Big Ten football teams and fans no longer have to worry about the possibility of a spring season. The conference on Wednesday preserved a fall football schedule when it announced its reversal after previously determining such a season was too dangerous amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The new football schedule for the Big Ten in 2020 is a better-late-than-never slate that will keep the conference in play for this season's College Football Playoff. Now the Pac-12 is the only Power 5 conference that will not play football in the fall of 2020.
MORE: Everything to know about Big Ten's reversal
The Big Ten football schedule in 2020 will be an abbreviated version of the schedule the conference released last month before it suspended the fall season. Though the conference will play fewer games than originally scheduled, the Big Ten championship game will still be played before the College Football Playoff pairings are announced.
Below is everything you need to know about the Big Ten football schedule in 2020 now that the conference is back in the college football fold.
Big Ten football schedule 2020
- Start date: Oct. 23-24
- Conference games per team: 8+1
This is a unique format, because all teams — not just those who play in the Big Ten championship game — will get to play an extra game on championship weekend.
Based on the divisional finish, each team will face its counterpart in the standings: No. 2 in East vs. No 2 in West, No. 3 in East vs. No. 3 in West, etc. The division winners obviously will play in the conference title game.
The eight-game regular-season Big Ten football schedule in 2020 is a necessary reduction from the 10-game proposal the conference made in August before pulling the plug on the fall season. Because the plug was put back in so deep into October, the Big Ten needed to reduce that number.
With the Big Ten football schedule starting the weekend of Oct. 23-24 and spanning eight weeks, that sets the Big Ten championship game for Dec. 19, which is the day before the College Football Playoff teams will be decided.
When will the 2020 Big Ten football schedule be announced in full?
Fox Sports revealed the complete revised schedule at 10 a.m. ET Sept. 19 on its "Big Noon Kickoff" pregame show.
Setting up eight-game schedules for all 14 teams in the conference is a challenge, especially now that bye weeks are out of the equation.
Below are the new team-by-team football schedules, plus the original schedules the Big Ten floated last month for comparison.
Ohio State football schedule
New schedule, opponents:
- Oct. 24: vs. Nebraska
- Oct. 31: at Penn State
- Nov. 7: vs. Rutgers
- Nov. 14: at Maryland
- Nov. 21: vs. Indiana
- Nov. 28: at Illinois
- Dec. 5: at Michigan State
- Dec. 12: vs. Michigan
- Dec. 19: Championship Week
Previous schedule, opponents:
- Sept. 3: at Illinois
- Sept. 12: vs. Rutgers
- Sept. 19: at Purdue
- Sept. 26: vs. Indiana
- Oct. 3: Bye
- Oct. 10: vs. Nebraska
- Oct. 17: at Michigan State
- Oct. 24: vs. Michigan
- Oct. 31: at Maryland
- Nov. 7: at Penn State
- Nov. 14: Bye
- Nov. 21: vs. Iowa
Michigan football schedule
New schedule, opponents:
- Oct. 24: at Minnesota
- Oct. 31: vs. Michigan State
- Nov. 7: at Indiana
- Nov. 14: vs. Wisconsin
- Nov. 21: at Rutgers
- Nov. 28: vs. Penn State
- Dec. 5: vs. Maryland
- Dec. 12: at Ohio State
- Dec. 19: Championship Week
Previous schedule, opponents:
- Sept. 5: vs. Purdue
- Sept. 12: at Minnesota
- Sept. 19: vs. Penn State
- Sept. 26: at Rutgers
