Big Ten Primetime Schedule Announced, Wolverines And Spartans Well-Represented

On Tuesday, the Big Ten announced its schedule for primetime games for the 2012 season, as reported by ESPN. There are 14 primetime games for the conference, with six of them being on ABC/ESPN and eight of them on the Big Ten Network. Things will get started on Aug 31, when the Michigan State Spartans will take on Boise State at 8 p.m. eastern on ESPN.

Michigan State will see a second primetime game before Michigan gets their first against an in-conference team, with a matchup against Notre Dame on ABC at 8 p.m. on Sept. 15. Michigan has one primetime game announced on this schedule, at Nebraska on Oct. 27 on ESPN, ESPN or ESPN2 (it hasn't yet been decided). Not included is Michigan at Notre Dame, which has already been labeled as a night game, and Michigan vs. Alabama, which is expected to be a primetime game but there's nothing solid on that yet.

At any rate, here's the schedule as reported by ESPN, with all times Eastern:

Aug. 31
Boise State at Michigan State, 8 p.m., ESPN

Sept. 1
Indiana State at Indiana, 8 p.m., Big Ten Network

Sept. 8
Vanderbilt at Northwestern, 8 p.m., BTN

Sept. 15
Notre Dame at Michigan State, 8 p.m., ABC
Utah State at Wisconsin, 8 p.m., BTN
Ball State at Indiana, 8 p.m., BTN

Sept. 22
Syracuse at Minnesota, 8 p.m., BTN
Louisiana Tech at Illinois, 8 p.m., BTN

Sept. 29
Wisconsin at Nebraska, 8 p.m., ABC, ESPN, or ESPN2

Oct. 6
Nebraska at Ohio State, 8 p.m., ABC, ESPN, or ESPN2

Oct. 13
Ohio State at Indiana, 8 p.m., BTN

Oct. 20
Penn State at Iowa, 8 p.m., BTN

Oct. 27
Ohio State at Penn State, 6 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2
Michigan at Nebraska, 8 p.m., ABC, ESPN, or ESPN2