Big Ten reveals protected annual rivalries in new schedule model
The Big Ten revealed a “Flex Protect Plus” schedule model on Thursday that will go into place in 2024 when USC and UCLA join the conference.
Fifteen of the league’s 16 teams have at least 1 protected rivalry — games that will be played every single season. Teams will play every other conference opponent at least twice – once home and once away – in a 4-year period. The B1G is ditching divisions, but will continue to play 9 conference games each year.
Here are the protected rivalries:
- Michigan vs. Ohio State
- Michigan vs. Michigan State
- Minnesota vs. Wisconsin
- Minnesota vs. Iowa
- Wisconsin vs. Iowa
- Nebraska vs. Iowa
- Maryland vs. Rutgers
- Indiana vs. Purdue
- Illinois vs. Purdue
- Illinois vs. Northwestern
- USC vs. UCLA
Every school has at least 1 except for Penn State. Fans on social media quickly pointed to the fact Maryland-Rutgers were preserved but the Ohio State-Penn State game that has produced some of the more entertaining matchups in recent B1G seasons wasn’t.