Big Ten Network to Carry Four College Football Games on October 13

Seven conference teams to appear on network next Saturday

October 1, 2007, CHICAGO – The Big Ten Network will televise four games involving Big Ten teams on Saturday, October 13. Three games kick off at noon ET: 20th-ranked Purdue at Michigan, Minnesota at Northwestern and Kent State at 4th-ranked Ohio State. At 7 PM ET, Michigan State hosts Indiana.

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Today's announcement means both the Oct. 6 and Oct. 13 games for Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota and Northwestern will be televised by the network. The Big Ten Network will televise 41 Big Ten football contests this season, more than any other network.

On Oct. 13, Purdue and Michigan will collide at the Big House for a critical Big Ten showdown. The Boilermakers are riding high after their first 5-0 start since the 2004 season. Quarterback Curtis Painter already has 18 touchdown passes to rank second nationally in that category. Michigan senior running back Mike Hart has led the Big Ten in rushing and keyed a three-game winning streak to put the Wolverines back in the thick of the Big Ten title race.

Indiana and Michigan State will battle for the Old Brass Spittoon in East Lansing for the 52nd time. Hoosier quarterback Kellen Lewis leads the Big Ten in total offense. He and wide receiver James Hardy form one of the most exciting combinations in college football. Michigan State, receiving votes in this week's rankings, has been one of the conference's surprise teams under first year coach Mark Dantonio.

Ohio State will step out of conference play to face Kent State at Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes own the Big Ten's best defense, allowing just seven points per game. Ohio State will need to slow Kent State running back Eugene Jarvis, the NCAA leader in rushing yards.

The Golden Gophers will bring freshman quarterback Adam Weber and one of the Big Ten's top passing offenses to Evanston. Northwestern went toe-to-toe with Michigan last weekend at Ryan Field, but let a 16-7 lead slip away in the second half.

Through distribution partnerships with DIRECTV, DISH Network, Wide Open West, RCN, AT&T U-Verse and more than 140 other cable operators, the Big Ten Network became the first new network in cable or satellite television history to reach 30 million homes in its first 30 days. In fact, no other new cable or satellite network has surpassed 30 million homes in its first year, and only five others have achieved that milestone within their first two years.

About the Big Ten Network
The Big Ten Network, dedicated to covering the Big Ten Conference and its 11 member institutions, launched August 30, 2007. The network provides unprecedented access to an extensive schedule of conference sports events and shows; original programs in academics, the arts and sciences; campus activities; and associated personalities. Sports programming includes live coverage of more major men's and women's events than ever before, along with news, highlights and analysis, all complemented by hours of university-produced campus programming. The network is available to all cable companies, with most programs offered in stunning high-definition television (HDTV). The Big Ten Network is a joint venture between subsidiaries of the Big Ten Conference and Fox Cable Networks.

For more information regarding the Big Ten Network, visit www.BigTenNetwork.com.

Source: Big Ten Network