 Scott DochtermanI'm originally from Burlington, and I'm a 1997 Western Illinois University graduate. I've worked in Burlington, Muscatine, Fort Dodge and [...] |
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Big Ten official: Iowa-Nebraska will play on Saturday in 2011, not Friday
Iowa's Derrick Davison (37) and Cody O'Hare (28) pounce on Nebraska's Nick Whisler during action Saturday, September 4, 1999 at Kinnick Stadium. (The Gazette)
IOWA CITY — Speculation has swirled that the Big Ten would move the 2011 regular-season football finale between Iowa and Nebraska to the Friday after Thanksgiving.
That won’t happen, Big Ten associate commissioner for television administration Mark Rudner said.
“It’ll stay on Saturday,” Rudner said. “We’ll play Saturday.”
The schools are scheduled to compete Nov. 26, 2011 in Lincoln, Neb., and Nov. 24, 2012 in Iowa City.
Nebraska, which joins the Big Ten next year, was placed in the same division as Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern and Minnesota. Since 1990 Nebraska has ended its regular season on the Friday after Thanksgiving every year but once, which had many people speculating that Iowa-Nebraska would move from Saturday to Friday.
“I’m looking at the final weekend of the season: Ohio State at Michigan; Penn State at Wisconsin; Iowa at Nebraska; Purdue at Indiana … it’s strong,” Rudner said. “I don’t wish time away, but I can’t wait for that.”
When asked if the Big Ten plans to make the Iowa-Nebraska an annual season-ending game, Rudner said, “It’s an annual thing for 2011 and 2012. We’re just touching on ’13 and ’14.”
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Couldn’t the league make more money putting it on Friday?
you’d think so. in a league driven by the almighty dollar sign, you’d think they would want to move as many games as they can to a thursday or firday so they can try to get a national ESPN prime time game. great for exposure, great for recruiting, and most importantly in their eyes, great for the bottom line.
I think your research department could use some help. Whoever Nick Whisler is, he wasn’t ever a Cornhusker. That’s Bobby Newcombe getting tackled in that pic.
We’re used to playing that Friday after Thanksgiving, and would prefer it stay that way because it’s great exposure and it’s a nice tradition. It also guarantees us men don’t get wrangled into shopping on the busiest day of the year. But, if TV wants Saturdays then TV wants Saturdays. It’ll be fun no matter when it’s played!