Indiana Football Opener at Wisconsin Moved to Friday

Indiana has a huge conference game as its season opener in 2020, and the league has moved it up a day to Friday, Sept. 4 in a likely national TV window.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — If you thought waiting another 240 days for an Indiana football game was too much, here's some good news: You only have to wait 239 days now.

Indiana announced that the season opener at Wisconsin, one of the most interesting season kickoffs in years, has been moved up a day to Friday, Sept. 4, The start time and TV network are yet to be determined, but it's likely to be a primetime national slot with plenty of eyeballs on it.

The opener features an Indiana team that went 8-5 this year, winning eight games for the first time since 1993 and being ranked for the first time in 25-plus years. Wisconsin finished 11-4, winning the Big Ten West for the fourth time in six years. The Badgers lost in twice to Ohio State and then lost in the Rose Bowl to Oregon.

Both teams are expecting big things in 2020. Indiana has the vast majority of its starters returning, especially at all the skill positions. Wisconsin is losing a lot, most notably running back Jonathan Taylor, but they have plenty coming back as well.

The opening weekend of the college football season has become something of a five-day football celebration, with games on Thursday and Friday nights, games all day Saturday, and a matchup or two on Sunday and Monday night as well. The is Labor Day weekend, the the NFL regular season doesn't start until the following weekend, so it's big national spotlight window for the Big Ten and all of college football. 

There are two other conference games that opening weekend as well. Northwestern is at Michigan State and Purdue will open at Nebraska. 

Indiana will also open the 2021 season with a conference game on the road, traveling to  Iowa. That opening weekend also includes Michigan State at Northwestern, Ohio State at Minnesota and Penn State at Wisconsin two years from now.