Who is joining the Big 10 by 2025?

Big Ten expansion for 2025 isn't happening with new members, as the conference is focused on integrating recent additions (UCLA, USC, Oregon, Washington) and managing its new $2 billion capital agreement and media rights, with future expansion likely waiting until the 2030-2031 TV deal cycle, though some reports suggest targets like Utah, Kansas, North Carolina, or Virginia remain possibilities around that later date.

What teams are in Big 10 2025?

Like last year, the Big Ten will be home to 18 teams when the season officially kicks off: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, defending national champions Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA, USC, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Are there any changes to the Big Ten in 2025?

Coaching changes

The Big Ten saw one head coaching change for the 2025 season. On December 1, 2024, Purdue announced it was parting ways with head coach Ryan Walters after going 5–19 in two seasons, including 1–11 in 2024.

Who are the new Big 10 teams?

The Big Ten Conference added four new teams for the 2024 season, expanding to 18 members with the additions of UCLA, USC, Oregon, and Washington, bringing a strong West Coast presence to the historically Midwestern league and ending divisional play. These universities joined existing members like Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and others, creating a major shift in college football. 

Who are the favorites for the 2025 Big 10 tournament?

The Ohio State Buckeyes are favored to win the Big Ten in 2025, at -150. Indiana is second, at +145, and you can see the full list of odds in this article.

The new Big Ten Conference “Maps” commercial

Can Ohio State make the Big Ten Championship if they lose to Michigan?

If Ohio State loses to Michigan, they likely miss the Big Ten Championship, but a complex tiebreaker scenario involving Indiana and Oregon could still send them to Indianapolis, requiring Michigan to win, Indiana to lose to Purdue, and Oregon to lose to Washington, creating an OSU-Michigan rematch based on common opponents after a three-way tie. Generally, Michigan would advance with a win over OSU, potentially playing Oregon or Indiana, while Ohio State needs a lot of help to get in with a loss, usually relying on specific upsets to create a favorable tie-breaker situation.
 

Does Notre Dame get $14 million CFP payout as an independent?

Yes, Notre Dame secured a significant $14 million payout from the College Football Playoff (CFP) as an independent for reaching the semifinals, keeping the entire amount because they don't share with a conference like Big Ten or SEC teams do, making their individual payout much larger than their conference-aligned peers. This windfall highlights the financial benefits of Notre Dame's unique independent status in college football, allowing them to retain substantial earnings from their postseason success. 

What's the smallest Big 10 school?

Undergraduate Enrollment: Northwestern University is obviously the smallest of the schools in the Big Ten while The Ohio State University is the largest. Even Northwestern, however, is a big school with over 22,000 students when graduate students are taken into consideration.

Who will be in the Pac-12 in 2026?

In 2026, the relaunched Pac-12 will feature nine full members: Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, Gonzaga, Oregon State, San Diego State, Texas State, Utah State, and Washington State, with Gonzaga participating in all sports except football, and the conference officially launching in July 2026 with eight football-playing members to meet NCAA FBS requirements. This new lineup brings several Mountain West programs into the fold for a fresh start after major realignment.
 

Is the Big Ten changing their name?

University presidents, athletic directors, students, and alumni all loudly opposed the idea. There's a deep-rooted sense of pride that comes from being part of this conference, and no one wanted to give that up. It was decided decades ago: we have always been and always will be the Big Ten.

Will Michigan have to vacate wins?

No, the University of Michigan's football program will not have to vacate wins from its national championship season; the NCAA levied fines, recruiting restrictions, and show-cause penalties but spared vacating wins because no ineligible players competed and the investigation acted quickly to stop the scouting scheme. The NCAA deemed vacating wins inappropriate in this case, a decision contrasting with other programs like Michigan State, which did have to vacate wins for recruiting violations involving ineligible players. 

Who will host the 2026 Super Bowl?

Super Bowl LX in 2026 will be hosted at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, the home of the San Francisco 49ers, on Sunday, February 8, 2026, with Bad Bunny set to headline the halftime show. This will be the second time the Bay Area's Levi's Stadium hosts the big game, following Super Bowl 50 in 2016, and it's part of a major year for the region with the World Cup also scheduled.
 

