The Big Ten on Thursday announced a new scheduling model to accommodate an 18-team conference, revealing its teams’ nine yearly conference opponents through the 2028 season.
The conference previously announced it would be scrapping divisions as it adapts a new scheduling method. Since that announcement, Oregon and Washington were announced as future members of the conference, expanding the Big Ten’s West Coast footprint beyond the previous additions of USC and UCLA and requiring an overhaul of the scheduling format previously outfitted for a 16-team league.
The “Flex Protect XVIII” model features a rotation of permanent protected rivals and rotating opponents.