The Big Ten football schedule 2024 early season kickoff times and TV slate has been announced, which features 46 games set for broadcast in the first three weeks.
The Big Ten expands to 18 teams this season with the addition of the Oregon Ducks, UCLA Bruins, USC Trojans, and Washington Huskies.
The schedule kicks off on Thursday, Aug. 29 with three teams hosting non-conference opponents. The Rutgers Scarlet Knights host the Howard Bison (6:00pm ET, BTN), the Minnesota Golden Gophers host the North Carolina Tar Heels (8pm ET, FOX), and the Illinois Fighting Illini host the Eastern Illinois Panthers (9pm ET, BTN).
Two games were moved up one day to Friday kickoffs (Aug. 30) — FAU at Michigan State (7:00pm ET, BTN) and Western Michigan at Wisconsin (9:00pm ET, FS1).
12 conference members will hit the gridiron on Saturday, Aug. 31 — Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, UCLA, and Washington. The featured contest is the Penn State Nittany Lions traveling to face the West Virginia Mountaineers at Noon ET on FOX.
On Sunday, Sept. 1, the USC Trojans will face the LSU Tigers at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, and the game will be broadcast by ABC at 7:30pm ET.
The 2024 Big Ten Championship Game is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 7 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind. The game will be televised by CBS at 8:00pm ET.
The Big Ten also announced Homecoming dates for all 18 member schools.
Listed below are the early season Big Ten games that have been selected for television as of May 30, plus several games from Week 4 onward. All remaining Big Ten controlled football games in 2024 will be announced six-to-12 days prior to the date of the game.
Big Ten football schedule: Early season 2024 kickoff times, TV
*All times Eastern.
Thursday, Aug. 29
Howard at Rutgers – 6pm, BTN
North Carolina at Minnesota – 8pm, FOX
Eastern Illinois at Illinois – 9pm, BTN
Friday, Aug. 30
FAU at Michigan State – 7pm, BTN
Western Michigan at Wisconsin – 9pm, FS1
Saturday, Aug. 31
Illinois State at Iowa – 12pm, BTN
UConn at Maryland – 12pm, FS1
Penn State at West Virginia – 12pm, FOX
Indiana State at Purdue – 12pm, BTN
FIU at Indiana – 3:30pm, BTN
UTEP at Nebraska – 3:30pm, FOX
Miami (OH) at Northwestern – 3:30pm, BTN
Akron at Ohio State – 3:30pm, CBS
Fresno State at Michigan – 7:30pm, NBC
Idaho at Oregon – 7:30pm, BTN
UCLA at Hawaii – 7:30pm, CBS
Weber State at Washington – 11pm, BTN
Sunday, Sept. 1
USC vs. LSU (in Las Vegas) – 7:30pm, ABC
Friday, Sept. 6
Western Illinois at Indiana – 7pm, BTN
Duke at Northwestern – 9pm, FS1
Saturday, Sept. 7
Texas at Michigan – 12pm, FOX
Rhode Island at Minnesota – 12pm, Peacock
Bowling Green at Penn State – 12pm, BTN
Akron at Rutgers – 12pm, BTN
Iowa State at Iowa – 3:30pm, CBS
Michigan State at Maryland – 3:30pm, BTN
EMU at Washington – 3:30pm, BTN
South Dakota at Wisconsin – 3:30pm, FS1
Kansas at Illinois – 7pm, FS1
Colorado at Nebraska – 7:30pm, NBC
WMU at Ohio State – 7:30pm, BTN
Boise State at Oregon – 10pm, Peacock
Utah State at USC – 11pm, BTN
Saturday, Sept. 14
Central Michigan at Illinois – 12pm, Peacock
Arkansas State at Michigan – 12pm, BTN
Alabama at Wisconsin – 12pm, FOX
PVAMU at Michigan State – 3:30pm, BTN
Nevada at Minnesota – 3:30pm, BTN
Oregon at Oregon State – 3:30pm, FOX
Notre Dame at Purdue – 3:30pm, CBS
Washington St. vs. Washington – 3:30pm, Peacock
Troy at Iowa – 4pm, FS1
Indiana at UCLA – 7:30pm, NBC
UNI at Nebraska – 7:30pm, BTN
