MADISON – Wisconsin football fans will have to embrace Friday football in 2024.
Two of UW’s home games – the opener against Western Michigan and the regular-season finale against Minnesota – are set to be played on a Friday.
UW officials announced Thursday that the Western Michigan game has been moved up a day to Friday, Aug. 30 and will be on FS1. Kickoff time is 8 p.m.
UW’s annual clash with Minnesota also has been moved up a day to “Black Friday” on Nov. 29.
CBS is set to handle that game. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m.
UW is set to play on Black Friday for the first time since the 2005 season, when the Badgers throttled host Hawaii, 41-24, to secure a berth in the Capital One Bowl.
UW’s Sept. 7 home game against South Dakota State is set for 2:30 p.m. on FS1.
UW’s Oct. 26 home game against Penn State is set for either 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m. or 6:30 p.m., with the network to be determined.
UW opened Big Ten play last season on a Friday at Purdue. The Badgers prevailed, 38-17.
The last time the Badgers played a Friday night home game came during the 2020 season, which was altered because of the COVID-19 pandemic. UW opened that season on Oct. 23 and routed Illinois, 45-7.
The Badgers opened the 2019 season on a Friday (Aug. 30) and routed host South Florida, 45-7.
Do you remember the last full season in which UW opened with a Friday night home game?
That came in 2018, when the Badgers took down Western Kentucky, 34-3.
