CFB media column: Breaking down the early-season kickoff times for departing and remaining Pac-12 teams

Thursday brought important news across the college football landscape: The reveal of kickoff times and TV networks for early-season games.

Fans can begin making travel and social plans for the 2024 season.

How do the schedules look for the 10 departing and two remaining Pac-12 schools?

Before we get into specifics, a few important reminders for the upcoming season:

The SEC’s ‘Game of the Week’ is moving off CBS, its longtime home, and onto ESPN/ABC as part of the conference’s all-in partnership with the Disney networks.

Meanwhile, home games for Big Ten teams will be available on Fox, FS1, CBS, NBC, Peacock and the Big Ten Network. The conference schedule includes a load of Friday games, with the West Coast teams featured prominently.

And with two exceptions (explained below), Washington State and Oregon State home games will be shown on The CW.

Now, the specifics …

(Kickoff times for games starting Sept. 21, or Week Four, will be announced during the season.)

— The Apple Cup, scheduled for Sept. 14 at Lumen Field in Seattle — it’s considered a UW home game and thus owned by the Big Ten’s media partners — will be shown exclusively on Peacock at 12:30 p.m.

It’s smart business for the network, because anyone interested in watching the game, which always generates a substantial audience, must buy a subscription to NBC’s streaming service.

But it’s suboptimal news for the Cougars, who will be desperate for visibility in their ‘Pac-2’ existence and would have loved their biggest game to be featured on broadcast television.

— That said, Washington State and Oregon State will have plenty of chances to remain relevant in the fall.

Of the 11 kickoffs released thus far for Oregon State, eight will be shown on broadcast television: six on The CW and two on Fox.

The Fox lineup features the Civil War (against Oregon) and, somewhat unexpectedly, a morning kickoff on Black Friday at Boise State (9 a.m.).

Of the eight TV assignments announced for WSU, six are slotted for The CW, one is on Fox (against Texas Tech on Sept. 7) and one on Peacock (the Apple Cup).

— Notable for Washington: Kickoff times for five of the 12 games have been announced, and none are scheduled for  broadcast television on Saturdays.

The Huskies have one game on Peacock, two on the Big Ten Network and two Friday night games (on Fox).

Of the seven not yet announced, at least two (against Northwestern and Indiana) seemingly are good candidates for the Big Ten Network.

— Oregon also will be shown exclusively on Peacock on Sept. 7, when the Ducks host Boise State.

— The Saturday night (7:30 p.m.) slot on ESPN previously occupied by #Pac12AfterDark will feature the departing schools playing at home.

Arizona hosts New Mexico on Aug. 31, followed by Arizona State against Mississippi State on Sept. 7 and Cal against San Diego State on Sept. 14.

ESPN’s Saturday night games for the remainder of the season will lean into the Four Corners schools bound for the Big 12 because the network doesn’t own the rights to Big Ten matchups.

— Once again, the networks are emphasizing Colorado and coach Deion Sanders whenever possible.

The Buffaloes have non-conference dates against North Dakota State on ESPN, Nebraska on NBC and Colorado State on CBS.

— Arizona and Utah have early-season games scheduled for ESPN+ as part of the Big 12’s media package. Both are against FCS opponents: The Utes host Southern Utah on Aug. 29; and the Wildcats host NAU on Sept. 7.