Big Ten football schedule: the long-term protected matchups
As you probably know by now, the Big Ten has released its football schedule for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. Each Big Ten team has three common opponents for those two seasons.
“The Big Ten Conference wants its schools to play the 15 other Big Ten schools at least once every two years, but without having too much long-distance travel. Teams in the Midwest are not going to fly to Los Angeles any more frequently than necessary.
“Three Big Ten schools will be common opponents for both 2024 and 2025, but in 2026 and 2027, the common opponents will rotate instead of remaining in place from the 2024-2025 two-year plan. There’s a lot to keep track of.”
There’s a difference between having common opponents in a two-year span and having permanently protected rivalry games which will always be part of every schedule on a long-term basis. Below, we give you the 11 Big Ten matchups which will be permanent parts of the schedule for all the teams involved:
ILLINOIS VS NORTHWESTERN
Illinois will face Northwestern as one of the protected matchups in the new Big Ten schedule. The Chicago market is a big one, so protecting this game was a natural point of priority for the conference. It’s also desirable to have more games with minimal travel, to reduce strain on the athletes involved.
ILLINOIS VS PURDUE
Illinois and Purdue will face off in a Big Ten West battle. It’s another game with a short travel distance between the two schools. That matters.
INDIANA VS PURDUE
The battle for the Old Oaken Bucket is still alive. It’s a rivalry game and yet another short commute for the two teams. Sense a theme here, anyone?
IOWA VS MINNESOTA
Iowa and Minnesota are protected as a key Big Ten West battle. Hawkeyes Wire discussed Iowa’s desire to protect this rivalry and two other specific rivalries in the Big Ten.
IOWA VS NEBRASKA
Matt Rhule and the new-look Cornhuskers are protected against Iowa. This is another rivalry Iowa wanted to be protected. The Hawkeyes got their wish.
Get more Nebraska news, analysis and opinions at Cornhuskers Wire.
IOWA VS WISCONSIN
Iowa gets paired with another new Big Ten head coach: Luke Fickell. This is the third rivalry game Iowa wanted to be protected. The Hawkeyes went 3 for 3.
Get more Wisconsin news, analysis and opinions at Badgers Wire.
MARYLAND VS RUTGERS
This is one of the least exciting protected matchups, but it does make the two teams’ Big Ten schedules less imposing. Both schools will like the fact that this is a protected matchup for them. It’s a winnable game built into every Big Ten season.
Get more Rutgers news, analysis and opinions at Rutgers Wire.
MICHIGAN VS MICHIGAN STATE
Some things just shouldn’t be changed, and this rivalry is one of them. It’s a natural pick for a protected annual game.
Get more Michigan news, analysis and opinions at Wolverines Wire.
Get more Michigan State news, analysis and opinions at Spartans Wire.
MICHIGAN VS OHIO STATE
Michigan and Ohio State has been a top Big Ten battle, so keeping this on the schedule was necessary. There’s no need to mess with tradition … or huge TV ratings.
Get more Ohio State news, analysis and opinions at Buckeyes Wire.
MINNESOTA VS WISCONSIN
Minnesota and Wisconsin is always a tough showdown. This is the battle for Paul Bunyan’s Axe. Keeping rivalry games was an easy call for the Big Ten.
UCLA VS USC
Yeah, there is no way the Big Ten could get rid of this L.A. showdown. Why would it even want to? Having this game is part of the point of bringing the Los Angeles schools into the Big Ten.
