The Big Ten has announced the football opponents for the 2024 through 2028 seasons, it was reported Thursday. The 2024 season will be the first year of the 18-team arrangement.
The Oregon Ducks, UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans, and Washington Huskies will join the league for the 2024 campaign.
The league outlined the following considerations for setting up the schedule:
- Balance of annual travel by distance, regions of the conference, and time zones.
- Maintaining control and flexibility as the college football postseason format evolves, with the goal to create access for programs into an expanded College Football Playoff.
- Balance of historic competitiveness and recent competitive trends, including home/away balance of traditionally competitive schools.
The league also features 12 protected matchups that are based on history, geography, and rivalry “trophy” games. Those matchups include Illinois-Northwestern, Illinois-Purdue, Indiana-Purdue, Iowa-Minnesota, Iowa-Nebraska, Iowa-Wisconsin, Maryland-Rutgers, Michigan-Michigan State, Michigan-Ohio State, Minnesota-Wisconsin, Oregon-Washington, and UCLA-USC.
Below is the complete list of Big Ten football opponents for the 2024 through 2028 seasons:
Future Big Ten Football Opponents
2024 Home: Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Purdue
2024 Away: Nebraska, Northwestern, Oregon, Penn State, Rutgers
2025 Home: Maryland, Northwestern, Ohio State, Rutgers, USC
2025 Away: Indiana, Purdue, Washington, Wisconsin
2026 Home: Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon, Purdue
2026 Away: Maryland, Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, UCLA
2027 Home: Indiana, Northwestern , Penn State, UCLA, Wisconsin
2027 Away: Michigan, Minnesota, Purdue, USC
2028 Home: Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, Washington
2028 Away: Indiana, Iowa, Northwestern, Oregon, Rutgers
2024 Home: Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Purdue, Washington
2025 Away: Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, UCLA
2025 Home: Illinois, Michigan State, UCLA, Wisconsin
2025 Away: Iowa, Maryland, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue
2026 Home: Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue, USC
2026 Away: Michigan, Nebraska, Rutgers, Washington
2027 Home: Iowa, Michigan, Penn State, Rutgers
2027 Away: Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota, Purdue, USC
2028 Home: Illinois, Maryland, Oregon, Purdue, Washington
2028 Away: Northwestern, Penn State, UCLA, Wisconsin
2024 Home: Nebraska, Northwestern, Washington, Wisconsin
2024 Away: Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, UCLA
2025 Home: Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Oregon, Penn State
2025 Away: Nebraska, Rutgers, USC, Wisconsin
2026 Home: Nebraska, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin
2026 Away: Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Washington
2027 Home: Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, UCLA, USC
2027 Away: Indiana, Nebraska, Oregon, Wisconsin
2028 Home: Illinois, Nebraska, Rutgers, Wisconsin
2028 Away: Michigan State, Minnesota, Penn State, Purdue, USC
2024 Home: Iowa, Michigan State, Northwestern, Rutgers, USC
2024 Away: Indiana, Minnesota, Oregon, Penn State
2025 Home: Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Washington
2025 Away: Illinois, Michigan State, Rutgers, UCLA, Wisconsin
2026 Home: Illinois, Penn State, Rutgers, UCLA, Wisconsin
2026 Away: Nebraska, Ohio State, Purdue, USC
2027 Home: Minnesota, Oregon, Purdue, USC
2027 Away: Iowa, Northwestern, Penn State, Rutgers, Washington
2028 Home: Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, Rutgers, Washington
2028 Away: Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, UCLA
2024 Home: Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern, Oregon, USC
2024 Away: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Washington
2025 Home: Ohio State, Purdue, Washington, Wisconsin
2025 Away: Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, USC
2026 Home: Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State, Penn State, UCLA
2026 Away: Minnesota, Ohio State, Oregon, Rutgers
2027 Home: Illinois, Ohio State, Oregon, Rutgers
2027 Away: Indiana, Iowa, Michigan State, Penn State, UCLA
2028 Home: Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, USC
2028 Away: Ohio State, Purdue, Washington, Wisconsin
2024 Home: Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, Purdue, Rutgers
2024 Away: Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Oregon
2025 Home: Maryland, Michigan, Penn State, UCLA
2025 Away: Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, USC
2026 Home: Illinois, Nebraska, Northwestern, Oregon, Washington
