The Networks are currently selecting September games, homecoming games, and some other noteworthy "big games." We should all see an official announcement from the Big Ten on Monday or Tuesday of next week.
Here are some early predictions with rationale based on previous years. What's cool about the 2024 season and beyond is CBS has now added a weekly 3:30 Eastern kickoff for the Big Ten. This means the windows will fall like this:
Tier 1 - Fox Big Noon Kickoff, some CBS afternoon games, some NBC night games
Tier 2 - CBS afternoon games, NBC Night games, and Peacock Exclusive, FS1 night games and late night games
Tier 3 - FS1 afternoon and night games, some Peacock games, all other BTN games
FS1 and perhaps BTN will be adding some of the PAC 12 after dark kickoffs this season, at least for a few preseason games. There will also be a Friday night game each week on Fox or FS1. Its my understanding that Nebraska is one of 7 teams in the conference that have elected to NOT play any Big Ten HOME games on Friday nights. I do expect we will see at least 2 Big Ten road games on Friday nights this season.
So here are some predictions:
Week One (Only including Saturday's schedule) -
Fresno State @ Michigan - 11 am FOX
FIU @ Indiana - 11 am - BTN Alternate
Indiana State @ Purdue - 11 am BTN
Howard @ Rutgers - 11 am FS1
Illinois State @ Iowa - 2:30 FS1
Miami OH @ Northwestern - 2:30 BTN Alternate
Western Michigan @ Wisconsin - Peacock
Akron @ Ohio State - 2:30 CBS
UConn @ Maryland - 2:30 BTN
UTEP @ Nebraska - 6:00 or 6:30 FS1
Idaho @ Oregon - 7:00 pm BTN
Western Michigan @ Wisconsin - 7 pm NBC/Peacock
Weber State @ Washington - 9:00 or 9:30 FS1
Week Two - will likely see at least one game moved to a Friday night. I think BTN is going to try hard to get all the Pac 12 teams on early in the season.
Texas @ Michigan - 11 am FOX - Big Noon Kickoff
Rhode Island @ Minnesota - 11 am BTN alternate
Bowling Green @ Penn State - 11 am Peacock
Akron @ Rutgers - 11 am BTN
Michigan State @ Maryland - FS1
Boise State @ Oregon - CBS 2:30
South Dakota @ Wisconsin - BTN - BTN Alternate
Duke @ Northwestern - 2:30 - FS1
Iowa State @ Iowa - 2:30 Peacock
Western Michigan @ Ohio State - BTN
Kansas @ Illinois - 6:00 or 6:30 FS1
Colorado @ Nebraska - 6:30 - NBC
Eastern Michigan @ Washington - 6:30 FS1 or BTN
Utah State @ USC - 9:30 FS1 or BTN
Week Three:
Bama @ Wisconsin - 11 am Fox Big Noon Kickoff
Prairie View A&M @ Michigan State - 11 am BTN Alternate
Eastern Illinois @ Northwestern - 11 am BTN/BTN Alternate
Central Michigan @Illinois - 11 am Peacock
Northern Iowa @ Nebraska - 2:30 BTN
Arkansas State @ Michigan 2:30 CBS
Troy @ Iowa - 2:30 FS1
Notre Dame @ Purdue - 6:30 NBC
Nevada @ Minnesota - 6:30 FS1
Indiana @ UCLA - 7:00 PM BTN
Week Four:
USC @ Michigan - FOX Big Noon kickoff
Kent State @ Penn State - Peacock
Charlotte @ Indiana - BTN Alternate
Villanova @ Maryland - BTN
Iowa @ Minnesota - 2:30 CBS
Northwestern @ Washington - BTN
Illinois @ Nebraska - 6:30 NBC/Peacock
Marshall @ Ohio State - BTN
Week Five - I wouldn't be surprised if Nebraska plays on a Friday Night at Purdue
Week Six-
Iowa @ Ohio State - Fox Big Noon Kickoff
Indiana @ Northwestern - 11 am BTN
Purdue @ Wisconsin - 11 am FS1
UCLA @ Penn State - 2:30 BTN
USC @ Minnesota - 2:30 CBS
Rutgers @ Nebraska - 2:30 Peacock
Michigan @ Washington - 6:30 NBC
Michigan State @ Oregon - 7:00 PM BTN
Week Seven - Husker Bye
Week Eight- This will be an 11 am kick on BTN or another Friday night game at Indiana
Week Nine-
Nebraska @ Ohio State - Big Noon Kickoff
Weeks 10, thru 14 are too far out to make any legit prediction. However, I do think the UCLA could actually draw an evening kick off.
