Skip To Main Content

University of Illinois Athletics

Memorial Stadium Fireworks

Football

Future Big Ten Football Opponents Announced

News

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The Big Ten Conference announced Thursday the conference's football matchups for the next five years (2024-28), as first reported on Big Ten Network. The 2024 season will be the Big Ten's first with 18 teams and no divisional format. 

Next season, Illinois will host Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, and Purdue at Memorial Stadium and make visits to Nebraska, Northwestern, Oregon, Penn State, and Rutgers. Dates for the 2024 season will be announced at a later date.

With the Big Ten's new Flex Protect XVIII model, Illinois will play all Big Ten opponents at least twice, once home and once away, over a five-year period. The Fighting Illini have two protected matchups that are played every year – Northwestern and Purdue – that are part of 12 overall protected games within the Big Ten. 

2024

Home Away
Michigan at Nebraska
Michigan State at Northwestern
Minnesota at Oregon
Purdue at Penn State
at Rutgers

2025

Home Away
Maryland at Indiana
Northwestern at Purdue
Ohio State at Washington
Rutgers at Wisconsin
USC

2026

Home Away
Iowa at Maryland
Nebraska at Michigan State
Oregon at Northwestern
Purdue at Ohio State
at UCLA

2027

Home Away
Indiana at Michigan
Northwestern at Minnesota
Penn State at Purdue
UCLA at USC
Wisconsin

2028

Home Away
Michigan State at Indiana
Ohio State at Iowa
Purdue at Northwestern
Washington at Oregon
at Rutgers

Print Friendly Version