Cal vs. Northwestern TV schedule: ABC or ESPN2, 12:30 pm Pacific

The second season of the Sonny Dykes era will kick off with a rematch of last year's hotly anticipated debut of the Bear Raid. The California Golden Bears will take on the Northwestern Wildcats in front of a national audience, with the Worldwide Leader taking the telecast. The Big Ten announced that the Bears and the Wildcats will square off in the afternoon on either ABC or ESPN2. Kickoff is scheduled for around 12:30 p.m. Pacific, 3:30 p.m. Eastern. CalBears.com has more.

For those wondering why the game is on either ABC or ESPN2, the afternoon telecast is split up between a host of different games. Alabama vs. West Virginia is also slated in at that same time slot, so expect a split depending on which region you're in. (Cal vs. Northwestern should be on ABC on the West Coast and the Midwest, ESPN2 everywhere else; Alabama vs. West Virginia should be on ABC on the East Coast, the South, and pretty much every other region, and ESPN2 on the West Coast and the Midwest).

Cal managed to avoid the dreaded 9 a.m. morning slate, so that's good for us and our bleary eyes. Let the games begin!

Here's an excerpt from the official press release.

The August 30 game is part of a Big Ten Conference television package announced Wednesday. Kickoff time from Ryan Field in Evanston is 2:30 p.m. CT/12:30 p.m. PT.

The Pac-12 previously announced kickoff times and television selections for three other games on Cal’s 2014 schedule, including a pair of primetime weeknight matchups.

Cal and Oregon will play the first-ever collegiate football game at Levi’s® Stadium in Santa Clara on Friday, Oct. 24 (7 p.m. PT). The contest will be televised by FOX Sports 1.

Cal and USC will square off on ESPN at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Thursday, Nov. 13 (6 p.m. PT.).

In addition, the Pac-12 Networks will televise the first of six home games at Kabam Field at California Memorial Stadium against Sacramento State on Sept. 6 (Noon PT).