Big Ten Fans Are Laughing At NBC's Leaked Football Schedule
CHICAGO, IL - JUL 18: Marylands Terrapins head coach Michael Locksley is seen at Big Ten football media days on July 18, 2019 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
NBC will televise Big Ten football games every Saturday night this season as part of a new media rights deal. Based on a reported September schedule, they could commence the partnership with a whimper.
According to Action Network's Brett McMurphy, NBC will open the season with Penn State hosting West Virginia on Sept. 2. The network will televise Charlotte vs. Maryland the following Saturday and Syracuse at Purdue in Week 3.
Onlookers responded to the fairly weak slate, a byproduct of non-conference games dominating the early-season calendar.
"$350 million doesn't buy what it used to," The Athletic's Stewart Mandel noted of NBC's Big Ten deal. "But also, almost all the Big Ten's best non-conference games this year are on the road."
"I get the first few weeks of the CFB schedule can be rough for TV but man," 3DownNation's Joel Gasson wrote.
"NBC paying big bucks and get Charlotte vs Maryland on a Saturday Night?" a fan asked with a laughing emoji.
"Probably not the rollout of matchups they were hoping for," Southern Utah announcer Spencer McLaughlin said.
The Charlotte 49ers went 3-9 last season, including a 56-21 loss to Maryland. Taulia Tagovailoa accrued 391 passing yards and four touchdowns for the Terrapins in a lopsided road victory.
It's hard to imagine many viewers watching that game with ESPN simultaneously airing a matchup between Alabama and Texas.
Those reported games don't make for the strongest start, but NBC should have some better options once Big Ten conference play begins in earnest.