2026 Away: Michigan, Rutgers, UCLA, Wisconsin
2027 Home: Indiana, Michigan, Rutgers, Wisconsin
2027 Away: Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Washington
2028 Home: Iowa, Minnesota, Penn State, Purdue, USC
2028 Away: Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Oregon
2024 Home: Iowa, Maryland, Penn State, USC
2024 Away: Illinois, Michigan, Rutgers, UCLA, Wisconsin
2025 Home: Michigan State, Nebraska, Purdue, Rutgers, Wisconsin
2025 Away: Iowa, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon
2026 Home: Iowa, Michigan, Northwestern, UCLA
2026 Away: Indiana, Penn State, Purdue, Washington, Wisconsin
2027 Home: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Washington, Wisconsin
2027 Away: Iowa, Maryland, Nebraska, USC
2028 Home: Iowa, Maryland, Nebraska, Oregon
2028 Away: Michigan State, Ohio State, Rutgers, UCLA, Wisconsin
2024 Home: Illinois, Rutgers, UCLA, Wisconsin
2024 Away: Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, Purdue, USC
2025 Home: Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, USC
2025 Away: Maryland, Minnesota, Penn State, UCLA
2026 Home: Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State, Washington
2026 Away: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State, Oregon, Rutgers
2027 Home: Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon, Purdue, Rutgers
2027 Away: Northwestern, Ohio State, Washington, Wisconsin
2028 Home: Northwestern, Penn State, UCLA, Wisconsin
2028 Away: Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Purdue, USC
2024 Home: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Wisconsin
2024 Away: Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Purdue, Washington
2025 Home: Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Purdue, UCLA
2025 Away: Illinois, Nebraska, Penn State, USC
2026 Home: Illinois, Iowa, Penn State, Rutgers
2026 Away: Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Oregon
2027 Home: Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Washington
2027 Away: Illinois, Rutgers, UCLA, Wisconsin
2028 Home: Illinois, Indiana, USC, Wisconsin
2028 Away: Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Purdue, Washington
2024 Home: Illinois, Maryland, Michigan State, Ohio State, Washington
2024 Away: Michigan, Purdue, UCLA, Wisconsin
2025 Home: Indiana, Minnesota, USC, Wisconsin
2025 Away: Iowa, Northwestern, Penn State, Rutgers, Washington
2026 Home: Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern, UCLA, Washington
2026 Away: Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State, USC
2027 Home: Iowa, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue
2027 Away: Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, UCLA, Washington
2028 Home: Illinois, Michigan State, Rutgers, USC, Washington
2028 Away: Indiana, Minnesota, Penn State, Wisconsin
2024 Home: Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Purdue
2024 Away: Michigan State, Northwestern, Oregon, Penn State
2025 Home: Minnesota, Penn State, Rutgers, UCLA
2025 Away: Illinois, Michigan, Purdue, Washington, Wisconsin
2026 Home: Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Northwestern, Oregon
2026 Away: Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, USC
2027 Home: Michigan State, Purdue, Nebraska, USC
2027 Away: Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Oregon, Rutgers
2028 Home: Michigan, Minnesota, Rutgers, Washington, Wisconsin
2028 Away: Illinois, Maryland, Penn State, UCLA
2024 Home: Illinois, Maryland, Ohio State, UCLA, Washington
2024 Away: Minnesota, Purdue, USC, Wisconsin
2025 Home: Indiana, Nebraska, Northwestern, Oregon
2025 Away: Iowa, Michigan State, Ohio State, Rutgers, UCLA
2026 Home: Minnesota, Purdue, Rutgers, USC, Wisconsin
2026 Away: Maryland, Michigan, Northwestern, Washington
2027 Home: Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Washington
2027 Away: Illinois, Indiana, Oregon, Purdue, Wisconsin
2028 Home: Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, Oregon, UCLA
2028 Away: Michigan State, Nebraska, Rutgers, USC
2024 Home: Nebraska, Northwestern, Oregon, Penn State
2024 Away: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Ohio State, Wisconsin
2025 Home: Illinois, Indiana, Ohio State, Rutgers, USC
2025 Away: Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern, Washington
2026 Home: Maryland, Minnesota, Washington, Wisconsin
2026 Away: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Penn State, UCLA
2027 Home: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Penn State, UCLA
2027 Away: Maryland, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oregon
2028 Home: Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern
2028 Away: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State, Rutgers, USC
