Indiana has made a modest impression on network television this season, only appearing twice during the inaugural phase of the Big Ten’s media partnership with Fox, NBC, and CBS. However, upcoming pivotal matchups against both Michigan this Saturday and Ohio State on November 23 are likely to enhance the Hoosiers’ visibility on a national scale.

The Hoosiers are off to their first 8-0 start since 1967, an impressive feat that the conference and broadcasters will likely consider important when selecting marquee matchups for television. Fox covers the early afternoon slot while CBS, in its first season at 3:30 p.m. ET, has shifted from its long-standing relationship with the SEC. NBC, now in its second year of airing games in prime time, is entering a new era where a conference can enjoy consistent broadcast coverage across three major networks each week.

Dan Weinberg, CBS Sports’ executive vice president of programming, noted, “The intention was to feature the top three games every week on broadcast television, as this format continues to draw significant viewership for live events.” He added that the conference recognized the winning potential of this broadcasting approach, drawing inspiration from the success of the NFL. “What we’ve set up seems to be thriving, with potential for even more growth in the years ahead,” he mentioned.

The current season has generated a buzz with the addition of powerhouse teams like Oregon, Southern California, UCLA, and Washington. Oregon’s rise to the top of the AP Top 25 poll has amplified excitement surrounding the recent conference expansion. Currently, Oregon, Penn State, and Ohio State occupy three of the top four positions in this week’s rankings, with Indiana holding the 13th spot.

Justin Byczek, NBC Sports’ senior vice president of programming, emphasized the advantages of adding these teams, stating, “The arrival of four new schools has allowed us to diversify our matchups significantly.” He expressed confidence that this adjustment has enabled broadcast partners to provide the most compelling games each week.

Oregon is set to make its second consecutive appearance on CBS this Saturday when the team hosts Michigan, marking the fifth time in seven weeks that CBS has showcased a matchup involving one of the Big Ten’s West Coast teams. This past Saturday represented the first time since the 2007 Sun Bowl that the Ducks appeared on CBS’s network.

“We had conversations about the game selection process earlier in the season. Some matchups this season would have been considered prime Rose Bowl games in previous years, and that’s very exciting,” Weinberg commented.

However, Oregon will not be featured on network television on November 9, as their game against Maryland is already scheduled for the Big Ten Network. Each Big Ten team is guaranteed a minimum of two appearances on this network, with at least one of those being a conference game.

The three broadcasting networks have collaborated closely to schedule games, with Fox retaining the first three choices in its televised matchup selections every year. This season, Fox traded its third pick to NBC, allowing them to air the October 12 matchup between Ohio State and Oregon. In exchange, Fox secured the Nebraska-Ohio State game and the upcoming Ohio State-Penn State matchup.

In addition to the popular “Big Noon Saturday” segment, Fox has presented nine matchups on Friday nights, giving all four West Coast teams at least one opportunity to play at home on a Friday. The Bruins, Ducks, and Huskies will each have two appearances on Friday night games.

“We intended to utilize Friday night to highlight the newly added West Coast schools and subsequently delve deeper on Saturdays instead of constantly featuring Ohio State and Michigan,” stated Mike Mulvihill, Fox’s president of insights and analytics. Interestingly, Indiana is among the five conference institutions that do not have any scheduled Friday night games.

The Hoosiers’ previous appearances include a game on NBC on September 14, where they spoiled UCLA’s conference debut, and a victory over Nebraska on October 19, which was aired on Fox. They also played three conference matchups on the Big Ten Network. Nonetheless, Indiana will enjoy a national spotlight this Saturday, as their game against Michigan State will be streamed via Peacock.

The specific kickoff time and network for the Michigan game will be revealed after the outcome of Saturday’s events. Indiana versus Michigan is not the only noteworthy matchup next week, as the third-ranked Nittany Lions will face Washington in their annual whiteout game, and fourth-ranked Ohio State will square off against Purdue.

The results of the Ohio State-Penn State contest on Saturday will likely influence the scheduling of numerous upcoming games. NBC is set to broadcast an afternoon Big Ten game next weekend, as its prime-time slot features Florida State against Notre Dame. Likewise, NBC will showcase one game exclusively on Peacock that day.

All 18 Big Ten institutions have made appearances on Fox this season, either during Friday night games or the “Big Noon Saturday” segment. Half of the schools have already been featured on CBS, with USC and Michigan each making three appearances. Almost all schools except for USC, Northwestern, Rutgers, and Maryland have been shown on either NBC or Peacock throughout the season.