The Big Eight Conference will get a start a jump on the prep football season ... by a half hour.

Middleton coach Tim Simon, who must have seen our online schedule, e-mailed Monday to say that Big Eight openers Friday night will start at 7 p.m. instead of their traditional 7:30 p.m. kickoffs. He said administrators made the decision to move up the kickoffs for Week 1 before returning to 7:30 p.m. starts from Week 2 through Week 8.

Regular-season finales Oct. 21 will also be played at 7 p.m. That's a Wednesday night ... and a school night.