What Hoosier Huddle Writers Think of the New Big Ten Football Schedules

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The Big Ten Conference announced their new scheduling format and future opponents for the 2024 and 2025 seasons on Thursday afternoon. Hoosier Huddle’s Sammy Jacobs gave his takeaways from the announcement and was joined by Peegs.com writer Matt Weaver on a podcast breaking down IU’s future opponents. Here is what the rest of the Hoosier Huddle staff thinks of the 2024 and 2025 Indiana Football opponents:

T.J. Inman

I will begin with a simple and obvious positive from this change: basically anything was going to be better for IU than the current scheduling format and having to play the Big Ten East gauntlet every season.

That written, the initial release has been mostly kind for the Hoosiers. The Old Oaken Bucket game being a protected rivalry was a given so the Hoosiers will continue to play Purdue every season. It was mildly surprising to see so many rivalry games go by the wayside and the Old Brass Spittoon game against MSU is an unfortunate consequence of this new format.

IU gets five home games in 2024 and avoids having to play Ohio State or Michigan or USC. We have no idea whether or not Indiana will be good in 2024 but the schedule does give IU the chance to have a nice record if they can capitalize. A home game against UCLA should be fun and away trips to Northwestern and Michigan State could be winnable.

2025 is a much more difficult slate with a trip to USC on the docket along with Ohio State and Michigan back on the schedule. That’s a worry for another day though. Nothing will be at all easy for the Indiana Hoosiers football program but today’s schedule release should be seen as an overall positive development and gives Indiana a fighting chance to win six or more games most seasons.

Nathan Comp

  The “Flex Protect Plus” model that the Big Ten decided on sounds like something Best Buy would upcharge you for at the register as you are buying your new flatscreen. But jokes aside – this announcement seems like a win for Indiana. Just looking at the 2024 opponents and not seeing Ohio State and Michigan should be reason enough to celebrate. Now, we will see if an offseason win can translate to wins on Saturdays in the fall.

No protected rivalry for the Old Brass Spittoon game every year is a bit disappointing (especially looking short-term and considering my lack of belief in Mel Tucker), but it will be nice to have in in 2024 and 2025. Perhaps after that, the rarity of the contest will make the trophy game feel a bit more special.

Conference realignment is often met with hatred – but at the same time… how great is it to think about Michigan @ USC, Ohio State @ UCLA, Penn State @ USC, etc? I know realignment is just a money-grab technique, but that does not mean the college football viewer will not benefit at all.

Zach Greene

Indiana is better off with the new (easier) schedule

  • Easier schedule considering the divisions are abolished

  • 2024 schedule opponents leave Indiana in a good spot

  • 2025 gets a bit more challenging

  • UCLA and USC are awesome games to get the new 16-team division started

  • Potential for an eight-home game slate and more national exposure for the program