Wisconsin scheduled for two primetime games in 2012

After drawing five primetime slots for games in 2011, the Badgers will play in only two night games in 2012, the Big Ten announced Tuesday.

Wisconsin's second home game of the season and third game overall Sept. 15 against Utah State will be televised by BTN. The Badgers also open Big Ten play in primetime when they travel to Memorial Stadium for the first time since 1971 to take on Nebraska Sept. 29.

Perhaps even more notable than the two games that were selected for primetime slots were those that were not selected. Two home games that could have huge conference implications, Michigan State Oct. 27 and Ohio State Nov. 17, were curiously not selected for primetime slots. One possible explanation, at least for the Ohio State game's omission, is the fact that the Big Ten seldom schedules night games in the month of November.

Ohio State will be the most featured Big Ten school in primetime this season, appearing in four of the conference's 14 night games, while Indiana and Nebraska each have three. All the other Big Ten schools have one or two except Purdue, which has none.

Wisconsin played in a total of five of the Big Ten's seven regular season primetime games in 2011.