USATSI

The Big Ten on Thursday released a five-year football scheduling model stretching through the 2028 season. The model is an adjustment to the scheduling parameters the Big Ten previously released, this time taking into account the additions of Oregon and Washington -- along with USC and UCLA -- in 2024.

The schedule laid bare the biggest concern about Big Ten expansion: West Coast travel. For example: In 2024, 13 of the existing 14 Big Ten schools (all except Purdue) will make at least one trip to the West Coast. Among the four former Pac-12 teams, UCLA will make trips to Penn State, Nebraska and Rutgers. USC will go to Minnesota, Michigan and Maryland. Washington is at Indiana, Iowa, Penn State and Rutgers. Oregon visits Michigan, Purdue and Wisconsin.

Among the longest road trips for the coast-to-coast league in 2024: Maryland at Oregon (2,390 air miles), Rutgers at USC (2,450 air miles), Washington at Rutgers (2,390 air miles).

"A lot of these may have occurred as nonconference competition," said Big Ten COO Kerry Kenny. "As you look at the overall schedule, you may be shifting nonconference games to conference schedule. There is no perfect science with each individual team and each individual year."

The model is called "Flex Protect XVIII." Over this initial five-year period, the 18 Big Ten schools will play one another at least twice -- home and away. Rotating opponents will be played no more than three times in that five-year period. (The league previously released the Flex Protect Plus Model in June.)

The number of conference games (nine) will remain the same. Tiebreaking procedures will be announced at a later date. The Big Ten will continue with its plan to remove divisions from the league beginning in 2024.

Protected rivalries

There are 12 traditional rivalries considered "protected" by the Big Ten. These include a "combination of historic and geographic rivalries, as well as trophy games," per the Big Ten. Rivalry games will be played each season on a rotating home-and-home basis.  Penn State is the only Big Ten program without a protected rival, while Iowa has the most with three. Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota and Purdue have two each.

  • Illinois: Northwestern, Purdue
  • Indiana: Purdue
  • Iowa: Minnesota, Nebraska, Wisconsin
  • Maryland: Rutgers
  • Michigan: Michigan State, Ohio State
  • Michigan State: Michigan
  • Minnesota: Iowa, Wisconsin
  • Nebraska: Iowa
  • Northwestern: Illinois
  • Ohio State: Michigan
  • Oregon: Washington
  • Purdue: Illinois, Indiana
  • Rutgers: Maryland
  • UCLA: USC
  • USC: UCLA
  • Washington: Oregon
  • Wisconsin: Iowa

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