]

Need to get @Cornicator ITT

I think the home opener vs. Akron will be a 2:30 game. Houston Christian will probably a night game on BTN. In the link above from the Athletic, they predicted the Akron game will be at 11 am. Maybe they know something the rest of us don't. However, the Big Ten has been pretty consistent about East Coast Non con games vs G5 or FCS opponents get played at 11 am CT, thus usually taking away all those TV time slots first.

That whole week is terrible. Look at all the Eastern time zone games:

FIU at Penn State
Kennesaw State at Indiana
Grambling at Ohio State
Miami (OH) at Rutgers
SIU at Purdue
Northern Illinois at Maryland

Then check out the terrible Central Time Zone games in week 2:

Akron at Nebraska
Northwestern State at Minnesota
Western Illinois at Northwestern
Middle Tenn at Wisconsin

These are the top Big Ten games that week:

Boston College at Michigan State - probably 2:30 on CBS
Oklahoma State at Oregon - likely NBC Game
Cockeye at Cockeye State - 11 am FOX Game

 

[Seaofred92]

I think the home opener vs. Akron will be a 2:30 game. Houston Christian will probably a night game on BTN. In the link above from the Athletic, they predicted the Akron game will be at 11 am. Maybe they know something the rest of us don't. However, the Big Ten has been pretty consistent about East Coast Non con games vs G5 or FCS opponents get played at 11 am CT, thus usually taking away all those TV time slots first.

That whole week is terrible. Look at all the Eastern time zone games:

FIU at Penn State
Kennesaw State at Indiana
Grambling at Ohio State
Miami (OH) at Rutgers
SIU at Purdue
Northern Illinois at Maryland

Then check out the terrible Central Time Zone games in week 2:

Akron at Nebraska
Northwestern State at Minnesota
Western Illinois at Northwestern
Middle Tenn at Wisconsin

These are the top Big Ten games that week:

Boston College at Michigan State - probably 2:30 on CBS
Oklahoma State at Oregon - likely NBC Game
Cockeye at Cockeye State - 11 am FOX Game

Just a FYI, my understanding is Big Noon is now “B1G Noon” aka Big Ten controlled games (where a B1G team is the home team) will always go on that slot. So Cockeye @ Cockeye State wouldn’t be Big Noon, but rather likely 4pm ET on FOX with a B1G game leading into it which is why Dochterman has FIU @ Penn State as Big Noon Saturday

Each Big Ten team also has to have 1 non-conference and 1 conference game on BTN. Grambling @ Ohio State feels like an easy night game on BTN selection given the stink they’ve made about not having night games and BTN wanting to maximize their primetime window

Week 2 Big Noon will likely be FIU @ Penn State or Akron @ Nebraska, depending on which of PSU v FIU or PSU v Villanova becomes their BTN game (feels like the other is likely to wind up on FS1). Penn State v Villanova week 3 feels like the more natural pick to go on BTN, but a lot will depend on the selection order for this week and week 3 (unlikely FOX has the top pick in week 2).

 

[JerryBones5]

Michigan at 2:30 and Cockeye at 11:00. FML

 

[Cornicator]

Just a FYI, my understanding is Big Noon is now “B1G Noon” aka Big Ten controlled games (where a B1G team is the home team) will always go on that slot. So Cockeye @ Cockeye State wouldn’t be Big Noon, but rather likely 4pm ET on FOX with a B1G game leading into it which is why Dochterman has FIU @ Penn State as Big Noon Saturday

Each Big Ten team also has to have 1 non-conference and 1 conference game on BTN. Grambling @ Ohio State feels like an easy night game on BTN selection given the stink they’ve made about not having night games and BTN wanting to maximize their primetime window

Week 2 Big Noon will likely be FIU @ Penn State or Akron @ Nebraska, depending on which of PSU v FIU or PSU v Villanova becomes their BTN game (feels like the other is likely to wind up on FS1). Penn State v Villanova week 3 feels like the more natural pick to go on BTN, but a lot will depend on the selection order for this week and week 3 (unlikely FOX has the top pick in week 2).

I don't think this is the case for 2025 at least.

 

[Seaofred92]

I don't think this is the case for 2025 at least.

Definitely could’ve changed as the TV deal details weren’t finalized until much later but when they did the press release FootballScoop had reported starting this year it was supposed to be a B1G exclusive window


Regardless, very fired up Michigan is 2:30 on CBS

 

[vailhusker]

 

[vailhusker]

 

[Pipe Line]

What an absolute atrocity for that Michigan game to be in the afternoon.

 

[Cornicator]

What an absolute atrocity for that Michigan game to be in the afternoon.

Why?

 

[JerryBones5]

What an absolute atrocity for that Michigan game to be in the afternoon.

With alcohol now sold in the stadiums I think the 2:30 games are gonna get a little more rowdy than what they usually were.

 

[Kazman5k]

The first game at 6:30 has drunk fest written all over it. People are gonna tailgate like their used to then keep the party rolling in the stadium