With the SEC, Big 12, and ACC now mandating 10 P4 games, one conference is sticking out like a sore thumb – the Big 10.
@Brett_McMurphy, in his On3 article, discusses the Big 10 current interest in 10 P4 games.
The perplexing thing about the Big Ten not requiring its league members to play a 10th power conference game is that at this summer’s Big Ten media days in Las Vegas, league officials and coaches literally pounded their chests about playing the toughest conference schedule.
This year, six Big Ten teams – Penn State, Indiana, Washington, Rutgers, Northwestern and Maryland – do not play a non-conference power opponent. Next season, five Big Ten teams – Indiana (again), Nebraska, Penn State (again) and Washington (again) – are currently not scheduled to play a non-conference power opponent.
McMurphy makes an excellent point.
Penn State’s opening non-conference schedule was Nevada, FIU, and Villanova. You think Clemson wouldn’t have minded those 3 games to open the season? That’s a 3-0 start vs the 1-2 start, now 1-3 they had. How about that Indiana schedule of Old Dominion, Kennesaw State, and Indiana State opening slate? I’m not saying these teams aren’t good or playoff worthy, I’m just saying they made no effort to prove themselves outside of their insulated Big 10 schedule.
If the Big 10 is the football conference they claim to be, why won’t they mandate a 10th conference P4 game?
Ohio State in the last 4 years, Ohio State played Oregon while they were in the Pac 12, Notre Dame twice, and Texas. Maybe there is a reason uneven distribution is on the table for the Big 10.
Get with the program Big 10. You aren’t special, just require the 10 P4 games.
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1 ping
Billie Jean King says:
September 26, 2025 at 11:21 am (UTC -5)
I agree that the Big 10 needs to have a meeting and mandate one Power 4 team every year and follow the 9+1 model. Some of those teams that are scheduling weak on purpose need to follow the rest of the college football power conferences going forward.
However, I have a beef with including Washington on this list. Washington has a nonconference matchup with Washington State scheduled. You can call that meeting the power requirement or not. However, if it doesn’t meet the requirement, then you also need to call out Kansas State and Arizona as well. They both have Washington State scheduled to meet their requirement next year. Ole Miss is also counting Washington State as meeting their requirement this year. The same goes for Virginia. Either they count, or they don’t. I have no problem either way, but you need to call other teams out if you are going to call Washington out.
Also, if Washington State counts, then Oregon State counts as well. California, Texas Tech, Houston, and Wake Forest are all using them towards having Power opponents this year. Texas Tech and Houston are doing the same again next year. Speaking of Wake Forest, they are only playing 9 Power opponents this year. The same as a few Big 10 members and most SEC members.
How about we don’t use 2025 as an example at all? Only the Big 12 has every opponent following the 9+1 model this year.
In 2026, three Big Ten teams are not following the 9+1 model. Nebraska, PSU, Indiana. If Washington State and Oregon State don’t count, then we can find another 3-4 teams from a few leagues that wouldn’t meet the requirement as well.
Lastly, Stanford and Ole Miss still haven’t officially added power opponents to their schedule for next year as well. Stanford only has 8 with 2 open slots. Maybe a few of those Big Ten teams can get in touch with them to fill a slot? Would be nice!