The major announcement on Wednesday was that the Huskers plan to schedule a September game on a Friday.
With the constant changes in college athletics and officials like Troy Dannen attending Big Ten meetings in Los Angeles, attention back home shifted to the release of the schedule. The news that Nebraska has been chosen by Fox for a Friday night game, scheduled for September 20th against Illinois, caught fans’ attention on a Wednesday afternoon in May. Particularly noteworthy is that it’s a home game for the Huskers, and it’s their 400th consecutive sellout, adding to the significance of the occasion.
Troy Dannen, Husker athletic director, expressed excitement about the opportunity for a nationwide audience during a radio appearance on ‘Sports Nightly’ from L.A. “A nationwide audience for that game is going to be great. You want to be on national TV and you want those games where if you’re the standalone that everybody is watching and everyone is focused on you,” he said.
Acknowledging the concerns surrounding Friday night games, Dannen highlighted the logistical challenges, particularly in the context of college campuses and high school football traditions. However, he emphasized the benefits of showcasing the Huskers in prime time. “But I think the ability to put the Huskers in that stadium with our crowd in the national limelight for a night game, is one well worth the challenges that lie ahead with it.”
Dannen also noted that while Friday night games may evoke mixed reactions, they are part of the broadcasting agreement, with Fox paying for such access to the Big Ten. “We can be upset about it all we want, but we’re cashing a pretty large check from our television contract every year to set the price of that check,” he said. “And so in order to fund what we want to do, you end up with a Friday night game here and there.”
Dannen mentioned his previous discussions with Matt Rhule, expressing their shared hope that Friday night games wouldn’t become a regular occurrence, primarily to preserve the integrity of high school football. “Really to protect high school football as much as anything. But we’ll see what the logistics are and how we’re able to manage it.”
He pointed to a volleyball match that filled the stadium last year on a Friday night as a potential test run for Husker officials to gauge the impact on operations. “But it’s going to be a great environment. I love the fact that people around the country are just going to be focused on us that night, watching the game in Memorial Stadium.”
This upcoming Friday night game marks the second primetime home game for the Huskers in September, with the contest against Colorado scheduled for 6:30 on NBC.
“It’s amusing because even out there, that’s been a topic of conversation. Matt told me one thing when I arrived: He said you’ll find that the night game atmosphere is second to none. So, this is an opportunity to experience it a couple of times, especially against a rival. From the day I arrived, I was receiving emails from our fans, ‘Do whatever you can to make that a night game.’ I know it’s what our fans want, and believe me, I had no influence in making that happen, but I’m certainly glad it did.”
Dannen noted that the kick-off time for Nebraska’s Black Friday game against Iowa could be announced in the next couple of days, and the opening week kick-off time against UTEP on Aug. 31 could be revealed next week.
“All these announcements trickling out one by one every few days only serve to heighten everyone’s excitement for what’s to come.”