It’s the biggest game of the season to date, and Northwestern fans are excited to see the Wildcats on ESPN for this week’s Big Ten opener against the Hawkeyes.

Check that – ESPN Classic – a network not included in the basic Comcast cable package in Evanston. The Michigan State-Indiana game won the ESPN slot, burying one of the best rivalries in the Big Ten in recent years.

But is it really a surprise, considering wins in Evanston have done little to stop the constant disrespect pitted against the NU football program by national media outlets?

I was thrilled to have the opportunity to watch our first win of the season against Syracuse on ESPN2. That thrill quickly turned into dismay when I watched the postgame highlight video on ESPN.com.

“Quarterback C.J. BOCK-er, drops back to pass, and COMPLETES to Tihhrell Sutton for the touchdown!”

Yes, ESPN analysts are privileged enough to receive pronunciation guides. I’m sure they could even dip into their budget to corral a copy of Hooked On Phonics for the occasional (permanent) “é” that pops up on C.J.’s jersey. Even Brett Basanez did not face this level of exploitation.

So I’m done with ESPN. Time to turn to a more reliable sports outlet – Sports Illustrated. Every SI.com team page comes with a vibrantly designed box score, and they had this game right on the money – Syracuse 30, Northwestern 10.

The next logical question came to mind. Who else in the Big Ten is 1-0? Not NU, as the editors forgot to change our record from 0-0 to 1-0. Maybe they had scooped coach Pat Fitzgerald on his view that the team’s goal is to go 1-0 every week, and return to 0-0 once the game is over.

Flush that view, Sports Illustrated. The standings box is the next logical graphic to edit after a team wins a football game. I’m sure even Rick Reilly knows that. He may not be an oratory genius based on his weekly blips as the newest pundit on ESPN, but his former “The Life of Reilly” publication should not make that mistake.

So I’m done with Web sites. It’s time to go back in time and take a nice gander at the tube. Saturday night is college football night, and what NU fan would refrain from basking in the glow of Ohio State’s loss to Southern California on ABC?

Ohio State was trailing 21-3, and the Big Ten scoreboard appeared on the screen. One game was left off of it, and that was NU’s 33-7 win over Southern Illinois. That game was of little importance anyways, right?

Yes, there is a logical solution to this issue. After decades of football coverage, ABC has yet to receive the memo that the Big Ten secretly has 11 teams. A week later, the same network had no trouble reminding fans that Ohio State rebounded with a 28-10 win over Ancient Greek power Troy.

So how does NU alleviate itself from the weekly ignorance displayed by the college football nation? Antihistamines and painkillers might remove my headache, and a win at Kinnick Stadium will do more than give NU a 5-0 start.

Respect among the players and coaches has been a big reason why the Cats are off to their best start since 1962. It is more visible than ever on the sidelines, with teammates prodding each other for mistakes, and congratulating each other when sound plays are made.

But a win this weekend will bring respect from a source that matters most. Everywhere else.