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With UCLA and USC joining their ranks next year, the soon-to-be 16-team Big Ten Conference seems to be on the verge of making a big change to their football schedules.
According to Brett McMurphy of The Action Network, the Big Ten is “strongly considering” removing its yearly requirement that its teams play at least one Power Five non-conference opponent per year. Big Ten teams would likely replace those games with FCS opponents.
Per the report, Big Ten teams wouldn’t be prohibited from playing non-conference games against other Power Five teams, they just wouldn’t be required.
The policy has been in effect since 2016. Teams are still able to get a waiver to avoid having to schedule one depending on specific circumstances such as the 2020 pandemic.
Big Ten “strongly considering” removing its requirement for league teams to play a Power 5 non-conference team annually, starting in 2024, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. USC & UCLA join B1G in 2024, same year @CFBPlayoff expands to 12 teams https://t.co/KeQrE2YyWr
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) May 10, 2023
It’s a pretty savvy move in an age where the College Football Playoff has made it clear that overall record trumps strength of schedule pretty much every time.
Taking out the Power Five requirement could increase the average win total of the entire conference and increase the number of teams that they send to bowl season every year.
It may result in fewer big regular season matchups, but that may not be the priority for the Big Ten right now.
Will this new change be enacted?