2024 Home: Illinois, Minnesota, UCLA, Washington, Wisconsin
2024 Away: Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, USC
2025 Home: Iowa, Maryland, Oregon, Penn State
2025 Away: Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio State, Purdue, Washington
2026 Home: Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, USC
2026 Away: Maryland, Northwestern, Penn State, Wisconsin
2027 Home: Maryland, Northwestern, Ohio State, Washington
2027 Away: Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, UCLA
2028 Home: Illinois, Minnesota, Penn State, Purdue, UCLA
2028 Away: Iowa, Maryland, Ohio State, Oregon
2024 Home: Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon, USC
2024 Away: Nebraska, Penn State, Rutgers, Washington
2025 Home: Maryland, Nebraska, Penn State, Washington
2025 Away: Indiana, Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, USC
2026 Home: Illinois, Michigan State, Purdue, USC, Wisconsin
2026 Away: Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon
2027 Home: Michigan, Northwestern, Oregon, Rutgers
2027 Away: Illinois, Iowa, Purdue, USC, Wisconsin
2028 Home: Indiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Ohio State, USC
2028 Away: Nebraska, Penn State, Rutgers, Washington
2024 Home: Nebraska, Penn State, Rutgers, Wisconsin
2024 Away: Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, UCLA, Washington
2025 Home: Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, UCLA
2025 Away: Illinois, Nebraska, Oregon, Purdue
2026 Home: Maryland, Ohio State, Oregon, Washington
2026 Away: Indiana, Penn State, Rutgers, Wisconsin, UCLA
2027 Home: Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Wisconsin, UCLA
2027 Away: Iowa, Maryland, Ohio State, Washington
2028 Home: Iowa, Nebraska, Penn State, Purdue
2028 Away: Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Oregon, UCLA
2024 Home: Michigan, Northwestern, UCLA, USC
2024 Away: Indiana, Iowa, Oregon, Penn State, Rutgers
2025 Home: Illinois, Ohio State, Oregon, Purdue, Rutgers
2025 Away: Maryland, Michigan, UCLA, Wisconsin
2026 Home: Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Penn State
2026 Away: Michigan State, Nebraska, Oregon, Purdue, USC
2027 Home: Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, Oregon, USC
2027 Away: Minnesota, Northwestern, Penn State, Rutgers
2028 Home: Michigan, Northwestern, UCLA, Wisconsin
2028 Away: Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State, Oregon
2024 Home: Minnesota, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue
2024 Away: Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern, Rutgers, USC
2025 Home: Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Ohio State, Washington
2025 Away: Indiana, Michigan, Oregon, Minnesota
2026 Home: Michigan State, Rutgers, USC, Minnesota
2026 Away: Iowa, Maryland, Penn State, Purdue, UCLA
2027 Home: Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State, UCLA
2027 Away: Illinois, Michigan State, USC, Minnesota
2028 Home: Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon
2028 Away: Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Washington
The Big Ten should roll back to 8 conference games, with 5 protected opponents and 3 rotating on an 8 year schedule as follows:
Illinois: Indiana, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue, Wisconsin
Indiana: Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Purdue
Iowa: Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin
Maryland: Northwestern, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, USC
Michigan: Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Wisconsin
Michigan State: Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue
Minnesota: Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Penn State, Wisconsin
Nebraska: Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington, Wisconsin
Northwestern: Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, UCLA, USC
Ohio State: Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, Rutgers
Oregon: Iowa, Nebraska, UCLA, USC, Washington
Penn State: Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Rutgers
Purdue: Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State, Rutgers
Rutgers: Maryland, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, UCLA
UCLA: Northwestern, Oregon, Rutgers, USC, Washington
USC: Maryland, Northwestern, Oregon, UCLA, Washington
Washington: Iowa, Nebraska, Oregon, UCLA, USC
Wisconsin: Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska
Going back to 8 conference games along with Cal doing so in the ACC would allow them to continue playing UCLA every year, and combining that with the Big 12 going to 7 conference games would pave the way for Cincinnati and OSU to play each year with UC’s home games played at Paycor Stadium.
