Indiana football conference opponents announced for 2024-2028 seasons

The Big Ten announced the home and away opponents for the Indiana football program for the next five seasons on Thursday.

Next season will be the first year with 18 teams and no divisions in the conference. Indiana will host five home games in the 2024, 2026 and 2028 seasons. It will have four home games in 2025 and 2027.

Below is the full release.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The Big Ten Conference announced the 2024-28 conference football home/away opponents for each school on Thursday (October 5). As the conference moves to the 18-team, no division format, the Indiana football program will host five games during the 2024, 2026 and 2028 seasons and have four conference home contests in 2025 and 2027.

The Hoosiers home and away opponents will be as follows (listed alphabetically):

2024 Home: Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Purdue, Washington
2024 Away: Michigan State, Northwestern, Ohio State, UCLA

2025 Home: Illinois, Michigan State, UCLA, Wisconsin
2025 Away: Iowa, Maryland, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue

2026 Home: Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue, USC
2026 Away: Michigan, Nebraska, Rutgers, Washington

2027 Home: Iowa, Michigan, Penn State, Rutgers
2027 Away: Illinois, Michigan State, Minnesota, Purdue, USC

2028 Home: Illinois, Maryland, Oregon, Purdue, Washington
2028 Away: Northwestern, Penn State, UCLA, Wisconsin

Dates for the 2024 schedule will be announced at a later date.

With the additions of Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington into the conference for the 2024 season, the Big Ten will debut the Flex Protect XVIII model, which was designed to accommodate 18 Big Ten Conference football programs beginning with the 2024 season. The model is built upon the foundation established by the Flex Protect+ plan announced in spring 2023, before Oregon and Washington joined the Conference and incorporates extensive feedback from schools, athletic directors, and coaches.

The Big Ten Conference will continue the nine-game conference schedule as it has since the 2016 season. Under the scheduling model, schools will play other members at least twice during a five-year cycle – and no more than three times – with one home and one road game included during the five-year span. The conference office also worked to balance the annual travel by distance, regions of the conference, and time zones, along with maintaining flexibility as the college football landscape evolves.

Conference schedules will include 12 protected matchups that will continue to be played annually and feature a combination of historic and geographic rivalries, as well as trophy games. These matchups were finalized in conjunction with all 18 member institutions to ensure the traditions of the Big Ten Conference remain strong as the conference evolves, including the annual Battle for the Old Oaken Bucket between Indiana and Purdue.

The 2024 season will conclude with the annual Big Ten Football Championship Game, which will feature the top two teams in the overall conference standings at the end of the regular season, with the winner earning the Big Ten Championship. Tiebreaking procedures will be announced later.

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