With the arrival of USC and UCLA for the 2024 college football season, the Big Ten updated its scheduling model to protect the league's numerous and tradition-rich rivalries while eliminating divisions amid its swelling membership. The conference announced its new "flex protect plus" model Thursday, giving schools to up to three protected annual rivalries. The conference will also continue with a nine-game schedule featuring a rotation of conference opponents on a two-year basis.
Under the new format, teams will play certain opponents in both the 2024 and 2025 seasons, referred to as "two plays," which will essentially serve as a home-and-home between conference opponents. Two-play opponents for each member institution will change every two years -- teams will have different "two plays" for the 2026 season, for instance -- with the goal playing every other institution twice over four years. Since Penn State is the only program without a protected rival, it has three two-play opponents rotating on its schedule.
And instead of divisions, the top two teams in the overall conference standings at the end of the regular season, beginning in 2024, will play in the Big Ten Championship Game. The Big Ten has yet to announce tiebreaker scenarios.
With all that in mind, here are the permanent rivals, plus the home and away schedules for the 2024 and 2025 seasons, for each Big Ten team.
Teams in italics are permanent rivals | Teams with asterisks (*) are "two play" opponents
2024 Big Ten opponents
| Team | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|
Illinois | Purdue, Michigan, Maryland, Iowa | Northwestern, Michigan State, Ohio State*, Rutgers, USC |
Indiana | Purdue, Penn State, UCLA, Minnesota, Maryland* | Michigan State*, Nebraska, Northwestern, Wisconsin |
Iowa | Nebraska, Wisconsin, UCLA, Maryland | Minnesota, Illinois, Ohio State, Rutgers, USC |
Maryland | Rutgers, Michigan State, Purdue, USC, Wisconsin | Illinois, Indiana*, Iowa, Michigan* |
Michigan | Michigan State, Maryland*, Minnesota, UCLA, Wisconsin | Ohio State, Illinois, Rutgers, USC |
Michigan State | Illinois, Indiana*, Ohio State, Purdue Rutgers | Michigan, Maryland, Nebraska, Penn State |
Minnesota | Iowa, Northwestern, Ohio State, Rutgers | Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska*, UCLA |
Nebraska | Indiana, Michigan State, Minnesota*, Wisconsin | Iowa, Northwestern, Penn State, Purdue, UCLA |
Northwestern | Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, USC | Minnesota, Ohio State*, Penn State, Purdue*, UCLA |
Ohio State | Michigan, Iowa, Illinois*, Northwestern*, Rutgers | UCLA, Michigan State, Minnesota, Penn State |
Penn State | Michigan State*, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, USC* | Indiana, Purdue, Rutgers*, Wisconsin |
Purdue | Nebraska, Northwestern*, Penn State, USC | Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State, Wisconsin |
Rutgers | Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Penn State*, UCLA* | Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State |
UCLA | USC, Ohio State, Nebraska, Minnesota, Northwestern | Michigan, Iowa, Indiana, Rutgers* |
USC | Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin*, Illinois | UCLA, Penn State*, Maryland, Northwestern, Purdue |
Wisconsin | Minnesota, Indiana, Penn State, Purdue | Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, USC* |
2025 Big Ten opponents
| Team | Home | Away |
|---|---|---|
Illinois | Northwestern, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio State*, UCLA | Purdue, Nebraska, Penn State, Wisconsin |
Indiana | Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State*, Rutgers | Purdue, Illinois, Maryland*, Ohio State, USC |
Iowa | Minnesota, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Penn State | Wisconsin, Nebraska, Indiana, Purdue |
Maryland | Indiana*, Michigan*, Nebraska, Penn State | Rutgers, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Rutgers, UCLA |
Michigan | Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Northwestern | Michigan State, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland*, Nebraska |
Michigan State | Michigan, Northwestern, Penn State, UCLA | Indiana*, Iowa, Minnesota, USC, Wisconsin |
Minnesota | Wisconsin, Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska*, USC | Iowa, Illinois, Penn State, Purdue |
Nebraska | Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, Rutgers, UCLA | Maryland, Minnesota*, Ohio State, USC |
Northwestern | Maryland, Ohio State*, Purdue*, Rutgers, Wisconsin | Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State |
Ohio State | Indiana, Maryland, Nebraska, USC | Michigan, Illinois*, Northwestern*, Purdue, Wisconsin |
Penn State | Illinois, Minnesota, Rutgers*, UCLA | Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State*, USC* |
Purdue | Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio State | Michigan, Northwestern*, Rutgers, UCLA |
Rutgers | Maryland, Purdue, USC, Wisconsin | Indiana, Nebraska, Northwestern, Penn State*, UCLA* |
UCLA | Maryland, Purdue, Rutgers*, Wisconsin | USC, Illinois, Michigan State, Nebraska, Penn State |
USC | UCLA, Indiana, Michigan State, Nebraska, Penn State* | Minnesota, Ohio State, Rutgers, Wisconsin* |
Wisconsin | Iowa, Illinois, Michigan State, Ohio State, USC* | Minnesota, Northwestern, Rutgers, UCLA |