I just don’t understand why you think conferences are going to have less games. CBS, ESPN, Fox & NBC are not paying for non conference games. They want conference games! They don’t want to air more cupcake games! If you have an 18 team conference why would you play less games?? Makes no sense! They should be going to more conference games not less.
I’ve said this a million times now. Most conference games are not attractive ratings-wise. It’s the showdowns of powers from different conferences that pay the bills. The ACC and B1G at 8 conference games can require 2 OOC games against power conference schools and the Big 12 and SEC at 7 can require 3.
Plus the math for my proposed B1G conference schedule format makes a lot of sense.
Michael playing Bowling Green,ECU, and UNLV is attractive? If they went to 8 most would schedule a FCS team/low level G5 team, 2 G5 teams, 1 power 5 team.
Essentially, they would give up a power 5 team for a fcs/G5 game.
A rollback in conference games could also keep Bedlam alive and revive KU-Mizzou on an annual basis as well.
I want more OOC games between P5 teams these will become even more important as the CFP expands to 12 teams, Some teams have gone years without playing a OOC P5 game that isn’t an annual rivalry game. Take for instance Kentucky. Their last regular season OOC game against a P5 team other than Louisville was against Indiana in 2005. The last time they played a Big Ten team other than Indiana was Ohio State in 1935. Their last game against an ACC team other than Louisville was North Carolina in 1990. Their last game against a Big 12 team was 1983 against Kansas State. Their last time playing a power independent was 1990 against Rutgers, who became a Big East member the following year. And their last game against a Pac-12 team was 1976 against Oregon State, who was also the opponent the only other time UK played a Pac school.
Kentucky playing regular season football games against the likes of Duke, Kansas, Michigan State, and North Carolina would be good because these would be matchups of schools usually known for their basketball prowess.
I have not looked very closely at every schedule yet, but if there isn’t going to be equal home/away games then the Wolverines and Spartans should alternate the extra home game. There shouldn’t be a combined 10 home games one year and a combined 8 home games other years between the two schools based in the state of Michigan.
Boy does Purdue make out in this scenario!
I agree that intersectional non-conference games are fun, and way more interesting. I was just looking at Ohio State’s OOC schedule from 1995. Boston College (Meadowlands). Washington. @Pitt. Notre Dame. Four power conference teams. Texas, in the final year of the SWC, played @Hawaii, Pitt, @Notre Dame, Oklahoma (Dallas), and Virginia. Washington played @Ohio State, Army, Notre Dame. We will never see OOC schedules like those ever again.
Then it is time to #MakeOOCSchedulesGreatAgain
@Gerry
They should probably play 10 conference games. If you’re going to have these bloated conference games, you should play more conference games, not less. Why have an 18-team league with less? and, it would force Michigan and Georgia to play better games. I know that Michigan cancelled Washington but they picked up Bowling Green? By playing 10 conference games, you’d get rid of Georgia-UT Martin and Georgia-Ball State.
The next TV contracts will be fascinating. At some point, DTC will take over. With fewer cable subscribers, consumers will want to buy packages that they can access on all their devices. Nobody will pay for Notre Dame-Tennessee State or Notre Dame-Central Michigan for that matter.
The networks can’t sell those games—they get away with it now because there are still 85 million cable subscribers and if you stream You Tube TV, you essentially still have cable because you’re buying a product that has selected channels already there. If you buy You Tube or Sling, you’re getting ESPN and Fox, you’re not choosing it.
