Thursday was a big day for the Big Ten. The conference that’s been around since 1896 (the oldest Division I college athletic conference in the United States) released its football schedules for the 2016 and 2017 season. What’s the big deal you say? Well, nine conference games will be played instead of the typical eight. The Big Ten wants every player to have a chance to face each of the other 13 conference teams during his four-year career; so cross-division opponents will change from season to season for each team.
Highlighted games for the new nine game scheduling is cross-divisional games between Ohio State, Michigan, Wisconsin and Nebraska in both 2016 and 2017 seasons. Wisconsin will meet Ohio State in 2016 and Nebraska will play at Penn State in 2017. Other games such as the major rivalries’ between Ohio State-Michigan, Minnesota-Wisconsin and Northwestern-Illinois will be played on the last week of the season.
This new schedule will bring earlier Big Ten action. The 2017 Big Ten season will have Ohio State at Indiana on September 2nd, 2017 for the opening game of the season.
Overall, the winner in this is everyone. The players and coaches get to see almost every team at least once in their career. The fans are definitely going to win because in 2014 the Big Ten will introduce two new members in Maryland and Rutgers. The Big Ten wins in all of this because it should have more hope in competing against the likes of the SEC.
