NORMAL, Ill. - The Illinois State football team will appear on the Big Ten Network (BTN) for the second straight season, when it faces off against Northwestern on Sept. 11. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT at Ryan Field in Evanston, Ill.
The network launched on Aug. 30, 2007, and is on the air 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. The Big Ten Network was the first network in cable or satellite television history to reach 30 million subscribers within its first 30 days on the air and is now available to more than 75 million households across the U.S. and Canada.
The Redbirds were shown on the network last season, when they faced off against Illinois on Sept. 12 at Memorial Stadium. ISU's game against Northwestern will mark its sixth contest against a Big Ten opponent in school history and its fifth since 2002, when the Redbirds faced off against Purdue in West Lafayette, Ind.
"We are excited that our game against Northwestern will be seen nationally on the Big Ten Network," ISU head coach Brock Spack said. "Being on the network gives our program a lot of regional and national exposure, which helps us in our recruiting efforts. Not only that, but it's great for Redbird fans all over the country to be able to watch our game and cheer for us as well."
Illinois State returns 18 starters and 39 letterwinners from last year's team, which finished the season with a 6-5 overall record and its first winning season since 2006. The Redbirds will officially open the 2010 season Thursday, Sept. 2, at home against Central Missouri at Hancock Stadium. Game time is set for 6:30 p.m. CT.
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