Night fever for Kinnick Stadium

After two years of being passed over for night games, the Iowa Hawkeyes were picked for two this season, the Big Ten Network announced Monday.

For the first time in Iowa history, the Hawkeyes will feature two night games that will kick off on television. The Kinnick Stadium games on Sept. 19 against Pitt and Nov. 14 with Minnesota will be televised by the Big Ten Network. The exact times are yet to be determined and will be announced at a later date.

Iowa was shut out of home night games the last two seasons. Kinnick Stadium's last night game was the unfortunate 38-14 beating the Hawkeyes took at the hands of Penn State. In 2013, the Hawkeyes kicked off at 5 p.m. in a victory at Iowa State.

'Since BTN launched, there has never been more anticipation leading into the football season,” BTN President Mark Silverman said in a release.

These two night games have a couple of solid news pegs that might've helped push Iowa into the prime-time schedule.

Former Michigan State defensive coordinator Pat Narduzzi will bring his first edition of the Pitt Panthers into Kinnick. Narduzzi served as Mark Dantonio's defensive coordinator for the rise of the Spartans program.

BTN's prime time schedule will close with the Floyd of Rosedale rivalry game between Iowa and Minnesota. Iowa has won six of the last 10, but Minnesota erased a lot of that from its fan base's memory with last season's lopsided 51-14 victory over the Hawkeyes.

It's the first prime time matchup between the Hawkeyes and Gophers at Kinnick Stadium.

'We're excited about the night game selections,” Iowa athletics director Gary Barta said. 'We know our fans enjoy the special electricity that fills Kinnick Stadium when we're playing under the lights.

'We're also appreciative of BTN's interest in our football program and the support we received from our partners on the UI campus and in the community when agreeing to two opportunities for our student-athletes to compete in what is a special environment.”

Iowa has hosted 10 evening games in Kinnick Stadium, with five of those starting after 7 p.m. The Hawkeyes are 6-4 in night games in Kinnick Stadium. Iowa has wins over Northwestern (2011), Penn State (2010), Michigan (2009), Syracuse (2007), Arizona State (2003), and Northern Illinois (1999), and losses to Penn State (2012), Ohio State (2006), Iowa State (2002), and Miami (Fla.) (1992).

The Big Ten Network's prime-time schedule features several games with intriguing angles - the 2014 West Division Champion Wisconsin Badgers, Cotton Bowl Champion Michigan State and Michigan in its first year under new head coach Jim Harbaugh.

Twelve of the 14 Big Ten schools will play in prime time on BTN, and four of the games are conference contests.

BTN's Primetime Schedule

Saturday, Sept. 12

South Alabama at Nebraska

Saturday, Sept. 19

Rutgers at Penn State

Saturday, September 26

Hawaii at Wisconsin

Saturday, October 3

Michigan at Maryland

Saturday, October 10

Michigan State at Rutgers

Saturday, November 14

Minnesota at Iowa

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Kent State at Illinois on Friday, Sept. 4 previously announced

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Florida International at Indiana on Sept. 12, Pittsburgh at Iowa on Sept. 19 and Ball State at Northwestern on Sept. 26 also will appear in prime time in the Big Ten team's home market and on Extra Football Game Channels and BTN2Go elsewhere.

l Comments: (319) 398-8256; marc.morehouse@thegazette.com