Big Ten moves Northwestern’s two Friday games to Saturday

Northwestern’s two Friday night football games originally scheduled for the 2017 season have been moved to Saturday, according to reports. Northwestern had originally been scheduled to play at Maryland and at home for Michigan State on Friday nights.

However, the Big Ten released several schedule changes in its football prospectus released to the media on Friday morning.

The new schedule has both Northwestern games moved to Saturday. After announcing three in-conference Friday games earlier this year, the Big Ten will only have two, as the November 24 Iowa/Nebraska contest has been moved back a day. The non-conference Friday games remain the same.

Pat Fitzgerald has gone on record opposing Friday night games, and it appears the Big Ten has listened. Other Big Ten coaches have joined him in expressing dissent.

For now, Northwestern will not be playing any games on Friday night in 2017. Fitzgerald may have to deal with the issue later down the road, but Northwestern has gone from playing two Friday night games to none at all, which is what he wanted.