Why did Pac-12 collapse?

The Pac-12 dissolved primarily due to a failure to secure a competitive media rights deal, falling far behind the Big Ten and SEC, leading to financial instability and a loss of key members like USC, UCLA, Oregon, and Washington, who sought greener pastures in more lucrative conferences, ultimately crumbling the conference's foundation in the major realignment wave of the 2020s. 

What conference would Notre Dame join?

Notre Dame is a full member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) for most sports, but remains an independent in football, with a scheduling agreement to play several ACC teams annually, and is in the Big Ten for men's hockey, making the ACC and Big Ten the most likely landing spots if they fully join a football conference. While rumors persist about joining the Big Ten for its national reach or the Big 12, the ACC offers the closest alignment for their non-football sports and existing ties. 

Why did the Big 10 get rid of divisions?

The Big Ten got rid of divisions primarily for greater fairness, a more merit-based championship, increased flexibility, and to adapt to conference expansion, ensuring the two best teams (not just division winners) play for the title and allowing for more diverse matchups and easier scheduling with new members like USC and UCLA. This new model guarantees a chance for all teams to play each other over time, creating more exciting, consistent rivalries without artificial barriers.
 

Which Big 10 school is hardest to get into?

The hardest Big Ten schools to get into are generally Northwestern University, due to its private status and lowest acceptance rate, followed closely by the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and University of Maryland-College Park also being highly selective public universities in the mix. These schools typically have lower acceptance rates (around 10-20% for Michigan, under 10% for Northwestern) and higher average SAT/ACT scores compared to other Big Ten institutions.
 

What is the #1 least educated state?

According to multiple recent studies, West Virginia is consistently ranked as the #1 least educated state in the U.S., often followed by other Southern states like Mississippi, Louisiana, and Arkansas, due to low percentages of adults with bachelor's degrees or higher and challenges with high school completion and educational quality.
 

What is the only private school in the Big Ten?

Northwestern University, located just 2 miles from the border of Chicago in Evanston, Illinois, is the only private university in the Big 10.

Would Texas exist without Tennessee?

In fact, Texas wouldn't even exist without the original "T" state. Tennessee became a state in 1796. It would take nearly 50 more years − and the help of three Tennessee-raised men − for Texas to become Tennessee's younger sibling. So, from the Volunteer State to the Lone Star State: You're welcome.

Is Texas A&M changing their name?

Yes, one part of the Texas A&M University System, Texas A&M University-Commerce, officially changed its name to East Texas A&M University (ETAMU) in November 2024, honoring its historical roots and regional focus, but the main flagship university in College Station, Texas, did not change its name. The new name for the Commerce campus reinforces its connection to the East Texas region, a callback to its former name, East Texas State University.
 

Why did Georgia Tech leave the SEC?

Georgia Tech left the SEC in 1964 primarily due to a dispute over the "140 Rule," which limited combined football and basketball scholarships, putting Tech at a disadvantage because of its policy to graduate players and not "oversign" or cut them like other teams, leading to a competitive gap they couldn't bridge, according to the New York Times and NOLA.com. 

What is the richest college football team?

Leading the way at the top spot is a new school. The Texas Longhorns dethroned Ohio State, soaring to a valuation of $1.475 billion ($1.28 billion in 2024). The Buckeyes did see an increase to stay in second, but went from just $1.318 billion to $1.35 billion.

How much did Salma Hayek's husband give to Notre Dame?

Salma Hayek's husband, French billionaire François-Henri Pinault, pledged €100 million (over $113 million USD at the time) from his family's company, Artemis, to help rebuild the Notre Dame Cathedral after the 2019 fire, a donation that was notably not tax-deductible, making Hayek proud. 

What is the hardest sport to get a D1 scholarship?

The hardest sports to go D1 in often involve low roster spots, global competition, and high skill ceilings, with Men's Basketball frequently cited due to small rosters (only ~1% of HS players make D1) and intense global recruiting, while Tennis is tough for U.S. athletes because many spots go to international players, and Wrestling/Volleyball also have very low D1 odds, especially for boys.