Big Ten Football 2024-2028

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#2      
spotter
Prepare Get Ready GIF by STARZ
 
#4      
Dan
Illinois Football 2024-2028 Big Ten Rotation

2024
Home: Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Purdue
Away: Oregon, Penn State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Rutgers

2025
Home: Ohio State, USC, Northwestern, Rutgers, Maryland
Away: Washington, Indiana, Purdue, Wisconsin

2026
Home: Oregon, Iowa, Nebraska, Purdue
Away: Ohio State, UCLA, Northwestern, Maryland, Michigan State

2027
Home: UCLA, Penn State, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Indiana
Away: USC, Michigan, Minnesota, Purdue

2028
Home: Ohio State, Washington, Purdue, Michigan State
Away: Oregon, Iowa, Northwestern, Indiana, Rutgers
 
#6      
redwingillini11
I'm seeing an average of 3 "unwinnable" games per year, 3 uphill climbs, and 3 games we can/should feel good about. I expected worse. We can still aspire to be a regularly-bowl eligible team, but we need to get the train back on the tracks and pickup where we left off last year.

I've got family in Oregon so the plans are already coming together to make the trip out to Eugene next year.
 
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#7      
LGIllini
Strange to see us skipping Iowa two years in a row. More Rutgers and Mich State over the next 5 seasons than Iowa, Wisconsin, or Minnesota.
 
#12      
spotter
The four or five home dates per season will intensify a campaign for the B1G to expand to 10 conference games per season.
 
#15      
spotter
redwingillini11 said:
This has been the case since 2016.
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I know, but I think people will want a more "fair" schedule with five home games a season each season. With it harder to win the conference starting next year I don't think the conference leaders will want to hear the runner-up bringing up their home dates as an excuse.

But the bigger driver for 10 conference games will, and always be, $$$$$$$
 
#18      
aaeismacgychel
Very interesting and a far better schedule than I expected all things considered. A few things that stand out:

1. They seemed intent on making sure all teams faced almost exactly 2 of the 4 elites (Mich, OSU, USC, Oregon) every year with only slight exceptions, along with 1 against the current next tier teams (PSU, Washington, UCLA)

2. I expected a percentage of games to be skewed regionally to help with travel, so more Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Nebraska, Minnesota, and little to no Rutgers, Maryland, etc. This clearly did not happen.

3. Similar to the top tier teams, they also seemed intent on making sure every team played almost exactly 2 of the traditional bottom feeders (Indiana, Rutgers, Northwestern, and sigh us) every year.

Overall, I have to commend them for seemingly doing their best to balance schedules as much as possible considering the current power level of the programs. It makes each year somewhat look like this:

2: almost certain loss
1: should lose
4: toss-up
2: should win

4-5 seems like an expected season, up to 6-3 seems like a goal in a good season. Overall, looking like about 1 extra win per season than I was expecting. I'll take these schedules.
 
#20      
Pikeillinifan
aaeismacgychel said:
Very interesting and a far better schedule than I expected all things considered. A few things that stand out:

1. They seemed intent on making sure all teams faced almost exactly 2 of the 4 elites (Mich, OSU, USC, Oregon) every year with only slight exceptions, along with 1 against the current next tier teams (PSU, Washington, UCLA)

2. I expected a percentage of games to be skewed regionally to help with travel, so more Iowa, Wisconsin, Indiana, Nebraska, Minnesota, and little to no Rutgers, Maryland, etc. This clearly did not happen.

3. Similar to the top tier teams, they also seemed intent on making sure every team played almost exactly 2 of the traditional bottom feeders (Indiana, Rutgers, Northwestern, and sigh us) every year.

Overall, I have to commend them for seemingly doing their best to balance schedules as much as possible considering the current power level of the programs. It makes each year somewhat look like this:

2: almost certain loss
1: should lose
4: toss-up
2: should win

4-5 seems like an expected season, up to 6-3 seems like a goal in a good season. Overall, looking like about 1 extra win per season than I was expecting. I'll take these schedules.
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If by the start of this new schedule we can pull off 6-7 wins we will be in position to get better and better, which is all we can ask for.

We just really need to avoid the kind of play that has gotten us to 2-3 this year if we want to take the next step as a program.

We have the new media $, NIL $, and coaching staff $ to do it. What I don't know as much about is the academic side, is the administration committed to winning, which means allowing some kids in that we may not have in the past to help us get to that next level.

I worry that if we do not get to that next level, sooner or later the cream of the crop will rise and break off in football to another level and some of the programs that cannot get it together will be left behind.
 
#21      
Old.Edgy
With the Illini not being allowed nice things, and only able to catch lightning in a bottle once a decade, It might be problematic sticking around for the next episode...
 
#24      
Illini4Chief
Dan said:
Illinois Football 2024-2028 Big Ten Rotation

2024
Home: Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Purdue
Away: Oregon, Penn State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Rutgers

2025
Home: Ohio State, USC, Northwestern, Rutgers, Maryland
Away: Washington, Indiana, Purdue, Wisconsin

2026
Home: Oregon, Iowa, Nebraska, Purdue
Away: Ohio State, UCLA, Northwestern, Maryland, Michigan State

2027
Home: UCLA, Penn State, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Indiana
Away: USC, Michigan, Minnesota, Purdue

2028
Home: Ohio State, Washington, Purdue, Michigan State
Away: Oregon, Iowa, Northwestern, Indiana, Rutgers
Click to expand...
No Wisconsin game till 2027? Wha.....
 
#25      
aaeismacgychel
Illini4Chief said:
No Wisconsin game till 2027? Wha.....
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2025 as well, but I get the sentiment. Surprised me as well how little we're playing traditional close geographic opponents in Iowa and Wisconsin especially as I was guessing that travel reduction would have some emphasis in the new model. Balanced schedules clearly were the point of emphasis here, which honestly works to our advantage as we historically have been one of the weaker teams, but it comes at the expense of playing our traditional geographic rivals.

It's better for our schedule, but from a sentimental perspective, it's unfortunate. In a ways it reminds me of how the old Norris Division has been dissolved in the NHL. I hated the Wings and the NorthStars with every fiber of my being, but man I miss those rivalries.
 
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