Big Ten schedules, divisions: What makes sense when USC, UCLA join the conference?

The Big Ten will keep its East and West divisions through the 2023 season. USC and UCLA are slated to become official members on Aug. 2, 2024. The conference will then switch to a single-conference layout for scheduling and championship game qualification. There are still some details to be discussed before making it official. Iowa AD Gary Barta wants to have it done soon. The league and school officials debated about playing division-less in 20 23, but some athletic directors preferred to unveil a new system when USC, UCLA became members.

NCAA Division I Council eliminated divisional play as a requirement for championship games. The ACC will shift to a single-conference format next year. Big 12 has yet to determine its scheduling formulas. SEC is considering two scheduling options for when Texas and Oklahoma join the league in 2024 or 2025. The Big Ten is looking at different numbers of permanent rivals. It's not clear who the trophy games will be. There's a lot of discussion about an uneven number of rivals in the Big 10. Some teams might protect each other only, while others might not. A player should go to every stadium at least once.

The Big Ten has changed its geographic division system. The East won 13 of 21 crossover games this year. There are 10-15 historical rivalries that the schools hold dear. Ohio State-Penn State is the most watched Big League game. The rivalry between Michigan and Minnesota is one of the league's most important. Michigan-Minnesota has 104 meetings. Illinois-Purdue determined the West champion this season. Nebraska and Iowa play on Black Friday every season since 2011. They play for the Little Brown Jug. It's the oldest traveling trophy in the country.