Big Ten reveals new football scheduling model, opponents for 2024-25

The 2023 college football season is still a little less than three months away, but on Thursday, the Big Ten got a head start on the 2024 and 2025 scheduling. Following last summer's announced additions of USC and UCLA, the conference announced its new scheduling model, which is set to go into effect in 2024.

The new "Flex Protect" model released by the conference ensures that all 16 Big Ten teams will have either one, two or three protected rivalries. The rivalries selected by the Big Ten would be "protected," meaning the matchups would be played annually.

The new model also eliminates divisions, a format the conference first implemented in 2011 with divisions entitled "Leaders" and "Legends." Teams will cycle through the remaining Big Ten teams in which they don't have a protected rivalry with over multiple seasons.

It should come as no shock to Big Ten fans that Michigan State and Ohio State were the Wolverines' two protected rivalries. Michigan and Ohio State have met every season since 1917, with the exception of the COVID-canceled 2020 matchup. What some describe as the best rivalry in college football was first played in 1897, and it's still going as strong as ever to this day. Meanwhile, the Wolverines and Spartans have met every season since 1945, with the rivalry dating back to 1898.

The part of the schedule release that may have come as a shock to some, was that Michigan didn't receive a third protected rival. The Wolverines will play Michigan State and Ohio State annually.

Interestingly, the model includes a two-play model, where two teams from the conference will play back-to-back seasons. For Michigan, the Wolverines will play Maryland as the two-play team in 2024 and 2025.

Prior to the Big Ten's full release of the 2024 opponents for all 16 teams, Action Network's Brett McMurphy revealed a number of Big Ten games in a tweet. McMurphy revealed the following games:

Michigan at USC

Ohio State at UCLA

Wisconsin at Michigan

Iowa at USC

UCLA at Michigan

Wisconsin at USC

Nebraska at UCLA

Iowa at Ohio State

USC at Penn State

UCLA at Iowa

McMurphy's release revealed a tough slate of games for Michigan, which will face both of the conference's newcomers in 2024.

Additionally, Michigan is set to host Wisconsin and Michigan State, and it's set to travel to Ohio State, as well.

Per The Athletic's Nicole Auerbach, the full list of Michigan's 2024 opponents can be found below:

vs. Fresno State (Aug. 31)

vs. Texas (Sept. 7)

vs. Arkansas State (Sept. 21)

at USC

at Ohio State

vs. Michigan State

vs. Wisconsin

vs. UCLA

at Illinois

at Rutgers

vs. Maryland

vs. Minnesota

Michigan's 2025 Big Ten opponents are listed below:

at Indiana

at Iowa

at Maryland

at Michigan State

at Nebraska

vs. Northwestern

vs. Ohio State

vs. Penn State

vs. Purdue

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