Yesterday was a day many saw coming for the last few years. The Big Ten released its new scheduling model, ensuring the East-West division model would be gone when USC and UCLA join the conference in 2024.
This conclusion has been clear for some time, especially as other conferences including the ACC, Pac 12 and Big 12 eliminated divisions and with new premier programs set to join the Big Ten.
I have mixed feelings overall. On the one hand, Wisconsin will play more premier games every season and there will undoubtedly be a more entertaining television product week to week. However, the road for the Badgers to win the conference will instantly get a lot more difficult after the 2023 season concludes.
The good news is we still have the entire 2023 season to enjoy the old model while it still lasts.
For those interested in a look forward, here is the entire Big Ten football schedule for the 2024 and 2025 seasons:
For those with great eyesight đź‘€ pic.twitter.com/JgMrsM8aOK
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) June 8, 2023