The Big Ten has announced their early season 2021 football TV schedule, which features 37 games set for broadcast on Big Ten Network and the ESPN and FOX networks.
The schedule kicks off in Week Zero on Saturday, Aug. 28, 2021 with the Nebraska Cornhuskers taking on the Illinois Fighting Illini in Champaign, Ill. The game will be televised by FOX at 1pm ET.
On Thursday, Sept. 2, two Big Ten teams will be in action. Rutgers will host Temple (6:30pm ET, BTN), while Minnesota will host Ohio (8pm ET, FOX). The remaining conference members hit the gridiron on Saturday, Sept. 4 (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State, Purdue, and Wisconsin).
The Big Ten also announced Homecoming dates for all 14 member schools.
The 2021 Big Ten Championship Game is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 4 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. The game will be televised by FOX at 8pm ET.
Listed below are the early season Big Ten games that have been selected for television as of May 27, plus several games from Week 4 onward.
All remaining Big Ten controlled football games in 2021 will be announced six-to-12 days prior to the date of the game.
Big Ten 2021 Football TV Schedule
*All times Eastern.
Saturday, Aug. 28
Nebraska at Illinois – 1pm, FOX
Thursday, Sept. 2
Temple at Rutgers – 6:30pm, BTN
Ohio State at Minnesota – 8pm, FOX
Friday, Sept. 3
Michigan State at Northwestern – 9pm, ESPN
Saturday, Sept. 4
Western Michigan at Michigan – 12pm, ESPN
Fordham at Nebraska – 12pm, BTN
Penn State at Wisconsin – 12pm, FOX
Indiana at Iowa – 3:30pm, BTN
West Virginia at Maryland – 3:30pm, ESPN
Oregon State at Purdue – 7pm, FS1
UTSA at Illinois – 7:30pm, ET – BTN
Saturday, Sept. 11
Illinois at Virginia – 11am, ACCN
Youngstown State at Michigan State – 12pm, BTN
Miami (OH) at Minnesota – 12pm, ESPNU
Indiana State at Northwestern – 12pm, BTN
Oregon at Ohio State – 12pm, FOX
Rutgers at Syracuse – 2pm, ACCN
Purdue at UConn – 3pm, CBSSN
Iowa at Iowa State – 3:30pm, ABC
Buffalo at Nebraska – 3:30pm, BTN
Ball State at Penn State – 3:30pm, FS1
Eastern Michigan at Wisconsin – 7pm, FS1
Idaho at Indiana – 7:30pm, BTN
Howard at Maryland – 7:30pm, BTN
Washington at Michigan – 7:30pm, ABC
Friday, Sept. 17
Maryland at Illinois – 9pm, FS1
Saturday, Sept. 18
Cincinnati at Indiana – 12pm, ABC or ESPN
Northern Illinois at Michigan – 12pm, BTN
Michigan State at Miami (FL) – 12pm, ABC or ESPN
Nebraska at Oklahoma – 12pm, FOX
Minnesota at Colorado – 1pm, Pac-12N
Purdue at Notre Dame – 2:30pm, NBC
Kent State at Iowa – 3:30pm, BTN
Tulsa at Ohio State – 3:30pm, FS1
Delaware at Rutgers – 3:30pm, BTN
Northwestern at Duke – 4pm, ACCN
Auburn at Penn State – 7:30pm, ABC
Saturday, Sept. 25
Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin – 12pm, FOX
Bowling Green at Minnesota – 12pm, ESPN network TBD (HC)
Rutgers at Michigan – 3:30pm, TV TBD (HC)
Indiana at WKU – 8pm, CBSSN
Friday, Oct. 1
Iowa at Maryland – 8pm, FS1
Saturday, Oct. 2
Minnesota at Purdue – 12pm, TV TBD (HC)
Northwestern at Nebraska – 7:30pm, TV TBD (HC)
WKU at Michigan State – 7:30pm, TV TBD (HC)
Saturday, Oct. 9
Maryland at Ohio State – 12pm, TV TBD (HC)
Michigan State at Rutgers – 12pm, TV TBD (HC)
Wisconsin at Illinois – 3:30 or 4pm, TV TBD (HC)
Penn State at Iowa – TBD – FOX or FS1
Saturday, Oct. 16
Michigan State at Indiana – 12pm, TV TBD (HC)
Rutgers at Northwestern – 12pm, TV TBD (HC)
Purdue at Iowa – 3:30pm, TV TBD (HC)
Saturday, Oct. 23
Illinois at Penn State – 12pm, TV TBD (HC)
Saturday, Oct. 30
Iowa at Wisconsin – 12pm, TV TBD (HC)
Indiana at Maryland – 12pm, TV TBD (HC)
Saturday, Nov. 20
Nebraska at Wisconsin – TBD, ESPN network TBD
Friday, Nov. 26
Iowa at Nebraska – 1:30pm, BTN
Saturday, Nov. 27
Ohio State at Michigan – 12pm, FOX
Saturday, Dec. 4
Big Ten Football Championship Game – 8pm, FOX
Lucas Oils Stadium – Indianapolis, IN
* (HC) = Homecoming
Football Schedules
OSU-Michigan needs to be at night.