When choice takes over, every college football game has to be a big one and that means Michigan will have to play Wisconsin and not East Carolina.
I still think these conferences are too big, but nobody cares what I think. They are hear to stay and at some point, I do think we get a two conference superleague. The B1G will have 24 teams and the SEC will have 24 if not more. It will be NFL Junior for lack of a better word.
The one thing that did surprise me–I thought Maryland would get Rutgers and Penn State as a protected rival, but they only got the Knights.
PSU didn’t want an annual rivalry game with anyone.
Anyway, I think we’ll see the B10 go to 10 conference games in 2030 (for the next TV contract).
And, IMO, the B10 and SEC won’t get much bigger because there are only a handful of teams not in the P2 that wouldn’t be dilutive. ND and FSU, obviously. Also Clemson. Maaaaaybe UNC and Miami. Maaaaaybe Utah by 2050 due to demographic growth (if the Great Salt Lake doesn’t poison the region). That’s pretty much it.
I guess Penn State will end the season with Michigan State, and in the seasons they don’t play them, then it’ll be Maryland or Rutgers, (with the other playing MSU).
My proposed schedule format allows the following games to be played every year on Thanksgiving week:
Illinois-Northwestern
Indiana-Purdue
Iowa-Nebraska
Maryland-Rutgers
Michigan-Ohio State
Michigan State-Penn State
Minnesota-Wisconsin
Oregon-Washington
UCLA-USC (odd years only)/California-UCLA and Notre Dame-USC (even years only)
I don’t get why PSU wouldn’t want to keep playing MSU each year at the end of the season. The fact that they were the first two land-grant schools is significant.
PSU will rotate who they end their season with (as will MSU, RU, and UMD).
Before adding Washington and Oregon every team was scheduled to play every other over a four-year span. This would get every four-year player a game in every B1G stadium. To keep to 9 conference games and keep protected rivals, they expanded the cycle to 5 years. I would have eliminated some of the protected rivalries and maintained the 4-year cycle. My exception here was only one game vs Michigan for both Rutgers and Maryland so Michigan could keep annual meetings with both MSU and OSU.
Everyone plays everyone twice, home-and-home in 4 years with the following exceptions:
Rivalries that meet all 4 years:
UCLA/USC, Wash/Ore, Neb/Iowa, Wisc/Minn, Ill/NW, Ind/Pur, Rut/Mary, Mich/OSU, Mich/MSU.
3 times in 4 years:
PSU/Rut, PSU/Mary
Once in 4 years:
Mich/Rut, Mich/Mary
Iowa and UMTC aren’t going to be willing to drop the game for Floyd. You must not be from around those parts. And UMich still wouldn’t be able to visit all B10 stadiums in 4 years.
Who cares about that anyway? SEC teams have never been able to visit all conference schools in 4 years and they’re doing fine.
Z-Man You are too darn Selfish & very,very, greedy.
Here is My dream Big Ten Thanksgiving Football schedule 11/29/24-11/30/24. Friday 11/29/24 Nebraska at Iowa 2:30PM,CBS Fresno State at UCLA 4:00PM,FS1 Washington at Oregon 7:30PM,NBC Saturday 11/30/24 Michigan at Ohio State Noon,CBS Rutgers at Michigan State Noon,BTN Purdue at Indiana Noon,Peacock Notre Dame at USC 3:30PM,FOX Illinois at Northwestern 3:30PM,FS1 Maryland at Penn State 3:30PM,BTN Minnesota at Wisconsin 3:30PM,Peacock Big 12 will be shown on FOX big noon Saturday & CBS will show Mountain West at 3:30PM.
Jeff B. 114% agree with you Conference games are heart & soul of College Football I like all Conference games I 114% like giving games that are not so attractive a chance.
Richard 114% like comment posted on October 10th 2023 at 4:04AM while Northwestern/Illinois & Michigan/Ohio State are My co-favorite Big Ten games on Thanksgiving Weekend I am a fan of Penn State rotating with Michigan State,Maryland & Rutgers for their regular season finale.