Big Ten: Week 4 TV schedule released

The television schedule for Week 4 of the college football season in the Big Ten has been finalized.

Wisconsin is set to play Notre Dame at 12 p.m. ET on Sept. 25 on FOX. The game will be the network’s Big Noon Saturday game and is being played at Chicago’s Soldier Field.

Minnesota is hosting Bowling Green on ESPN U at 12 p.m. ET on the same day. Penn State welcomes to Villanova to town, while Northwestern hosts Ohio. Both games are on the Big Ten Network at 12 p.m. ET.

Rutgers and Michigan will clash in East Division game at 3:30 p.m. ET on ABC or ESPN. A finalized TV channel will be established closer to game week. Colorado State visits Iowa at 3:30 p.m. ET on FS1.

On the Big Ten Network, Illinois and Purdue will meet at 3:30 p.m. The network will also televise Kent State at Maryland. Ohio State will play its first prime-time game of the season at 7:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network against Akron.

And Indiana visits Western Kentucky for an 8 p.m. kick on the CBS Sports Network.

Ohio State vs. Oregon dominate weekend TV ratings

Saturday’s Oregon vs. Ohio State matchup gave everything a national televised game needs. With two teams ranked in the top-15 that each have passionate fanbases, the ratings were going to be strong. But add in a huge upset, FOX arguably had the best game of the day and it showed in the ratings. 

Per a FOX Sports public relations tweet, the Big Noon Saturday game was the top-rated event of the day across all networks with a 4.8/16 overnight rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. And in the Columbus TV market, it scored a 35.5/74 overnight rating. 

No. 12 Oregon knocked off No. 3 Ohio State 35-28, shocking an Ohio Stadium of 100,482. The win marks the Ducks’ first ever win against the Buckeyes and a huge statement for the Pac-12. Knocking off the reigning Big Ten champions and expected College Football Playoff participant, Oregon announced to the nation it should be considered in this year’s edition of the playoff.

 Oregon running back C.J. Verdell had 195 rushing/receiving yards and three touchdowns, including a 77-yard touchdown run early in the second half. 

Ducks quarterback Anthony Brown had a solid day, too, proving to be a reliable game manager. He was only 17-of-35 for 236 yards and two touchdowns. But he ran for 65 yards, and never made a costly mistake.