Your 2008 Husker Football Television Schedule

That sound you hear is anger from Husker Nation over how broadcast companies could possibly take a pass over putting on games featuring Western Michigan, San Jose State and New Mexico State against a team that finished last season 5-7 and has a brand new coaching staff. Although I am wondering why Spike-TV doesn't at least try to throw it's hat in the ring for some of these games. And yes, we realize that neither Paulie Walnuts or that lazy eyed guy in that picture with him will have anything to do with calling a Nebraska Football game this fall, but you have to think one of those "Denny's" commercials with Paulie will air during a game or two. Plus google "Nebraska Football Television" and find a better picture to lead off with. Just try it.

As of now, the first three games of the Pelini era will not be televised, and if they are, those games will be pay-per-view. Husker fan is literally pissed off at the fact that only one game (the final game, against Colorado) is set for national broadcast. It is only June, and nobody knows anything until Mid-September. Television dictates terms, meaning that if a surprise team like Kansas up and decides to play well, they can get national exposure. Other than Notre Dame (who got into bed with NBC to the point that they can't carry any other college games), no other school has a firm TV schedule for their games, yet. But we say bet the house on watching these games away from Memorial Stadium, which is a better way to go anyway:

08/30 Western Michigan: As Matthew McConaughey would say, no worries, no worries. This game will be picked up by somebody. Yes, it might have to be an 11am kickoff (on August 30th, which would irk TO but the television revenue would be too much to turn away from). But count on this one somewhere, just not in HD.

09/06 San Jose St. and 09/13 New Mexico St.: The hunch is not a chance in hell. Sure, somebody could come up with some pay-per-view plan for one of them (and it would go over big because Nebraska's following), but no broadcast or cable network is going near either one of these blowouts. And by blowouts we're going out on a limb and thinking NU will be 3-0 at the end of the New Mexico State game. You know, because somebody with the last name of COSGROVE won't be allowed anywhere near Memorial Stadium, even with a ticket.

09/27 Virginia Tech: Already decided it's going to be a nationally televised game, and the whispers of the ABC Prime Time Game are growing all the more louder. We've heard reports of both ESPN Gameday and ESPN Radio folk setting up in Lincoln for this one. Expect to find Brent Musburger walking to the game with an open can of Coors Light (or just regular Coors if the mood should strike him) and talk of "Looking live at Memorial Stadium" for kick-off.

10/04 Missouri: The big question would be whether ABC/ESPN would want to have 2-weeks in a row from Lincoln (they can't take that sort of risk and have Musburger dealing with two open container tickets on their dime). But if both teams are undefeated for this one, it'd be hard to pass up. Which is exactly why there's no word on TV coverage yet. Because nobody knows anything. Certainly, unless Chase Daniel turns a knee and Missouri's season goes to shit and Nebraska is embarrassed by VA Tech, count on big-time national coverage. Either a 2:30pm CST kick-off or another prime-time affair.

10/11 @ Texas Tech: The first road game of the season (after five home games, which is just unreal) will be televised. Guessing Fox Sports Net or Versus. Just hope Pelini goes with the all-white look for road games. Or if he really wanted to put a stamp on things, go all-red and see what happens. Nobody at Tech will even notice.

10/18 @ Iowa State: Depends how well (or in Iowa State's case, bad, but we're hearing good things coming out of Ames) the teams are doing. At worst you're looking at Pay-Per-View, unless NU is 3-3 going into this game, and then some might be calling for Billy C to come storming back into town.

10/25 Baylor: Right now, who the hell knows? We were alerted to an interesting tidbit: If the World series is over by then, Fox and ESPN will be full-tilt College Football on Saturdays. The smart thinking says Nebraska may only have two losses at this point, which means somebody will make room for this gem.

11/01 @ Oklahoma: Put it in bold-face print everywhere. A 2:30pm national game on ABC. Unless somehow both teams are unbeaten, which then will turn ESPN into an overhype machine that'll make this game bigger than the 2006 Ohio State/Michigan and the 1971 NU/OU games combined. Beano Cook's head will explode while he tries to enjoy his chicken noodle soup during his weekly segment on ESPN Radio, and Musburger will openly drink Johnnie Walker Blue during the prime time telecast. And you'll see at least one clip of Johnny Rodgers "Man, Woman & Child" punt return. But probably just one.

11/08 Kansas: The thinking here is that KU falls and falls back big time. But television loves them some Mangino, and he and Pelini on the same field would make for great theater. Fox Sports Net or Versus for sure.

11/15 @ Kansas State: A "homecoming" of sorts for NU Linebackers coach Mike Ekeler, but even his hype won't reach a national crescendo. But LAST year's KSU/NU game got national coverage. And both teams were coming a part at the seams. The good thing going for NU on TV this week is that it's an off-week for a number of big name schools, so this game will have to fill that void.

11/28 Colorado: Already determined, 2:30pm CST kick-off on ABC. And two weeks of talk (at least in Nebraska) about how Colorado isn't the Husker's real "rival".

Two to three games won't make it to television, tops. But the really great news about all of this is that if you have to resort to the radio for your only live Husker coverage, you won't have Jim Rose to screech at you to cause all of those incurable inner ear infections.