Big Ten football schedule 2022: Early season kickoff times, TV set

By Kevin Kelley -

The Big Ten football schedule 2022 early season kickoff times and TV slate has been announced, which features 40 games set for broadcast on the Big Ten Network and the ESPN and FOX networks.

The schedule kicks off in Week Zero on Saturday, Aug. 27 with a conference contest featuring the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Northwestern Wildcats. The two schools will square off at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland and the game will be televised by FOX at 12:30pm ET.

Also on Saturday, Aug. 27, the Illinois Fighting Illini host the Wyoming Cowboys and the game will be televised by the Big Ten Network at 4:00pm ET.

On Thursday, Sept. 1, two Big Ten teams will be in action. Purdue will host Penn State in a conference matchup (8pm ET, FOX), while Minnesota will host New Mexico State (9pm ET, BTN).

Three Big Ten teams open their seasons on Friday, Sept. 2. Michigan State hosts Western Michigan (7pm ET, ESPN), while Illinois travels to play Indiana in a conference contest (8pm ET, FS1).

The remaining conference members hit the gridiron on Saturday, Sept. 3 (Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Ohio State, Rutgers, and Wisconsin). The featured contest is Ohio State hosting Notre Dame at 7:30pm ET on ABC.

The Big Ten also announced Homecoming dates for all 14 member schools.

The 2022 Big Ten Championship Game is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 3 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 26, plus several games from Week 4 onward.

All remaining Big Ten controlled football games in 2022 will be announced six-to-12 days prior to the date of the game.

Big Ten football schedule: Early season 2022 kickoff times, TV

*All times Eastern.

Saturday, Aug. 27
Nebraska vs. Northwestern (in Ireland) – 12:30pm, FOX
Wyoming at Illinois – 4pm, BTN

Thursday, Sept. 1
Penn State at Purdue – 8pm, FOX
New Mexico State at Minnesota – 9pm, BTN

Friday, Sept. 2
Western Michigan at Michigan State – 7pm, ESPN
Illinois at Indiana – 8pm, FS1

Saturday, Sept. 3
South Dakota State at Iowa – 12pm, FS1
Buffalo at Maryland – 12pm, BTN
Colorado State at Michigan – 12pm, ABC
Rutgers at Boston College – 12pm, ACC Network
North Dakota at Nebraska – 3:30pm, BTN
Illinois State at Wisconsin – 7pm, FS1
Notre Dame at Ohio State – 7:30pm, ABC

Saturday, Sept. 10
Western Illinois at Minnesota – 12pm, BTN
Duke at Northwestern – 12pm, FS1
Arkansas State at Ohio State – 12pm, BTN
Ohio at Penn State – 12pm, ABC
Maryland at Charlotte – 3:30pm, Stadium
Washington State at Wisconsin – 3:30pm, FOX
Virginia at Illinois – 4pm, ESPNU
Iowa State at Iowa – 4pm, BTN
Akron at Michigan State – 4pm, BTN
Indiana State at Purdue – 4pm, BTN
Wagner at Rutgers – 4pm, BTN
Georgia Southern at Nebraska – 7:30pm, FS1
Idaho at Indiana – 8pm, BTN
Hawaii at Michigan – 8pm, BTN

Saturday, Sept. 17
Western Kentucky at Indiana – 12pm, BTN
UConn at Michigan – 12pm, ABC
Oklahoma at Nebraska – 12pm, FOX
SIU at Northwestern – 12pm, BTN
Purdue at Syracuse – 12pm, ESPN2
Colorado at Minnesota – 3:30pm, ESPN2
Penn State at Auburn – 3:30pm, CBS
New Mexico State at Wisconsin – 3:30pm, BTN
Toledo at Ohio State – 7pm, FOX
Nevada at Iowa – 7:30pm, BTN
SMU at Maryland – 7:30pm, FS1
Michigan State at Washington – 7:30pm, ABC
Rutgers at Temple – Time TBA, ESPN+

Thursday, Sept. 22
Chattanooga at Illinois – 8:30pm, BTN

Saturday, Sept. 24
Maryland at Michigan – 12pm, FOX or FS1 (HC)
FAU at Purdue – 7:30pm, BTN (HC)
Miami (OH) at Northwestern – Time TBA, BTN
Wisconsin at Ohio State – Time TBA, ABC
Central Michigan at Penn State – Time TBA, BTN

Saturday, Oct. 1
Purdue at Minnesota – 12pm, TV TBA (HC)
Rutgers at Ohio State – 3:30pm, TV TBA (HC)
Indiana at Nebraska – 7 or 7:30pm, TV TBA (HC)
Northwestern at Penn State – Time TBA, ESPN network

Friday, Oct. 7
Nebraska at Rutgers – 7pm, FS1

Saturday, Oct. 8
Michigan at Indiana – 12pm, TV TBA (HC)
Wisconsin at Northwestern – 3:30 or 4pm, TV TBA (HC)

Saturday, Oct. 15
Minnesota at Illinois – 12pm, TV TBA (HC)
Wisconsin at Michigan State – 3:30 or 4pm, TV TBA (HC)

Saturday, Oct. 22
Indiana at Rutgers – 12pm, TV TBA (HC)
Northwestern at Maryland – 3:30pm, TV TBA (HC)
Purdue at Wisconsin – 3:30pm, TV TBA (HC)
Minnesota at Penn State – 7:30pm, TV TBA (HC)

Saturday, Oct. 29
Northwestern at Iowa – 3 or 3:30pm, TV TBA (HC)

Friday, Nov. 25
Nebraska at Iowa – 4pm, BTN

Saturday, Nov. 26
Michigan at Ohio State – 12pm, FOX

Saturday, Dec. 3
Big Ten Football Championship Game – 8pm, FOX

* (HC) = Homecoming

Football Schedules

Comments (4)

When are all parties involved going to realize UM-OSU should be at night? I hope the non-Fox broadcaster that gets Big Ten rights in the next TV contract get the UM-OSU game as well and insist that it be played at night.

It’s the highest-rated game of the regular season regardless of time slot and the universities don’t want rowdy, riled up fans drinking all day. It ain’t happening.