- Oct. 3: vs. Michigan State
- Oct. 10: Bye
- Oct. 17: at Indiana
- Oct. 24: at Ohio State
- Oct. 31: vs. Wisconsin
- Nov. 7: vs. Maryland
- Nov. 14: Bye
- Nov. 21: at Northwestern
Michigan State football schedule
New schedule, opponents:
- Oct. 24: vs. Rutgers
- Oct. 31: at Michigan
- Nov. 7: at Iowa
- Nov. 14: vs. Indiana
- Nov. 21: at Maryland
- Nov. 28: vs. Northwestern
- Dec. 5: vs. Ohio State
- Dec. 12: at Penn State
- Dec. 19: Championship Week
Previous schedule, opponents:
- Sept. 5: vs. Minnesota
- Sept. 12: at Maryland
- Sept. 19: vs. Northwestern
- Sept. 26: at Penn State
- Oct. 3: at Michigan
- Oct. 10: Bye
- Oct. 17: vs. Ohio State
- Oct. 24: vs. Rutgers
- Oct. 31: at Iowa
- Nov. 7: vs. Indiana
- Nov. 14: Bye
- Nov. 21: at Nebraska
Wisconsin football schedule
New schedule, opponents:
- Oct. 24: vs. Illinois
- Oct. 31: at Nebraska
- Nov. 7: vs. Purdue
- Nov. 14: at Michigan
- Nov. 21: at Northwestern
- Nov. 28: vs. Maryland
- Dec. 5: vs. Indiana
- Dec. 12: at Iowa
- Dec. 19: Championship Week
Previous schedule, opponents:
- Sept. 4: vs. Indiana
- Sept. 12: at Northwestern
- Sept 19: at Nebraska
- Sept. 26: vs. Minnesota
- Oct. 3: at Maryland
- Oct. 10: vs. Purdue
- Oct. 17: Bye
- Oct. 24: vs. Illinois
- Oct. 31: at Michigan
- Nov. 7: Bye
- Nov. 14: at Iowa
- Nov. 21: vs. Rutgers
Penn State football schedule
New schedule, opponents:
- Oct. 24: at Indiana
- Oct. 31: vs. Ohio State
- Nov. 7: vs. Maryland
- Nov. 14: at Nebraska
- Nov. 21: vs. Iowa
- Nov. 28: vs. Michigan
- Dec. 5: vs. Rutgers
- Dec. 12: at Michigan State
- Dec. 19: Championship Week
Previous schedule, opponents:
- Sept. 5: vs. Northwestern
- Sept. 12: at Indiana
- Sept. 19: at Michigan
- Sept. 26: vs. Michigan State
- Oct. 3: at Rutgers
- Oct. 10: Bye
- Oct. 17: vs. Maryland
- Oct. 24: Iowa
- Oct. 31: at Nebraska
- Nov. 7: vs. Ohio State
- Nov. 14: Bye
- Nov. 21: at Illinois
Iowa football schedule
New schedule, opponents:
- Oct. 24: at Purdue
- Oct. 31: vs. Northwestern
- Nov. 7: vs. Michigan State
- Nov. 14: at Minnesota
- Nov. 21: at Penn State
- Nov. 28: vs. Nebraska
- Dec. 5: at Illinois
- Dec. 12: vs. Wisconsin
- Dec. 19: Championship Week
Previous schedule, opponents:
- Sept. 5: vs. Maryland
- Sept. 12: at Purdue
- Sept. 19: at Minnesota
- Sept. 26: vs. Nebraska
- Oct. 3: vs. Northwestern
- Oct. 10: at Illinois
- Oct. 17: Bye
- Oct. 24: at Penn State
- Oct. 31: vs. Michigan State
- Nov. 7: Bye
- Nov. 14: vs. Wisconsin
- Nov. 21: at Ohio State
Nebraska football schedule
New schedule, opponents:
- Oct. 24: at Ohio State
- Oct. 31: vs. Wisconsin
- Nov. 7: at Northwestern
- Nov. 14: vs. Penn State
- Nov. 21: vs. Illinois
- Nov. 28: at Iowa
- Dec. 5: at Purdue
- Dec. 12: vs. Minnesota
- Dec. 19: Championship Week
Previous schedule, opponents:
- Sept. 5: at Rutgers
- Sept. 12: vs. Illinois
- Sept. 19: vs. Wisconsin
- Sept. 26: at Iowa
- Oct. 3: vs. Minnesota
- Oct. 10: at Ohio State
- Oct. 17: Bye
- Oct. 24: at Northwestern
- Oct. 31: vs. Penn State
- Nov. 7: Bye
- Nov. 14: at Purdue
- Nov. 21: vs. Michigan State
Northwestern football schedule
New schedule, opponents:
- Oct. 24: vs. Maryland
- Oct. 31: at Iowa
- Nov. 7: vs. Nebraska
- Nov. 14: at Purdue
- Nov. 21: vs. Wisconsin
- Nov. 28: at Michigan State
- Dec. 5: at Minnesota
- Dec. 12: vs. Illinois
- Dec. 19: Championship Week
Previous schedule, opponents:
- Sept. 5: at Penn State
- Sept. 12: vs. Wisconsin
- Sept. 19: at Michigan State
- Sept. 26: vs. Maryland
- Oct. 3: at Iowa
- Oct. 10: Bye
- Oct. 17: vs. Illinois
- Oct. 24: vs. Nebraska
