The Wisconsin Badgers officially have four new conference mates as of Aug. 2, 2024. The Big Ten officially announced the additions of Oregon, USC, UCLA and Washington, and welcomed them with a full day of programming on the Big Ten Network.
The conference now officially includes 18 member institutions. That means an official start to its new era in football, basketball and every other scholarship sport.
Related: Big Ten power rankings in CBS Sports’ latest 1-134 ranking for 2024 season
The immediate impact of the new-look conference includes the elimination of the East-West division model in football and the subsequent introduction of a new pool play format. Otherwise, the landscape just got more competitive with several more premier basketball and football brands now in the fold.
For fans of traditional Big Ten programs including Wisconsin and Iowa, there are now four new destinations to watch their favorite teams play. For the teams themselves, there are more roadblocks than ever on the way to a conference title.
Rise and shine 🌤️
The @bigten horizon just got brighter 😎#B1GWelcome pic.twitter.com/DaJsUHOez5
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) August 2, 2024
The season officially kicks off at the end of August, with most conference play beginning during the final weekend of September.
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