Times & Networks Announced for Annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge
ESPN has finalized the time and network designations for the 15th annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods. ESPN networks will combine to cover every game of the event during the first week of December. ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPNU will televise the 14 games of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge – including all 14 Big Ten schools and 14 of 15 ACC teams – from Monday, Dec. 1 through Wednesday, Dec. 3.
The ACC and Big Ten have split the past two events, winning six Challenge games each in 2012 and 2013. In the event of a tie, the Commissioner’s Cup remains with the conference that won the previous year, which was the Big Ten in 2011. The ACC won the first 10 Challenges (1999-2008), while the Big Ten won the next three (2009-2011).
- · Nine teams in the ESPN.com men’s preseason top 25 poll: No. 2 Duke, No. 4 Wisconsin, No. 6 North Carolina, No. 7 Virginia, No. 8 Louisville, No. 18 Michigan, No. 21 Syracuse, No. 24 Michigan and No. 25 Iowa.
- · The potential of three top-25 matchups:
o No. 21 Syracuse travels to No. 24 Michigan on Tuesday, for a 7:30 p.m. tilt on ESPN.
o No. 25 Iowa at No. 6 North Carolina on Wednesday, also at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN.
o A Challenge culmination of No. 2 Duke at No. 4 Wisconsin on Wednesday, at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN.
- · No. 8 Louisville – in its first year as an ACC member – hosts Ohio State on Tuesday, at 9:30 p.m. on ESPN.
- · Also competing in the Challenge, No. 7 Virginia plays at former ACC opponent Maryland at 9:15 p.m. on ESPN2.
- · Wednesday night also features No. 18 Michigan State at Notre Dame at 7:15 p.m. on ESPN2.
- · Nine ACC and eight Big Ten teams participated in the 2014 postseason:
o The ACC had seven teams – Duke, Louisville, North Carolina, NC State, Pitt, Syracuse and Virginia – earn NCAA Championship berths, while Clemson and Florida State advanced to the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) semifinals.
o The Big Ten saw Wisconsin advance to the Final Four, in addition to Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska and Ohio State earning NCAA berths.
o Minnesota captured the 2014 NIT title and Illinois was a second-round participant.
2014 ACC/Big Ten Challenge Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods Schedule (subject to change)
Date
Time (ET)
Game
Network
Mon, Dec 1
7 p.m.
Nebraska at Florida State
ESPN2
Rutgers at Clemson
ESPNU
Tue, Dec 2
7 p.m.
Pittsburgh at Indiana
ESPN2
Minnesota at Wake Forest
ESPNU
7:30 p.m.
No. 21 Syracuse at No. 24 Michigan
ESPN
9 p.m.
Illinois at Miami
ESPN2 or ESPNU
NC State at Purdue
ESPN2 or ESPNU
9:30 p.m.
Ohio State at No. 8 Louisville
ESPN
Wed, Dec 3
7:15 p.m.
No. 18 Michigan State at Notre Dame
ESPN2
Virginia Tech at Penn State
ESPNU
7:30 p.m.
No. 25 Iowa at No. 6 North Carolina
ESPN
9:15 p.m.
No. 7 Virginia at Maryland
ESPN2
Georgia Tech at Northwestern
ESPNU
9:30 p.m.
No. 2 Duke at No. 4 Wisconsin
ESPN
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