The Big Ten football schedule 2023 early season kickoff times and TV slate has been announced, which features 38 games set for broadcast in the first three weeks.
The schedule kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 31 with a conference contest featuring the Nebraska Cornhuskers visiting the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The game will kickoff at 8:00pm ET on FOX.
On Friday, Sept. 1, the Michigan State Spartans open their season against the Central Michigan Chippewas and the game will be televised by FS1 at 7:00pm ET.
Nine conference members hit the gridiron on Saturday, Sept. 2 (Michigan, Iowa, Purdue, Ohio State, Indiana, Wisconsin, Maryland, Penn State, and Illinois). The featured contest is Penn State hosting West Virginia at 7:30pm ET on NBC and Peacock.
On Sunday, Sept. 3, the Northwestern Wildcats travel to face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the game will be broadcast by CBS and Paramount+ at noon ET.
The 2023 Big Ten Championship Game is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 2 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. The game will be televised by FOX at 8pm ET.
The Big Ten also announced Homecoming dates for all 14 member schools.
Listed below are the early season Big Ten games that have been selected for television as of May 31, plus several games from Week 4 onward. All remaining Big Ten controlled football games in 2023 will be announced six-to-12 days prior to the date of the game.
Big Ten football schedule: Early season 2023 kickoff times, TV
*All times Eastern.
Thursday, Aug. 31, 2023
Nebraska at Minnesota – 8pm, FOX
Friday, Sept. 1, 2023
Central Michigan at Michigan State – 7pm, FS1
Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023
East Carolina at Michigan – 12pm, Peacock
Utah State at Iowa – 12pm, FS1
Fresno State at Purdue – 12pm, BTN
Ohio State at Indiana – 3:30pm, CBS/Paramount+
Buffalo at Wisconsin – 3:30pm, FS1
Towson at Maryland – 3:30pm, BTN
West Virginia at Penn State – 7:30pm, NBC/Peacock
Toledo at Illinois – 7:30pm, BTN
Sunday, Sept. 3, 2023
Northwestern at Rutgers – 12pm, CBS/Paramount+
Friday, Sept. 8, 2023
Indiana State at Indiana – 7pm or 8pm, BTN
Saturday, Sept. 9, 2023
Delaware at Penn State – 12pm, Peacock
Youngstown State at Ohio State – 12pm, BTN
Nebraska at Colorado – 12pm, FOX
Purdue at Virginia Tech – 12pm, ESPN2
UNLV at Michigan – 3:30pm, CBS/Paramount+
Richmond at Michigan State – 3:30pm, BTN
UTEP at Northwestern – 3:30pm, BTN
Iowa at Iowa State – 3:30pm, FOX
Charlotte at Maryland – 7:30pm, NBC/Peacock
Eastern Michigan at Minnesota – 7:30pm, BTN
Temple at Rutgers – 7:30pm, BTN
Wisconsin at Washington State – 7:30pm, ABC
Illinois at Kansas – Date, Network and Time TBD
Friday, Sept. 15, 2023
Virginia at Maryland – 7pm, FS1
Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023
Penn State at Illinois – 12pm, FOX
Georgia Southern at Wisconsin – 12pm, BTN
Louisville vs. Indiana (Indianapolis) – 12pm, BTN
Western Michigan at Iowa – 3:30pm, BTN
Virginia Tech at Rutgers – 3:30pm, BTN
Minnesota at North Carolina – 3:30pm, ESPN or ESPN2
Northwestern at Duke – 3:30pm, ACC Network
Western Kentucky at Ohio State – 4pm, FOX
Washington at Michigan State – 5pm, Peacock
Northern Illinois at Nebraska – 7pm, FS1
Syracuse at Purdue – 7:30pm, NBC/Peacock
Bowling Green at Michigan – 7:30pm, BTN
Friday, Sept. 22, 2023
Wisconsin at Purdue – 7pm, FS1
Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023
Rutgers at Michigan – 12pm, TBD
Maryland at Michigan State – 3:30pm, TBD
Iowa at Penn State – 7:30pm, CBS
Ohio State at Notre Dame – 7:30pm, NBC/Peacock
Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023
Louisiana at Minnesota – 12pm, TBD
Illinois at Purdue – 3:30/4pm or 7:30pm, TBD
Friday, Oct. 6, 2023
Nebraska at Illinois – 8pm, FS1
Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023
Maryland at Ohio State – 12 or 3:30pm/4pm, TBD
Rutgers at Wisconsin – 12 or 3:30pm/4pm, TBD
Howard at Northwestern – 3pm, TBD
Purdue at Iowa – 3:30/4pm or 7:30pm, TBD
Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023
Michigan State at Rutgers – 12pm, TBD
Illinois at Maryland – 12 or 3:30pm/4pm, TBD
UMass at Penn State – 3:30pm, TBD
Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023
Rutgers at Indiana – 12pm, TBD
Wisconsin at Illinois – 12 or 3:30pm/4pm, TBD
Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023
Purdue at Nebraska – 12 or 3:30pm/4pm, TBD
Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023
Michigan at Penn State – 12pm, FOX
Michigan State at Ohio State – 7:30pm, NBC/Peacock
Friday, Nov. 24, 2023
Iowa at Nebraska – 12pm, CBS/Paramount+
Penn State vs. Michigan State (Detroit) – 7:30pm, NBC/Peacock
Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023
Ohio State at Michigan – 12pm, FOX
Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023
Big Ten Football Championship Game – 8pm, FOX
at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis
Football Schedules, 2023
I was surprised that CBS made the change to 7:30 p.m. eastern time game between Iowa and Penn State in University Park, Pennsylvania for Saturday, Sept. 23rd due to early start time for CBS and the Big Ten Conference.
I thought CBS would do a 8:00 pm Eastern Time game on Saturday September 23rd between Iowa and Penn State!
I’m not. Primetime would be the only time CBS could show a B10 game as NBC and CBS swapped so that ND could put a spotlight ND home game on primetime. Fox would show a B10 game on Big Noon and NBC now shows a B10 game in the afternoon (when CBS has an SEC game on).
Since none of my other arguments seem to be getting through to people I’ll say this.
Anyone who doesn’t want UM-OSU at night is not a real fan of UM, OSU, or CFB in general depending on where they claim their loyalty lies.
OSU-UM would be a great night game. But it wouldn’t work out for many reasons. 20 degrees or worse for weather, and it just works better at noon.
I’ve been an OSU and CFB fan since 1988. The Game is fine where it is. Big Ten football is made for fall afternoons.
There have been day football games that have had worse weather than what you just described (case in point the Ice Bowl).
PeteF3, the highest-rated primetime program on network TV the past few years has been a presentation of American football games. And that is very telling.
Z-man, I posted this for you last week – those are NFL games, a completely different animal. Only 3 college football games finished in the top 100 (the College football Playoff Championship Game, the Big Ten Championship Game and Notre Dame vs Ohio State). To reference NFL broadcasts and equate their generated interest to that of a college game is quite duplicitous and misleading.
LOL.
Yeah, not convincing.
Every other P5 conference thrives on night football all year long. It’s time the Big Ten does the same.
The B10 plays plenty of night football too, in case you haven’t noticed.
Also note Rutgers appearing on CBS proper for the first time since 2000, the last year CBS held rights to the Big East.