It had been rumored that Pitt’s game vs. rival Penn State could be a primetime kickoff and, on Wednesday, that was confirmed. The Panthers will meet the Nittany Lions on ABC at 8:00 p.m. on September 8 at Heinz Field.
The night kickoff is the first such one between the two teams since 1987.
That the game will be a nationally televised night contest obviously speaks to the rivalry and its drawing power. Despite the fact that Penn State fans may bemoan the fact that they ‘have to’ face Pitt instead of another desirable non-conference contest against the likes of Akron or Georgia State, it’s clear that at least TV executives think there’s potential for a lot of interest on a national level for what many see as a largely regional rivalry.
It’s a great rivalry and, regardless of the outcome, seeing it played on national television in a primetime matchup should be a lot of fun for both sides.
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