When it comes to scheduling conference games in the Big Ten, the league typically schedules games five to 10 years in advance. However, on Thursday, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith said that process will change going forward.
For starters, Smith, along with other league officials, decided that conference schedule for the following season will be set in October. Even more, league officials believe the change in scheduling gives them more flexibility in creating the calendar of games each season.
The scheduling maneuver comes as the league includes its new television partners after solidifying its new seven-year media rights agreement with multiple broadcast networks, an arrangement worth more than $7 billion, sources told Sports Illustrated. The deal, which is expected to begin in ’23, will average out to more than $1 billion annually as Big Ten sports will be available across six different platforms. They include Fox and its affiliates: FS1 and the Big Ten Network; CBS, and NBC and its direct-to-consumer streaming platform, Peacock.
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“Now that we have them [broadcast partners], we can begin that conversation and determine that type of thing,” Smith said Thursday, per Eleven Warriors. “Is it based upon who's going to be strong next year? Or based upon dates or whatever. Go from there.”
However, the process that league leaders will use to set schedules in the future remains to be determined. But, one key element that league officials must decide is whether the conference will keep its divisions.
With USC and UCLA set to join the conference in ’24, Smith believes removing divisions will make the scheduling process easier. The move would also allow for the two teams with the best records in the league to play in the conference championship game each year.
While a final decision has not been made, Smith believes the conversation surrounding division-less football must now include USC and UCLA’s athletic directors. If the league votes for conference play without divisions, the conference must also determine its tie-breaking procedures for a division-less conference title game.
Aside from the topic of divisions, the Big Ten could also increase its conference schedule from nine to 10 games, Smith says. While Smith was is in favor of limiting the conference slate to eight games, the new TV deal negates that option.
Currently, the Big Ten has games scheduled through the ’25 season that were made in ’18. However, the league’s new media rights deal, the potential for more realignment and the Trojans and Bruins entering the conference will likely play a significant role in scheduling over the next few years.
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