Big Ten Announced 2026 Football Rivalry Schedule
The conference unveiled a slate of 18 matchups for the second year of its Rivalry Series.
Updated on Sept. 24, 2026 in Football
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The Big Ten Conference has released its 2026-27 football schedule featuring 18 high-profile rivalry games. The series will officially kick off on September 26, 2026, when USC hosts Oregon at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Why it matters
This schedule formalizes long-standing traditions and trophy games, anchoring the conference calendar for student-athletes and fans. It represents the second year of the expanded Rivalry Series initiative.
The 18-game football slate features marquee matchups including the USC versus Oregon game, which currently pits the No. 12 ranked Trojans against the No. 20 ranked Ducks.
The players
Big Ten Conference
This is a premier collegiate athletic association that manages competition and broadcasting rights for member universities across the United States.
USC
The University of Southern California is a major athletic program competing within the Big Ten Conference.
Oregon
The University of Oregon is a prominent football program that competes as a member of the Big Ten Conference.
The details
The season schedule highlights several trophy games, such as Nebraska versus Iowa for the Heroes Trophy and Minnesota facing Wisconsin for Paul Bunyan's Axe. Additional rivalry games scheduled for late November include Purdue against Indiana for the Old Oaken Bucket and Illinois competing against Northwestern for the Land of Lincoln Trophy.
Timeline
September 26, 2026: USC hosts Oregon at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
November 27, 2026: Nebraska plays Iowa and Minnesota plays Wisconsin.
November 28, 2026: Purdue plays Indiana and Illinois plays Northwestern.
Season Trajectory
This schedule cements the importance of late-season matchups in the race for conference title contention and playoff seeding. It follows the competitive template established by the inaugural 2025 Big Ten Rivalry Series.
Fans and analysts can now map out travel and ticket requirements for these specific trophy games well in advance of the season. The high-ranking clash between USC and Oregon provides an early-season focal point for playoff projection models.
The takeaway
The formalization of the Rivalry Series demonstrates how conferences are prioritizing traditional matchups to maintain fan engagement during regular seasons. Observers should watch for the upcoming basketball schedule announcement to see if the conference applies a similar centralized scheduling strategy.
Further reading
For more on conference developments, visit the Football section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WTAQ News Talk | 97.5 FM · 1360 AM | Green Bay, WI.
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