Here are some early predictions with rationale based on previous years. What's cool about the 2024 season and beyond is CBS has now added a weekly 3:30 Eastern kickoff for the Big Ten. This means the windows will fall like this:
Tier 1 - Fox Big Noon Kickoff, some CBS afternoon games, some NBC night games
Tier 2 - CBS afternoon games, NBC Night games, and Peacock Exclusive, FS1 night games and late night games
Tier 3 - FS1 afternoon and night games, some Peacock games, all other BTN games
FS1 and perhaps BTN will be adding some of the PAC 12 after dark kickoffs this season, at least for a few preseason games. There will also be a Friday night game each week on Fox or FS1. Its my understanding that Nebraska is one of 7 teams in the conference that have elected to NOT play any Big Ten HOME games on Friday nights. I do expect we will see at least 2 Big Ten road games on Friday nights this season.
So here are some predictions:
Week One (Only including Saturday's schedule) -
Fresno State @ Michigan - 11 am FOX
FIU @ Indiana - 11 am - BTN Alternate
Indiana State @ Purdue - 11 am BTN
Howard @ Rutgers - 11 am FS1
Illinois State @ Iowa - 2:30 FS1
Miami OH @ Northwestern - 2:30 BTN Alternate
Western Michigan @ Wisconsin - Peacock
Akron @ Ohio State - 2:30 CBS
UConn @ Maryland - 2:30 BTN
UTEP @ Nebraska - 6:00 or 6:30 FS1
Idaho @ Oregon - 7:00 pm BTN
Western Michigan @ Wisconsin - 7 pm NBC/Peacock
Weber State @ Washington - 9:00 or 9:30 FS1
Week Two - will likely see at least one game moved to a Friday night. I think BTN is going to try hard to get all the Pac 12 teams on early in the season.
Texas @ Michigan - 11 am FOX - Big Noon Kickoff
Rhode Island @ Minnesota - 11 am BTN alternate
Bowling Green @ Penn State - 11 am Peacock
Akron @ Rutgers - 11 am BTN
Michigan State @ Maryland - FS1
Boise State @ Oregon - CBS 2:30
South Dakota @ Wisconsin - BTN - BTN Alternate
Duke @ Northwestern - 2:30 - FS1
Iowa State @ Iowa - 2:30 Peacock
Western Michigan @ Ohio State - BTN
Kansas @ Illinois - 6:00 or 6:30 FS1
Colorado @ Nebraska - 6:30 - NBC
Eastern Michigan @ Washington - 6:30 FS1 or BTN
Utah State @ USC - 9:30 FS1 or BTN
Week Three:
Bama @ Wisconsin - 11 am Fox Big Noon Kickoff
Prairie View A&M @ Michigan State - 11 am BTN Alternate
Eastern Illinois @ Northwestern - 11 am BTN/BTN Alternate
Central Michigan @Illinois - 11 am Peacock
Northern Iowa @ Nebraska - 2:30 BTN
Arkansas State @ Michigan 2:30 CBS
Troy @ Iowa - 2:30 FS1
Notre Dame @ Purdue - 6:30 NBC
Nevada @ Minnesota - 6:30 FS1
Indiana @ UCLA - 7:00 PM BTN
Week Four:
USC @ Michigan - FOX Big Noon kickoff
Kent State @ Penn State - Peacock
Charlotte @ Indiana - BTN Alternate
Villanova @ Maryland - BTN
Iowa @ Minnesota - 2:30 CBS
Northwestern @ Washington - BTN
Illinois @ Nebraska - 6:30 NBC/Peacock
Marshall @ Ohio State - BTN
Week Five - I wouldn't be surprised if Nebraska plays on a Friday Night at Purdue
Week Six-
Iowa @ Ohio State - Fox Big Noon Kickoff
Indiana @ Northwestern - 11 am BTN
Purdue @ Wisconsin - 11 am FS1
UCLA @ Penn State - 2:30 BTN
USC @ Minnesota - 2:30 CBS
Rutgers @ Nebraska - 2:30 Peacock
Michigan @ Washington - 6:30 NBC
Michigan State @ Oregon - 7:00 PM BTN
Week Seven - Husker Bye
Week Eight- This will be an 11 am kick on BTN or another Friday night game at Indiana
Week Nine-
Nebraska @ Ohio State - Big Noon Kickoff
Weeks 10, thru 14 are too far out to make any legit prediction. However, I do think the UCLA could actually draw an evening kick off.
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