Northwestern University's first-ever Friday night football game met with excitement, apprehension

EVANSTON, Ill. (WLS) -- The Northwestern Wildcats are hosting the Ohio State Buckeyes in a rare Friday night matchup.

It's the first-ever Friday night football game at Ryan Field, and a few people aren't happy about the timing of the game.

"It is a little bit different," said Michael Roche, a Northwestern fan. "You know people coming from work, taking the train from downtown and maybe some of us getting off work early to spend time with each other."

Northwestern University is facing off against Ohio State University, a rematch of last year's Big Ten Championship.

"I am hoping for a big upset tonight," said Northwestern fan Elaine Parizot. "Fingers crossed."

Ohio State fan John Behm said, "We know the grass is tall here so it is going to slow the game down. Big spread, but I think it is going to be a lot closer than what Vegas thinks."

In the surrounding Evanston neighborhood, residents have mixed reactions about the Friday night game.

"There is some concern that it is going to be chaos," said resident Tom Walsh. "I don't think that's going to happen. It's going to be fun."

Resident Mary Rosinski believes the game will be chaotic.

"There will be no parking. I know my kids are going to be staying at their friends house until 10, 12 at night until some parking frees up," she said.

The game was scheduled by the Big Ten, not Northwestern University.

Evanston city officials have been working with the university and their community partners to address what they're calling challenges associated with Friday's game. It comes as the city considers a request by Northwestern to host pro sports and for profit entertainment events at their athletic facilities.

Rosinski, who's lived in Evanston for decades, said she's worried about the impact that it could have on her neighborhood.

"We signed up to live next to something that was predictable," she said.