- Oct. 31: at Purdue
- Nov. 7: Bye
- Nov. 14: at Minnesota
- Nov. 21: vs. Michigan
Minnesota football schedule
New schedule, opponents:
- Oct. 24: vs. Michigan
- Oct. 31: at Maryland
- Nov. 7: at Illinois
- Nov. 14: vs. Iowa
- Nov. 21: vs. Purdue
- Nov. 28: at Wisconsin
- Dec. 5: vs. Northwestern
- Dec. 12: at Nebraska
- Dec. 19: Championship Week
Previous schedule, opponents:
- Sept. 5: at Michigan State
- Sept. 12: vs. Michigan
- Sept. 19: vs. Iowa
- Sept. 26: at Wisconsin
- Oct. 3: at Nebraska
- Oct. 10: vs. Indiana
- Oct. 17: Bye
- Oct. 24: vs. Purdue
- Oct. 31: at Illinois
- Nov. 7: Bye
- Nov. 14: vs. Northwestern
- Nov. 21: at Maryland
Illinois football schedule
New schedule, opponents:
- Oct. 24: at Wisconsin
- Oct. 31: vs. Purdue
- Nov. 7: vs. Minnesota
- Nov. 14: at Rutgers
- Nov. 21: at Nebraska
- Nov. 28: vs. Ohio State
- Dec. 5: vs. Iowa
- Dec. 12: at Northwestern
- Dec. 19: Championship Week
Previous schedule, opponents:
- Sept. 3: vs. Ohio State
- Sept. 12: at Nebraska
- Sept. 19: at Indiana
- Sept. 26: vs. Purdue
- Oct. 3: Bye
- Oct. 10: vs. Iowa
- Oct. 17: at Northwestern
- Oct. 24: at Wisconsin
- Oct. 31: vs. Minnesota
- Nov. 7: at Rutgers
- Nov. 14: Bye
- Nov. 21: vs. Penn State
Indiana football schedule
New schedule, opponents:
- Oct. 24: vs. Penn State
- Oct. 31: at Rutgers
- Nov. 7: vs. Michigan
- Nov. 14: at Michigan State
- Nov. 21: at Ohio State
- Nov. 28: vs. Maryland
- Dec. 5: at Wisconsin
- Dec. 12: at Purdue
- Dec. 19: Championship Week
Previous schedule, opponents:
- Sept. 4: at Wisconsin
- Sept. 12: vs. Penn State
- Sept. 19: vs. Illinois
- Sept. 26: at Ohio State
- Oct. 3: Bye
- Oct. 10: at Minnesota
- Oct. 17: vs. Michigan
- Oct. 24: vs. Maryland
- Oct. 31: at Rutgers
- Nov. 7: at Michigan State
- Nov. 14: Bye
- Nov. 21: vs. Purdue
Maryland football schedule
New schedule, opponents:
- Oct. 24: at Northwestern
- Oct. 31: vs. Minnesota
- Nov. 7: at Penn State
- Nov. 14: vs. Ohio State
- Nov. 21: vs. Michigan State
- Nov. 28: at Indiana
- Dec. 5: at Michigan
- Dec. 12: vs. Rutgers
- Dec. 19: Championship Week
Previous schedule, opponents:
- Sept. 5: at Iowa
- Sept. 12: vs. Michigan State
- Sept. 19: vs. Rutgers
- Sept. 26: at Northwestern
- Oct. 3: vs. Wisconsin
- Oct. 10: Bye
- Oct. 17: at Penn State
- Oct. 24: at Indiana
- Oct. 31: vs. Ohio State
- Nov. 7: at Michigan
- Nov. 14: Bye
- Nov. 21: vs. Minnesota
Purdue football schedule
New schedule, opponents:
- Oct. 24: vs. Iowa
- Oct. 31: at Illinois
- Nov. 7: at Wisconsin
- Nov. 14: vs. Northwestern
- Nov. 21: at Minnesota
- Nov. 28: vs. Rutgers
- Dec. 5: vs. Nebraska
- Dec. 12: at Indiana
- Dec. 19: Championship Week
Previous schedule, opponents:
- Sept. 5: at Michigan
- Sept. 12: vs. Iowa
- Sept. 19: vs. Ohio State
- Sept. 26: at Illinois
- Oct. 3: Bye
- Oct. 10: at Wisconsin
- Oct. 17: vs. Rutgers
- Oct. 24: at Minnesota
- Oct. 31: vs. Northwestern
- Nov. 7: Bye
- Nov. 14: vs. Nebraska
- Nov. 21: at Indiana
Rutgers football schedule
New schedule, opponents:
- Oct. 24: at Michigan State
- Oct. 31: vs. Indiana
- Nov. 7: at Ohio State
- Nov. 14: vs. Illinois
- Nov. 21: vs. Michigan
- Nov. 28: at Purdue
- Dec. 5: vs. Penn State
- Dec. 12: at Maryland
- Dec. 19: Championship Week
Previous schedule, opponents:
- Sept. 5: vs. Nebraska
- Sept. 12: at Ohio State
- Sept. 19: at Maryland
- Sept. 26: vs. Michigan
- Oct. 3: vs. Penn State
- Oct. 10: Bye
- Oct. 17: at Purdue
- Oct. 24: at Michigan State
- Oct. 31: vs. Indiana
- Nov. 7: vs. Illinois
- Nov. 14: Bye
- Nov. 21: at Wisconsin