2024 Big Ten Conference Football Season

The 2024 Big Ten Conference football season was the 129th season of college football play for the Big Ten Conference and part of the 2024 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This was the Big Ten's first season with 18 teams with the additions of UCLA, USC, Oregon, and Washington, and its first season since 2010 with a non-divisional scheduling format.

Previous season

Michigan won the East Division championship, with the Wolverines making their third consecutive appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game. In the West Division, Iowa won the division title and made their third championship game appearance. In that championship game, Michigan defeated Iowa 26–0 to win the Big Ten championship. With that win, the Wolverines landed a spot in the 2023–24 College Football Playoff as the No. 1 seed and ultimately won the national championship. The Wolverines defeated Alabama in the Rose Bowl in the semifinals of the playoffs and then defeated Washington in the CFP National Championship Game.

Besides Michigan, eight other Big Ten football teams qualified for bowl games: Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers, and Wisconsin. The Big Ten overall went 6–4 in postseason games in the 2023 season.

Coaching changes

The Big Ten saw six head coaching changes for the 2024 season.

On July 10, 2023, Northwestern announced it was parting ways with head coach Pat Fitzgerald after allegations surrounding hazing within the Wildcat football program. On July 14, 2023, Northwestern named defensive coordinator David Braun the interim coach for the 2023 season, and named him the permanent head coach on November 15, 2023.

On September 10, 2023, Michigan State coach Mel Tucker was suspended as part of an investigation into a sexual harassment claim. Secondary coach Harlon Barnett served as interim coach while the case was being sorted out during the 2023 season. Tucker was officially fired on September 27. On November 25, 2023, Michigan State hired Oregon State head coach Jonathan Smith as its next head coach.

On November 26, 2023, Indiana fired Tom Allen after the Hoosiers completed a third consecutive losing season. Indiana hired Curt Cignetti as its new head coach, having previously served as head coach at James Madison.

In January 2024, Kalen DeBoer left Washington to replace the retiring Nick Saban at Alabama, and was replaced by Jedd Fisch, previously head coach at Arizona.

On January 24, 2024, Jim Harbaugh left the Michigan Wolverines to return to the NFL with the Los Angeles Chargers. Two days later, Michigan elevated its offensive coordinator Sherrone Moore, who had served as acting head coach for four games in 2023 from which Harbaugh had been suspended, as Harbaugh's successor.

On February 9, 2024, Chip Kelly announced his resignation as head coach at UCLA to become the offensive coordinator at Ohio State. On February 12, UCLA announced the hiring of DeShaun Foster as its next head coach.

Preseason

Recruiting classes

Big Ten Media Days

Preseason Media Poll

The annual Cleveland.com Preseason Big Ten Media Poll.

Preseason Player of the Year

Below are the results of the annual Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year awards conducted by Cleveland.com.

Rankings

Schedule

Regular season schedule

Week 1

Week 2

Week 3

Week 4

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Week 9

Week 10

Week 11

Week 12

Week 13

Week 14

Big Ten Championship Game

Postseason

Bowl games

For the 2020–2025 bowl cycle, The Big Ten will have annually eight appearances in the following bowls: Rose Bowl (unless they are selected for playoffs filled by a Pac-12 team if champion is in the playoffs), Citrus Bowl, Guaranteed Rate Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl, Music City Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl, Quick Lane Bowl, and Outback Bowl. The Big Ten teams will go to a New Year's Six bowl if a team finishes higher than the champions of Power Five conferences in the final College Football Playoff rankings. The Big Ten champion is also eligible for the College Football Playoff if it is among the top four teams in the final CFP ranking.

For the 2020–2025 bowl cycle, the Big Ten is scheduled to annually have eight appearances in the following bowls: Rose Bowl (unless they are selected for playoffs filled by a Pac-12 team if champion is in the playoffs), Citrus Bowl, Rate Bowl (formerly the Guaranteed Rate Bowl), Las Vegas Bowl, Music City Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl, GameAbove Sports Bowl (formerly the Quick Lane Bowl), and ReliaQuest Bowl (formerly the Outback Bowl). The Big Ten teams will go to a New Year's Six bowl if a team finishes higher than the champions of Power Four conferences in the final College Football Playoff rankings. The Big Ten champion is also eligible for the College Football Playoff if it is among the qualifying teams in the final CFP ranking.

