Scheduling Night Games in the Big Ten

[Seabee Tim]

It wasn't until 2006 that OSU moved the Michigan game to 3:30 and that was strictly at the urging of the networks. Michigan vowed never to move The Game to 3:30 when played in Ann Arbor, but I can double d guarantee you that if ABC said play it at 3:30 or 7 -- it's an offer you can't refuse, they'd say, yes sir, get the lights in and they'd kick off at 3:30 or 7.

I seriously (seriously) doubt we will ever see The Game played at night. That's an emotionally intense enough rivalry as it is. Play it at night, and things will catch on fire, regardless of where it's played.

 

[woofermazing]

I seriously (seriously) doubt we will ever see The Game played at night. That's an emotionally intense enough rivalry as it is. Play it at night, and things will catch on fire, regardless of where it's played.

There's also a Big Ten rule prohibiting night games in November due to the weather and fan safety.

 

[gracelhink]

Wisconsin is 25-3 in their last 28 home night games. I can't find a road night game state, but then again I can't remember them playing a road night game recently anyways.

Also, the Wisconsin game will be in November next time we go to Randall, so they can suck it.

I hope we get to play them in the shoe at night next year, that is such a big game now. We will be out for blood.

Not a B10 game but, Badgers played at 10 pm at UNLV this year.

 

[Seabee Tim]

There's also a Big Ten rule prohibiting night games in November due to the weather and fan safety.

Yah, and that..:tongue2:

 

[cincibuck]

There's also a Big Ten rule prohibiting night games in November due to the weather and fan safety.

And the Big 10 wasn't going to schedule games after the third weekend in November, or have a CCG, or open on a Thursday night.

Money has a way of changing things.

 

[Diego-Bucks]

Not a B10 game but, Badgers played at 10 pm at UNLV this year.

Vegas in September isn't dark until 9 pm. They played it that late to escape the heat. And also, Vegas is on West coast time.

 

[gracelhink]

Vegas in September isn't dark until 9 pm. They played it that late to escape the heat. And also, Vegas is on West coast time.

The presenting issue seems to be the perceived hypocrisy of Wisconsin refusing to play night games on the road.
Woofermazing commented:

I can't find a road night game state, but then again I can't remember them playing a road night game recently anyways.

I don't mean to belabor the point but the Sept 4, UNLV vs. UW start was actually at 8 pm west coast time, finished at 11 pm, (97 degrees at kickoff).
You are on the west coast so you probably know more about the darkness and maybe an 8 pm start and 11 pm finish would not be considered a night game in Vegas.
The OSU at Wisconsin game started at 6 pm cdt, finished at 9 pm.

 

[jwinslow]

This stems from Bielema vowing to not play in any night road games (in the b10?), yet always scheduling big home night games.

However, that game was definitely at night:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GpWPpkuLquQ"]YouTube - Wisconsin @ UNLV Highlights[/ame]

 

[jlb1705]

Everybody knows you don't just go to Sam Boyd Stadium at night and walk out with a win.

 

[cjmik_75]

Scheduling night games in the Big Ten....hence the title.

Find a Wisconsin night game on the road vs a Big Ten opponent. I'm interested.


10-16-04 @ West Lafayette (5:30pm ET) 20-17 win

9-27-03 @ Champaign (6:00pm ET) 38-20 win

10-26-02 @ East Lansing (7:05pm ET) 42-24 win

wow! so really they've only been puusies for the last 6 years...

 

[gracelhink]

Scheduling night games in the Big Ten....hence the title.

Find a Wisconsin night game on the road vs a Big Ten opponent. I'm interested.

According to the UW official website
UW Big Ten games on the road at night 2003-2010 --None

 

[woofermazing]

Scheduling night games in the Big Ten....hence the title.

Find a Wisconsin night game on the road vs a Big Ten opponent. I'm interested.


10-16-04 @ West Lafayette (5:30pm ET) 20-17 win

9-27-03 @ Champaign (6:00pm ET) 38-20 win

10-26-02 @ East Lansing (7:05pm ET) 42-24 win

wow! so really they've only been puusies for the last 6 years...

Well... the 04 and 03 games were central, so the start time was 4:30 and 5:00 respectively. A real mans night game starts after the sun goes down. :tongue2:

 

[BigAppleBucky]

Does the team hosting a Big Ten in-conference game get to set the game time, with the provision that there are no night games in the Big Ten in November? I've always been curious, because it seems that OSU plays a huge percentage of its road Big Ten games in September and October at night.

For example,

- Wisconsin -- the last three times OSU has played in Madison (in 2003, 2008 and 2010), all three have been night games.

- Minnesota -- the last two times OSU has played in Minneapolis (2007 and 2010), both have been night games.

- Penn State -- the last time OSU played at Penn State and the game was not in November (2007), it was a night game.

- Iowa -- the last time OSU played at Iowa (2006), it was a night game.

This can't be a coincidence. Just wondering if anyone knows what the Big Ten rule is.

EDIT--mods, merge this if appropriate. I didn't see any other thread in which this should be posted.

As others have suggested, this is TV driven. Once the league schedule is out (dates/ teams - not times) the network requests some night games. In June, or whenever, some of the best looking games would be OSU at Wisconsin and Iowa and Wisconsin at Iowa. ESPN chose the earliest scheduled game for a night game. I believe the decision to schedule that game at night then had to be approved by both Wisconsin and the league office.


BUT(!!) had Wisconsin requested that the game be played at night in, say, September, then the Ohio State Athletic Department would be free to veto the idea.

I forget the school, but the Badgers wanted to switch a day game to night a couple of years ago (I think it was Penn State) and we were turned down by Paterno.

This year Wisconsin played at night at UNLV, last year at Hawaii, and two years ago at Fresno State we played other night games. Four or five years ago we played a night white out game against Penn State. Got killed too.

We have played about one night home game a year, usually against a Big Ten team.

I don't recall too many night games at the Shoe. USC and Texas, maybe?

 

[cjmik_75]

Well... the 04 and 03 games were central, so the start time was 4:30 and 5:00 respectively. A real mans night game starts after the sun goes down. :tongue2:

I know, I thought that was cute too.

Bunch a tough guys up in madison...fuckin pussy mother fuckers FUCK BUCKY!!!

 

[Fungo Squiggly]

As others have suggested, this is TV driven. Once the league schedule is out (dates/ teams - not times) the network requests some night games. In June, or whenever, some of the best looking games would be OSU at Wisconsin and Iowa and Wisconsin at Iowa. ESPN chose the earliest scheduled game for a night game. I believe the decision to schedule that game at night then had to be approved by both Wisconsin and the league office.


BUT(!!) had Wisconsin requested that the game be played at night in, say, September, then the Ohio State Athletic Department would be free to veto the idea.

I forget the school, but the Badgers wanted to switch a day game to night a couple of years ago (I think it was Penn State) and we were turned down by Paterno.

This year Wisconsin played at night at UNLV, last year at Hawaii, and two years ago at Fresno State we played other night games. Four or five years ago we played a night white out game against Penn State. Got killed too.

We have played about one night home game a year, usually against a Big Ten team.

I don't recall too many night games at the Shoe. USC and Texas, maybe?

Just off the top of my head....I'm almost certain I'm missing some...

USC - 2009
Penn State - 2008
Texas - 2005
Washington - 2003
NW - 2001
UCLA - 2000