By Gavin Lapaille

Although “Friday Night Lights” may be popular in the rest of the country, for the University of Louisville football team, it is all about Thursday’s.

After last week’s 73-10 win over Murray State University, the Cards have three Thursday home games remaining, including this week’s match up with the Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders (MTSU). Louisville has a total of six games this season on a Thursday or Friday night.

U of L is certainly no stranger to these wacky schedules. Last season, Louisville played two games on Thursday’s and one on a Friday.

“There [aren’t] many games on a Thursday night,” senior quarterback Brian Brohm said. “Everyone is watching. You know if you are on ESPN Thursday night football you are in a big time atmosphere.”

Louisville however, is not alone. All eight Big East schools have one game scheduled for a day other than Saturday, with half of the conference having at least two. By comparison, just five schools from the other five Bowl Championship Series conferences combined have more than one game on a non-Saturday.

Playing in the weekday timeslots has led the once left-for-dead Big East into a resurgence in the college football community. Last season’s Louisville – West Virginia and Louisville – Rutgers match ups shattered previous rating marks for a weekday. The games also represent the second and third largest audiences for a regular season college football game in ESPN history.

The U of L – MTSU will be nationally televised by ESPN2, one of the three Thursday night games the ESPN networks will televise.

The Blue Raiders return 13 starters from a team that went 7-6 and won the Sub Belt Championship and a berth to the Motor City Bowl last season. Still, Middle Tennessee State Head Coach Rick Stockstill said his players understand the task at hand.

“It is a great opportunity anytime you play one of the best team’s in college football, but it is also a very stiff challenge,” Stockstill said. “We will have to play perfect football on Thursday in order to compete.”

Cardinal fans may need to get used to seeing the Blue Raiders on the schedule. The two teams are expected to play again next season.

“The two schools are only three hours away,” Stockstill said. “We had a nice crowd in Nashville last year on national television, and I think that is what our administration was envisioning when they worked out this series.”

“Every time your logo is on TV and your school is mentioned it is a positive,” Stockstill said. “It is some of the best advertising you can get and it is a great recruiting tool.”

Some U of L students however, view these games as a huge hassle. For those who have late night classes or work nights, attending the entire game is nearly impossible.

Student Government Association President Brian Hoffman, who is in class until 8:15 on Thursday nights, sees both sides of the issue.

“Obviously, the televised games are a great benefit to our University,” Hoffman said. “I hope as our national reputation continues to rise, U of L athletics will pursue more weekend televised games as to not displace our students.”

Several students were a bit more harsh towards the U of L athletic department.

“I have Anatomy tests on every Friday after the weekday games,” senior nursing major Mike Brown said. “This is ridiculous. Playing games during the week when students have class and tests. It decreases student participation in Cardinal athletics.”

“I prefer the weekend games because it allows for more time to leisurely get to tailgating and the game instead of hectic getting out of class and rushing to get there,” sophomore sociology major Michael Oghia said. “It is just easier.”

Students are not the only ones affected by the late weeknight games. Communications professor Greg Leichty teaches a class on Thursday nights and said the ESPN connection does come at a distinct cost for U of L.

“[The weekday games] come at the cost of family arrangements, and opportunities for people who teach and take evening classes to participate in the events,” Leichty said. “A lot of people miss class too, which subtracts from the continuity and value of the educational experience as well.”

U of L Head Coach Steve Kragthorpe has one simple wish for all of those who attend any of U of L’s weekday home games: “Just got to make sure no one calls in work sick tomorrow.”