Michigan State will take a trip to Oregon’s Autzen Stadium in 2024, then make one West Coast trip per season over the next five years.
That’s according to the new Big Ten scheduling model released on Thursday, which details how the league will fill out its conference schedules for the next five years as an 18-team conference. The team announced each member’s opponents through 2028; no game dates have been announced as of yet.
The Big Ten’s addition of Oregon and Washington in August, beginning in the 2024 season, necessitated a scheduling revamp. The league had previously released future schedules that included other 2024 new members USC and UCLA.
The new schedule, dubbed Flex Protect XVIII, balances annual travel and historic competitiveness, according to the league. It also has flexibility “as the college football postseason format evolves.”
And while Big Ten East-West divisions are going away, the Michigan-Michigan State game will continue to be played annually as a protected rivalry.
In each five-year scheduling cycle, teams will play every other conference opponent that’s not a protected rival between two and three times.
Currently, teams play division opponents annually, plus three crossover games on a rotating basis.
In addition to Oregon, Michigan State will travel to Illinois, Maryland and Michigan next year. It will host Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, Purdue and Rutgers.
2024
Home: Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, Purdue, Rutgers
Away: Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Oregon
2025
Home: Maryland, Michigan, Penn State, UCLA
Away: Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, USC
2026
Home: Illinois, Nebraska, Northwestern, Oregon, Washington
Away: Michigan, Rutgers, UCLA, Wisconsin
2027
Home: Indiana, Michigan, Rutgers, Wisconsin
Away: Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Washington
2028
Home: Iowa, Minnesota, Penn State, Purdue, USC
Away: Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Oregon
