Top 20 Big Ten conference games in 2024
We are all in for a treat when the Big Ten football season kicks off this September with four former Pac-12 schools joining the conference. UCLA and USC were announced as future members in the summer of 2022, while Washington and Oregon joined at the beginning of August.
With the extinction of the Pac-12 all but complete, Big Ten’s new look might be in for its most exciting season yet. This past year, Oregon and Washington, and to some extent USC, were some of the country’s top offenses. Contrary to the typical Big Ten conference game with low scores and gritty defense, the four newcomers were known for scoring touchdowns up and down the field.
The differences in styles will be fascinating to watch this year and to see how the new or old Big Ten teams adapt to unfamiliar opponents. How many Big Ten fans are looking forward to seeing an anemic Iowa offense go up against Lincoln Riley’s USC or Dan Lanning’s Oregon Ducks? We’ll have to wait for those exact matchups, but maybe Kirk Ferentz will slow down the Washington Huskies and introduce them to typical Big Ten football. Those new matchups will now be a regular fixture come the fall.
Undoubtedly, the Big Ten is about to be a lot stronger. There are no more divisions, just the two top teams going head-to-head for the conference title in December. Can it still be the Ohio State, Michigan show, or will the West Coast teams enter the fray with a vengeance? Only time will tell, but one thing is sure: going 9-0 in conference play will be next to impossible.
Let’s take a look at the top 20 Big Ten conference matchups this season, and there are quite a few exciting ones.
Ohio State at Oregon (Oct. 12)
No Bo Nix and no Marvin Harrison Jr., but this matchup still has all the makings of a top-2 matchup in the Big Ten. Dan Lanning and Ryan Day hit the transfer portal hard, and the talent should be on full display in a potential high-scoring affair.
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Michigan at Ohio State (Nov. 30)
“The Game” always delivers, and the Buckeyes should be favored to end their three-game skid against the Wolverines at home in Columbus.
Oregon at Michigan (Nov. 2)
Arguably, Michigan’s toughest home game this season. Can Dan Lanning and the Ducks throw a wrench into the Wolverines’ back-to-back title hopes? The Ducks will be on their own title challenge, so this one has the makings of a classic.
USC at Michigan (Sept. 21)
An old Rose Bowl rivalry will be renewed in Ann Arbor this fall. Although the Trojans might not start the season off ranked, their offense under Lincoln Riley should be fun to watch against a talented Michigan defense.
Michigan at Washington (Oct. 5)
A rematch of the national title game, sign me up! Both teams will look a lot different when the Sherrone Moore-led Wolverines head to Seatle to face the Jedd Fisch-led Huskies. But make no mistake, this matchup should still be one of the conference’s best next season.
Penn State at USC (Oct. 12)
Rematch of the 2017 Rose Bowl, anyone? I am super excited to watch the Nittany Lions travel to Southern California to take on the Trojans. A rematch of what transpired in January of 2017 would be tough for Penn State fans but a win for college football. If James Franklin can get his offense right this one has a chance to be a thriller.
Washington at Oregon (Nov. 30)
The “Border War” has become a must-see TV for the last few years in the Pac-12, and now this rivalry enters the Big Ten. With two new quarterbacks, it will be different than Michael Penix Jr. versus Bo Nix, but it will still deliver.
Ohio State at Penn State (Nov. 2)
Can James Franklin finally get the “can’t win a big game” monkey off his back? Ryan Day’s squad will travel to State College this year to play in the ever-so-raucous Beaver Stadium. Can that atmosphere be the difference? It will take a showing from Drew Allar and Co., but definitely one tuning in for.
USC at UCLA (Nov. 23)
Although the talent might be lacking in the Bruins, the Los Angeles rivalry game is often tight. Two big powerhouses now going at it in the Big Ten at the Rose Bowl. Sign us up!
Washington at Penn State (Nov. 9)
I think this game has the recipe to be a fantastic one. Penn State has a few opportunities for the annual White Out game, but the national runner-ups seem like as good a bet as anybody. What’s not to like about introducing the Huskies to Beaver Stadium, with one of the best atmospheres in college football?
Oregon at UCLA (Sept 28)
Some might call this the Chip Kelly game, and with the stage of the Rose Bowl, it should be a fantastic watch. I don’t see the Ducks completely walloping the Bruins, and with great weather in store for a September in Southern California, Big Ten fans should tune into this classic Pac-12 matchup.
Oregon at Wisconsin (Nov. 16)
Wisconsin has the ability to surprise some people this season with Luke Fickell in his second year at the helm. They may not beat the Ducks in Madison, but it will be a good game. Watching the four new West Coast play in mid to late November games in the cold will be one of my favorite things to watch come this fall. This one definitely falls into that category.
Wisconsin at USC (Sept. 28)
Another game that features the Badgers, and another game pitting the old Big Ten against the new Big Ten. I think the games with matchups that we as fans haven’t seen very often are, by nature, more intriguing, ending into next season. For me, something about college football makes this matchup feel so right. I’m definitely looking forward to this one.
Penn State at Wisconsin (Oct. 26)
It seems wild that the last time the Badgers and the Nittany Lions faced off was in 2021. This year, it should be a good matchup in Madison against two teams that seem always to play each other close recently.
Nebraska at USC (Nov. 16)
I have a feeling that Dylan Raiola and the Cornhuskers will give Lincoln Riley’s Trojans a run for their money in mid-November. Maybe USC blows them out, but I don’t really see it. A hard-fought contest between two huge football programs sounds more likely.
Iowa at Ohio State (Oct. 5)
The Buckeyes will welcome the Hawkeyes for their first conference home game of the season. Whether Iowa can challenge Ohio State offensively remains to be seen, but early in the season, with both teams still figuring things out, sets this up to be an intriguing matchup.
Washington at UCLA (Nov. 16)
Another Pac-12 matchup is now being played in the Big Ten. Both programs are going through some roster overhaul, which is why the game is quite a bit down the list, but it still should be an exciting matchup.
Nebraska at Iowa (Nov. 29)
The annual Black Friday tradition between these two prototypical Big Ten schools that are just about 300 miles apart. It is a game that Iowa has dominated in recent memory, with the Cornhuskers winning just once in the last nine seasons. Nebraska seems to be on an upward trajectory with Matt Rhule and now Dylan Raiola in the fold. A cold one, but a good one seems to be on tap in Iowa City.
UCLA at Penn State (Oct. 5)
It’s a matchup that hasn’t been played since 1967 but one that should bring some new memories to Big Ten fans. UCLA having to make the trek all the way to State College will be an interesting thing to monitor.
Wisconsin at Iowa (Nov. 9)
The battle for the Heartland Trophy is always a close contest in typical Big Ten fashion, a low-scoring affair. The Badgers have lost the past two matchups, and this year’s iteration is heading back to Iowa City, so Wisconsin will have to deal with being at Kinnick Stadium. The Badgers lead the series 49-46-2, and both teams project to be around similar spots in the conference standings, providing all the ingredients for a contested matchup.
