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Not Everyone Is Happy as Six Husker Football Games Get Kickoff Times

The 11 a.m. start in Norman for Nebraska-Oklahoma leaves the Sooners' athletic director 'bitterly disappointed.'

Joe Hudson

Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Planning for the fall football season just got a little easier. But not everyone is pleased.

The Huskers learned the start times for six of their games Thursday as part of an announcement by the Big Ten Conference and its television partners. The lineup is heavy on early kickoffs -- which are typically viewed as a slight by a good share of Husker fans. And even Oklahoma's athletic director has joined that chorus, expressing displeasure with the 11 a.m. CDT slot assigned to the Sept. 18 Husker-Sooner clash in Norman on Fox. 

"We are bitterly disappointed," Joe Castiglione tweeted, "that the great Oklahoma-Nebraska rivalry, on the 50th anniversary of the Game of the Century will kick off at 11 a.m. We tried every possible avenue to proactively make our case. ... However, in the end, our TV partner chose to exercise its full contractual rights and denied our requests."

Fox did throw the Sooners a bone by deciding to hold its "Big Noon Kickoff" pregame show in Norman the morning of the game.

Nebraska opens the season at Illinois on Aug. 28 on Fox with a kickoff at noon CDT. It's the Huskers' first season opener on the road since 1999 and is one of just five FBS games in Week Zero.

In home nonconference action, Nebraska will host Fordham on Sept. 4 with an 11 a.m. CDT start. The following Saturday, the Huskers face Buffalo in Lincoln with a 2:30 p.m. start. Both games will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

The Huskers’ Homecoming game against Northwestern on Oct. 2 will be under the lights. Kickoff will be at 6:30 p.m. CDT with the TV details to be determined.

Nebraska and Iowa will meet in their traditional Black Friday game. Kickoff in Lincoln will be at 12:30 p.m. CST with a BTN telecast.

Also, Nebraska’s Nov. 20 game at Wisconsin will be televised by one of the networks in the ESPN/ABC family. Kickoff time will be set later.

Game times and TV plans for Husker games not included in Thursday’s release will be announced six to 12 days in advance.

Time and/or TV info (all times Central)

  • Aug. 28: Nebraska at Illinois, Noon CT, Fox
  • Sept. 4: Fordham at Nebraska, 11 a.m., BTN
  • Sept. 11: Buffalo at Nebraska, 2:30 p.m., BTN
  • Sept. 18: Nebraska at Oklahoma, 11 a.m., Fox
  • Oct. 2: Northwestern at Nebraska, 6:30 p.m., TV TBD
  • Nov. 20: Nebraska at Wisconsin, Time TBD, ESPN/ABC TBD
  • Nov. 26: Iowa at Nebraska, 12:30 p.m., BTN

To be determined

  • Sept. 25: Nebraska at Michigan State
  • Oct. 9: Michigan at Nebraska
  • Oct. 16: Nebraska at Minnesota
  • Oct. 30: Purdue at Nebraska
  • Nov. 6: Ohio State at Nebraska

The Big Ten also announced its championship game will return to prime time with a 7 p.m. CST kickoff on Fox on Dec. 4.

Published
Joe Hudson
JOE HUDSON

Joe Hudson has operated a Husker-related website since 1995 and joined forces with David Max to form HuskerPedia (later renamed HuskerMax) in 1999. It began as a hobby during his 35 years as a newspaper editor and reporter, a career that included stints at the Lincoln Star, Omaha World-Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer and Denver Post. In Denver, Joe was chief of the copy desk during his final 16 years at the Post. He is proud to have been involved in Pulitzer Prize-winning projects in both Philadelphia and Denver. Joe has been a Nebraska football fan since the mid-1960s during his childhood in Omaha. He earned his bachelor of arts degree in journalism and economics at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 1976. He resides a few freeway exits north of Colorado Springs and enjoys bicycling and walking his dogs in his spare time. You can reach him at joeroyhud@outlook.com.

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