Ranking the Big Ten's 12 Conference Games on NBC For the 2023 Season
Are you ready for some college football? On Wednesday, we learned (tentatively) the 12 Big Ten conference games that will be on NBC this season (barring any games being “flexed” to another network). All NBC games can be streamed on Peacock. Here’s how they rank in terms of anticipation. Odds below are from BetMGM, including season win totals found in the parenthesis.
1. Oct 28 – Ohio St (10.5 wins) at Wisconsin (8.5 wins) – 7:30 pm
All-Time Series: OSU 62-18-5 | Last Meeting: OSU 52, Wisconsin 21 (2022)
It’s the co-Big Ten favorite Buckeyes against the Big Ten West favorites…a potential preview of the final East-West B1G Championship Game (Wisky won it twice as the Leaders Division champ). Luke Fickell hosts his alma mater, and Madison is always a tough place to visit, while OSU only trails Georgia and Alabama on the National Title odds board (+700).
2. Nov 18 – Nebraska (6.5 wins) at Wisconsin (8.5 wins) – 7:30 pm
All-Time Series: Wisconsin 12-4 | Last Meeting: Wisconsin 15, Nebraska 14 (2022)
Fickell and Matt Rhule are the two hottest new coaches in the Big Ten, going head-to-head in a pivotal B1G West matchup. Both programs think highly of themselves, and this will be an excellent test for their Year 1 coach.
3. Oct 21 – Michigan (10.5 wins) at Michigan State (5.5 wins) – 7:30 pm
All-Time Series: Michigan 72-38-5 | Last Meeting: Michigan 29, Michigan State 7 (2022)
This isn’t expected to be much of a game, but the battle for the Paul Bunyan Trophy is one of the best rivalries in all of college football, and the Spartans haven’t been an easy out for Coach Jim Harbaugh, who should be back on the sidelines before the third Saturday in October.
4. Oct 14 – Iowa (7.5 wins) at Wisconsin (8.5 wins) – 3:30 pm
All-Time Series: Wisconsin 49-45-2 | Last Meeting: Iowa 24, Wisconsin 10 (2022)
The top two teams in the Big Ten West going into the season, the winner will emerge as the favorite to be the division’s final winner and representative in the B1G Championship Game. The conference’s longest-tenured coach, Kirk Ferentz, will look to remind Fickell what Big Ten football is all about as they play for the beautiful Heartland Trophy.
5. Oct 21 – Minnesota (6.5 wins) at Iowa (7.5 wins) – 3:30 pm
All-Time Series: Minnesota 62-52-2 | Last Meeting: Iowa 13, Minnesota 10 (2022)
One of my favorite trophy games and rivalries in the Big Ten, the Hawkeyes, and Golden Gophers, play for the glorious Floyd of Rosedale trophy. This one should also have ramifications in the Big Ten West, and Ferentz seems to take extra delight in beating P.J. Fleck. Can Fleck snap the eight-game losing streak?
6. Nov 24 – Penn State (9.5 wins) vs. Michigan State (5.5 wins) – 7:30 pm
All-Time Series: Tied 18-18-1 | Last Meeting: PSU 35, MSU 16 (2022)
Our own Big Ten Ben Stevens has PSU as his pick to win the Big Ten, and if he’s right, a lot could be on the line when the Nittany Lions visit the Spartans at Ford Field on Black Friday.
7. Nov 4 – Purdue (5.5 wins) at Michigan (10.5 wins) – 7:30 pm
All-Time Series: Michigan 46-14 | Last Meeting: Michigan 43, Purdue 14 (2022)
The rematch of last season’s Big Ten Championship Game figures to be a blowout in Ann Arbor. Unless…Ryan Walters can work his magic (he held Michigan to a season-low 19 points as DC with Illinois) again. This will be the second-straight game on NBC for the national title-contending Wolverines.
8. Nov 11 – Maryland (7.5 wins) at Nebraska (6.5 wins) – 3:30 pm
All-Time Series: Nebraska 2-0 | Last Meeting: Nebraska 54, Maryland 7 (2019)
Potentially two of the more exciting quarterbacks in the conference, Taulia Tagovailoa and Jeff Sims, will look to make this one a shootout. Both programs have the skill-player talent to make it happen.
9. Nov 11 – Michigan State (5.5 wins) at Ohio State (10.5 wins) – 7:30 pm
All-Time Series: Ohio State 36-15 | Last Meeting: OSU 49, MSU 20 (2022)
B1G Odds:Heisman Candidates: Kyle McCord & Marvin Harrison +2000
Since MSU played OSU tough from 2011-2016 (split six games), it’s been all Buckeyes: 48-3, 26-6, 34-10, 52-12, 56-7, 49-20.
10. Oct 7 – Purdue (5.5 wins) at Iowa (7.5 wins) – 7:30 pm
All-Time Series: Purdue 50-40-3 | Last Meeting: Iowa 24, Purdue 3 (2022)
At this point, transfer quarterbacks Cade McNamara and Hudson Card should be fully acclimated, while offensive coordinators Graham Harrell and Brian Ferentz have much to prove.
11. Sept 23 – Maryland (7.5 wins) at Michigan State (5.5 wins) – 3:30 pm
All-Time Series: Michigan State 10-3 | Last Meeting: Maryland 27, MSU 13 (2022)
With all respect to Rutgers and Indiana, this is the de facto tier two Big Ten East Championship Game. Mel Tucker and Mike Locksley will be pleased not to play Michigan, OSU, and PSU every season starting in 2024.
12. Sept 30 – Illinois (6.5 wins) at Purdue (5.5 wins) – 7:30 pm
All-Time Series: Purdue 47-45-6 | Last Meeting: Purdue 31, Illinois 24 (2022)
The Boilermakers played spoiler when they upset the Illini last season and then stole Bret Bielema’s DC, Ryan Walters, to be their HC.
