Three games involving college football’s defending national champions Ohio State highlight ESPN’s seven Big Ten Conference controlled prime-time telecasts for ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 during the 2015 season. The lineup will feature seven Big Ten teams overall, including Michigan State – No. 7 in an early ESPN.com preseason top 25 for 2015 with Ohio State ranked No. 1 – twice, Minnesota three times, and Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State and Rutgers once each.
Highlights:
- A Big Ten venue will be featured in at least one Saturday night matchup on an ESPN platform over four consecutive weeks from October 17 to November 7. Ohio State will host matchups against Penn State (October 17) and Minnesota (November 7) and visit Rutgers (October 24).
- The lineup will include two September contests, both with a Big Ten program hosting a team in the top six of the ESPN.com top 25:
- 2 TCU, returning 10 starters to a high-profiled offense that led the Horned Frogs to a 12-1 record in 2014, at Minnesota in a Thursday night game September 3 at 9 p.m.
- 6 Oregon – Ohio State’s opponent in the inaugural College Football Playoff National Championship last season – at a No. 7 Michigan State program that only lost to Oregon (46-27) and Ohio State (49-37) in 2014 on Saturday, Sept. 12.
- A Halloween telecast will pit Jim Harbaugh leading his Michigan Wolverines against Minnesota in a matchup for the Little Brown Jug, captured by the Gophers for only the second time in 24 seasons last year.
- ESPN platforms will televise two games on November 7, both involving a team in the ESPN.com top seven: No. 1 Ohio State against Minnesota and No. 7 Michigan State at Nebraska, led by coach Mike Riley who joined the Huskers after 12 seasons as head coach at Oregon State.
2015 Big Ten Schedule (as of April 23)
| Date | Time (ET) | Game | Network |
| Thu, Sep 3 | 9 p.m. | No. 2 TCU at Minnesota | ESPN |
| Sat, Sep 12 | 8 p.m. | No. 6 Oregon at No. 7 Michigan State | ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 |
| Sat, Oct 17 | 8 p.m. | Penn State at No. 1 Ohio State | ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 |
| Sat, Oct 24 | 8 p.m. | No. 1 Ohio State at Rutgers | ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 |
| Sat, Oct 31 | 8 p.m. | Michigan at Minnesota | ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 |
| Sat, Nov 7 | 7 or 8 p.m. | Minnesota at No. 1 Ohio State | ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 7 or 8 p.m. | No. 7 Michigan State at Nebraska | ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 |
In addition to three games against Big Ten foes, ESPN will televise Ohio State’s visit to Blacksburg for the Labor Day showdown against Virginia Tech on Monday, Sept. 7. The Hokies were the only team to defeat Ohio State last year, beating the Buckeyes 35-21 in the second week of the season.
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