Eastern Illinois at Northwestern – 7:30pm, BTN
Maryland at Virginia – 8pm, ACCN
Friday, Sept. 20
Illinois at Nebraska – 8pm, FOX
Saturday, Sept. 21
USC at Michigan – 3:30pm, CBS
Purdue at Oregon State – 8:30pm, The CW
Friday, Sept. 27
Washington at Rutgers – 8pm, FOX
Saturday, Sept. 28
Nebraska at Purdue – 12pm, TBD
Illinois at Penn State – 3:30/4/7:30pm, TBD
Friday, Oct. 4
Michigan State at Oregon – 9pm, FOX
Saturday, Oct. 5
Rutgers at Nebraska – 12/3:30/4pm, TBD
Friday, Oct. 11
Northwestern at Maryland – 8pm, FOX
Friday, Oct. 18
Oregon at Purdue – 8pm, FOX
Saturday, Oct. 19
Nebraska at Indiana
USC at Maryland
Iowa at Michigan State
UCLA at Rutgers
* All four games 12pm, 3:30, 4 or 7:30pm with network TBD
Friday, Oct. 25
Rutgers at USC – 11pm, FOX
Saturday, Oct. 26
Maryland at Minnesota – 12/3:30/4pm, TBD
Nebraska at Ohio State – 12/3:30/7:30pm, TBD
Penn State at Wisconsin – 12/3:30/7:30pm, TBD
Illinois at Oregon – 3:30/4/7:30pm, TBD
Northwestern at Iowa – 3:30pm, TBD
Saturday, Nov. 2
USC at Washington – 3:30/4/7:30pm, TBD
Friday, Nov. 8
Iowa at UCLA – 9pm, FOX
Friday, Nov. 15
UCLA at Washington – 9pm, FOX
Saturday, Nov. 16
Ohio State at Northwestern – 12/3:30pm, TBD
Nebraska at USC – 3:30/4/7:30/11pm, TBD
Friday, Nov. 22
Purdue at Michigan State – 8pm, FOX
Friday, Nov. 29
Minnesota at Wisconsin – 12pm, CBS
Nebraska at Iowa – 7:30pm, NBC
Saturday, Nov. 30
Michigan at Ohio State – 12pm, FOX
Saturday, Dec. 7, 2024
Big Ten Football Championship Game – 8pm, CBS
at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind.
Football Schedules, 2024
Anyone who doesn’t want UM-OSU on Black Friday night is not a real fan of either school or CFB in general depending on where their loyalty lies.
Besides, I think the Big Ten should require all its schools be willing to play on Friday night in order to be eligible for Big Noon Saturday.
This would disqualify UM-OSU from that slot and any other games involving either school if both continue to refuse to play on Friday night.
Z-Man Fan do not care what time UM-OSU they want to watch the game anyways regardless of schedule & My Michigan Wolverines & Your Ohio State Buckeyes have right to decline play on Fridays & Friday Evening & Big Noon Saturday will be separate FOX College Football telecasts & Friday evening will benefit Big Ten Western newcomers Washington,Oregon,UCLA & USC.
Also Z-MAN do I think that Night Football games are better than Day Football games the answer is no.
Main reason why I have My Michigan Wolverines Saturday at #2 for Night Football games after Friday Evening at #1 that I respect My Wolverines not interested in playing on Fridays.
Also Z-Man you need to accept your Ohio State Buckeyes not interested in playing on Fridays.
Really looking forward to watching CBS 3:30PM Big Ten games having a Big Mac,Club Supreme Sandwich or couple slices of Sausage Pizza.
The Big Ten should go to 8 conference games with 5 protected and 3 rotating opponents (on an 8-year schedule) for each team 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
These would then be the Thanksgiving weekend games:
Illinois-Northwestern
Indiana-Purdue
Iowa-Nebraska
Maryland-Rutgers
Michigan-Ohio State
Michigan State-Penn State
Minnesota-Wisconsin
Oregon-Washington
UCLA at USC (odd years only)
Notre Dame at USC (even years only)
UCLA at California (even years only)
Games only played on Thanksgiving weekend in certain years would be played earlier in the year at the opposite locations.
