Iowa is only no-prime-time Big Ten team in 2013

The Big Ten Network has 12 live prime-time football telecasts in the 2013 season. Six prime-time games involving Big Ten teams will be aired by ESPN/ABC.

The only Big Ten team that won't appear in any of the 18 games is Iowa.

I had thought Northern Illinois-Iowa on Aug. 31 had a good chance for prime-time inclusion since Northern Illinois is coming off an Orange Bowl appearance and returns quarterback Jordan Lynch, and is in the Chicagoland market. But the BTN took Nebraska-Wyoming for prime-time that day. The good Wyoming demographics, I guess.

Western Michigan will play on the BTN twice in prime-time. It also plays at Iowa, on Sept. 21. A safe guess is the BTN will also get that game, but at 11 a.m.

The Michigan State-Western Michigan matchup is a nice novelty game. It's at Western Michigan. Good for Michigan State for doing its fellow state-school a solid.

Total prime-time appearances: 

3: Indiana, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State

2: Illinois, Michigan, Nebraska, Wisconsin

1: Michigan State, Minnesota, Purdue

0: Iowa

The BTN games (Eastern times)

Thursday, August 29

7 PM – UNLV at Minnesota

Friday, August 30

8 PM – Western Michigan at Michigan State

Saturday, August 31

8 PM – Wyoming at Nebraska

Saturday, September 7

6 PM – Syracuse at Northwestern

6 PM – Southern Miss at Nebraska

Saturday, September 14

6 PM – UCF at Penn State

6 PM – Washington vs. Illinois (at Soldier Field)

9 PM – Western Michigan at Northwestern

Saturday, September 21

8 PM – Missouri at Indiana

Saturday, October 19

8 PM – Wisconsin at Illinois

Regional Coverage

Thursday, Aug. 29

7 PM – Indiana State at Indiana

Saturday, September 7

6 PM – Navy at Indiana

The ESPN games:

Sept. 7: Notre Dame at Michigan, 8 p.m. ET, ABC or ESPN or ESPN2

Sept. 14: Notre Dame at Purdue, 8 p.m. ET, ABC or ESPN or ESPN2

Sept. 28: Wisconsin at Ohio State, 8 p.m. ET, ABC or ESPN or ESPN2

Oct. 5: Ohio State at Northwestern, 8 p.m. ET, ABC or ESPN or ESPN2

Oct. 12: Michigan at Penn State, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN or ESPN2

Oct. 26: Penn State at Ohio State, 8 p.m. ET, ABC or ESPN or ESPN2