Five Reasons Why Opening Up on a Thursday is GREAT For IU Football

Written By Sammy Jacobs (@Hoosier_Huddle)

On Tuesday afternoon it was announced that the Hoosiers would be playing their season opener against the Ohio State Buckeyes (yes, you read that correctly. It has been on the docket for at least three years), on the night of August 31st. A Thursday. The reaction from IU fans has been strongly against this schedule change. Their reasons ranging from people would have to take off of work either Thursday or Friday or both in order to make the game, to it just being another chance for IU to shoot itself in the foot in front of a national audience.  Aside from every other school in the country being able to pull off Thursday night games, here are five reasons why moving this game to a Thursday night is GREAT for Indiana Football.

1. The Game Will Be on National TV and Probably the Best Game of the Night

The biggest benefit of this matchup being moved to Thursday night is that it basically guarantees that it will be broadcast on National TV. I think it will end up being Fox or FS1 since the new Big Ten TV deal comes into play next season, but it could also be the ESPN game. Whatever channel the game is on, will draw eyeballs. It will be THE game on the opening night of college football. Indiana and their fans should relish the chance at being front and center, even if it is because they are playing Ohio State. 

2. The Students Will Show Up in Full Force

IU had two weeknight openers when I was a student, and I loved it even if the opponents were Murray State and Eastern Kentucky. This time it’s Ohio State. The buzz around campus should be palpable and there is nothing better than getting out of class around three to go tailgate with friends before heading into the stadium. It is early enough in the year where students shouldn’t be swamped with work or have to sprint from the business school after an I-Core exam in order to make the second half. Indiana’s best student sections usually come early in the season or against teams like Ohio State. Well, both are happening so it will be a great turn out.

3. With a Win IU Will be the Talk of the Nation on Friday and Saturday

This is a great opportunity for the Hoosiers. Upsets happen early in the season, there are always a handful of shockers. Now it is a HUGE if. However, if the Hoosiers can knock off Ohio State on this Thursday night they should own the airwaves all of Friday and in the morning on Saturday during TV coverage.  A win will set the tone for the rest of the year and be that breakthrough moment that Tom Allen talked about in his introductory press conference.

4. It Gives IU 10 Days to Recover and Prepare For a Trip to Virginia

The 2017 football schedule is daunting for IU. They open up with Ohio State and follow it up with a trip to Virginia to play the Cavaliers. IU could use the extra two days of recovery and preparation after Ohio State. Going on the road out of conference is not easy and now there is more time to turn the page from Ohio State and get on with the rest of the season.

5. It’s Two Fewer Days Before Football Starts Again

The college football offseason is long. There will be 246 days between the Foster Farms Bowl and the opener on August 31st. It was 248. I’ll take it and as an added bonus it gives Hoosier fans an extra Saturday on a long weekend no less to either watch other games or go out and enjoy the last weekend of summer. 

Final Say

I understand the reasons why fans are upset or angry, but leaving early or getting back late from weeknight basketball games doesn’t seem to be that big of an issue for everyone. Will some people’s tailgating be truncated? Yes, people still have to go to work or wait for their children to get home from school. It’s the real world and people have responsibilities. However, IU fans have nine months to prepare. The school didn’t just throw this upon them a week before the event. This means people have enough time to coordinate schedules or ask for time off if they have to.

The bottom line is that this is a remarkable opportunity for IUFB. It’s a chance to make some national noise while being one of, if not the, only show in town. That opportunity doesn’t come around often to begin the year for IU.