In order to keep the assigned rotating opponents the same in years 1/5, 2/6, 3/7, and 4/8 of the rotation, the protected matchups for years 5-8 would have the inverse venue rotation of years 1-4.
For instance, in years 1-4, UM-OSU would take place in Columbus in even years and Ann Arbor in odd years. For years 5-8, games in Columbus would be in odd years and Ann Arbor in even years, before switching back when a new 8-year rotation starts.
Keep dreaming Z-Man it’s NOT going to happen.
9 Conference games is excellent for Big Ten & there’s no way on God’s Earth that they will roll back to 8 that is ridiculous.
Someday Georgia Bulldogs at Ohio State will be televised on exclusively on Peacock NOT on NBC.
The math lines up perfectly though. This way a player who sticks with a Big Ten school for all four years of his college career can play everyone at least once in this period. Plus it opens the door for the Big Ten to require TWO OOC games against power conference competition.
Does Michigan want play in Tucsaloosa,AL & be property of SEC ANSWER is NO.
Does Oklahoma State want to play in Miami & be property of ACC ANSWER is NO.
Does Georgia want to play in Ames,IA & be property of Big 12 ANSWER is NO.
Does Syracuse want to play in Columbus,OH & be property of Big Ten ANSWER is NO
Listen Z-Man these College Football Teams want to be property of their OWN Conference they do not want go to somebody Elses Castle to play they get very uncomfortable.
I will make you move to Athens,GA if you keep making up these stories that do not make sense however I will not take away your interest in Green Bay Packers,Ohio State Buckeyes & Notre Dame Fighting Irish plus Cheeseheades have a very huge presence in deep South.
I believe 18 teams in the conference is way too much, but it is what it is. Anyway I believe they should think about 10 conference games. Why 10? Well it’s an even number, every team gets 5 conference home games and 5 away, sure it’s just 2 non conference, but each team plays for a conference title, not how we did against Sisters of the poor. Also I would increase big ten basketball to 22 conference games.
10 Conference games would be a win win for networks & I am a Fan of it.
Jtk1 I do agree with you on B1G hoops going to 22 games.
The protected opponents I have proposed for football would be the same for basketball accounting for 10 of 22 games every year. The other 12 schools would be played once, 6 home 6 road alternating home court every year
My idea for Notre Dame-USC to continue it’s rivalry is to play in September both at Notre Dame & L.A. instead of playing at Notre Dame in October odd number years & at L.A. even number years on Thanksgiving weekend.
I am A Fan of Big Ten playing OOC games in September & USC-UCLA play every Thanksgiving Weekend would be in win win for College Football Fans throughout Southern California & for both Fan bases also join other Big Ten rivalry games like Michigan-Ohio State & Northwestern-Illinois.
Good News Z-Man I do agree with eight of Big Ten match-ups on Thanksgiving weekend & only minor situation that I would really like to see USC-UCLA to play EVERY Thanksgiving weekend in order to make life easier for Big Ten & Big Ten really like rivalry Conference games last weekend of regular season.
While I am fully committed to 2024 College Football season however 2025 I would like to see Michigan play host to Notre Dame should Notre Dame rivalry with USC ends & Week 3 would make a fantastic date for it & have Texas A&M at Notre Dame be pushed back to Week 7 10/11/25.
Getting back to Week 3 2025 other changes I like to see in College Football schedule are Central Michigan Michigan original opponent to host Texas State & Arizona State to host USC to replace Texas State & Texas A&M to start Conference play at LSU & speaking of LSU currently they have a open date in Week 3 2025.
Purdue would be by far much better main Big Ten rivalry for Notre Dame than USC.
USC have a very,very,very long road ahead now a member of Big Ten however I do hope they succeed & it would be appropriate to end Notre Dame-USC rivalry.