AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A petition circulating among University of Texas football fans is asking FOX Sports to show the "most anticipated non-conference matchup" of the 2022 season under the lights.
FOX announced Monday that it had the rights to the Sept. 10 game between Alabama and UT. The kickoff time hasn't officially been set, but Matt Leinart, an analyst for FOX's Big Noon Kickoff, tweeted shortly after with the hashtag #BigNoonKickoff -- implying it could be aired in that mid-day slot.
The petition, which was started this week on change.org, put it like this: "Fox Sports has the ridiculous notion that fans enjoy watching premier college football games at noon Eastern/11 Central. Instead of competing with whatever game ESPN will choose to have at prime time, Fox Sports, like the cowards they are, elects to broadcast their marquee matchup of the day at noon. Noon!"
The fiery petition goes on to explain that at mid-day in Texas, it's going to be unbearably hot for fans and players -- though Alabama folks are equally used to hot and humid conditions -- and that specifically fans on the west side of the stadium can expect to stand in the sun the entire game.
Some of the comments on the petition hilariously respond to that concern.
"I don't want to die in the stands from heatstroke and leave my 2-year-old daughter fatherless," one commenter said.
"Way too hot, no one wants to [go] outside at this time in Texas! Give the entire nation prime time viewing!" another said. There are several similar comments on Leinart's tweet.
"Please sign this petition to bring attention to the issue and hopefully to persuade Fox Sports to come to their senses and let players play under the lights like how college football is meant to be played," the petition ends.
The game will be a showdown between head coaches Nick Saban and Steve Sarkisian, who was formerly Alabama's offensive coordinator.
The time for the game will likely be revealed in the next few weeks as one of the handful of games that will be announced early this season.