Big Ten records vs other conferences

2024–2025 records against non-conference foes

Post season

Awards and honors

Player of the Week Honors

Big Ten individual awards

The following individuals won th
conference's annual player and coach awards

All-Conference Teams

2024 Big Ten All-Conference Teams and Awards

Coaches Honorable Mention: ILLINOIS: Luke Altmyer, Hank Beatty, TeRah Edwards, Josh Gesky, Lane Hansen, Josh Kreutz, David Olano, Melvin Priestly, Dylan Rosiek; INDIANA: James Carpenter, Justice Ellison, Zach Horton, Mike Katic, Mark Langston, Carter Smith, Jailin Walker, CJ West; IOWA: Yahya Black, Luke Elkin, Aaron Graves, Ethan Hurkett, Nick Jackson, Quinn Schulte, Beau Stephens, Mason Richman; MARYLAND: Bryce McFerson, Dante Trader Jr.; MICHIGAN: Zeke Berry, Donovan Edwards, Giovanni El-Hadi, Ernest Hausmann, Myles Hinton, Will Johnson, Derrick Moore, Semaj Morgan, Kalel Mullings, Josh Priebe; MICHIGAN STATE: Charles Brantley, Luke Newman, Jordan Turner; MINNESOTA: Tyler Cooper, Daniel Jackson, Jah Joyner, Koi Perich, Ethan Robinson, Anthony Smith, Alan Soukup, Danny Striggow, Darius Taylor; NEBRASKA: Bryce Benhart, Brian Buschini, John Bullock, Malcolm Hartzog Jr., Nash Hutmacher; NORTHWESTERN: Joe Himon, Aidan Hubbard, Xander Mueller, Anto Saka, Josh Thompson, Caleb Tiernan, Damon Walters; OHIO STATE: Denzel Burke, John Ferlmann, Josh Fryar, Ty Hamilton, Davison Igbinosun, Tegra Tshabola, Josh Simmons; Oregon: Jeff Bassa, Jamaree Caldwell, Traeshon Holden, Thsheem Johnson, Iapani Laloulu, Jabbar Muhammad, Nikko Reed, Atticus Sappington, Evan Stewart, Teitum Tuioti; PENN STATE: Drew Allar, Ryan Barker, Anthony Donkoh, Zane Durant, Tyler Duzansky, Tony Rojas, Drew Shelton, Nicholas Singleton, Sal Wormley; PURDUE: Keelan Crimmins, Gus Hartwig, Will Heldt, Kydran Jenkins, Nick Levy, Marcus Mbow, Dillon Thieneman; RUTGERS: Kwabena Asamoah, Dariel Djabome, Kyonte Hamilton, Robert Longerbeam, Austin Riggs, Ian Strong; UCLA: Kaylin Moore, Jay Toia; USC: Makai Lemon, Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Lake McRee, Gavin Meyer, Elijah Paige, Kamari Ramsey; WASHINGTON: Denzel Boston, Jonah Coleman, Thaddeus Dixon, Keleki Latu, Alphonzo Tuputala, Sebastian Valdez; WISCONSIN: Atticus Bertrams, Ricardo Hallman, Jack Nelson, Tawee Walker, Hunter Wohler.

Media Honorable Mention: ILLINOIS: Luke Altmyer, Matthew Bailey, J.C. Davis, Lane Hansen, Josh Kreutz, Dylan Rosiek; INDIANA: Shawn Asbury II, James Carpenter, Lanell Carr Jr., Justice Ellison, Zach Horton, Mark Langston, Myles Price, Nicolas Radicic, Carter Smith, Jailin Walker, CJ West; IOWA: Yahya Black, Deontae Craig, Aaron Graves, Ethan Hurkett, Nick Jackson, Quinn Schulte, Beau Stephens, Luke Lachey, Mason Richman; MARYLAND: Ruben Hyppolite II, Bryce McFerson, Glendon Miller, Dante Trader Jr.; MICHIGAN : Giovanni El-Hadi, Ernest Hausmann, Myles Hinton, William Wagner; MICHIGAN STATE: Khris Bogle, Charles Brantley, Luke Newman, Jordan Turner; MINNESOTA: Maverick Baranowski, Quinn Carroll, Tyler Cooper, Mark Crawford, Daniel Jackson, Jah Joyner, Dragan Kesich, Jalen Logan-Redding, Ethan Robinson, Anthony Smith, Alan Soukup, Danny Striggow, Darius Taylor, Justin Walley; NEBRASKA: John Bullock, Brian Buschini, Malcolm Hartzog Jr., Nash Hutmacher, Ben Scott, DeShon Singleton; NORTHWESTERN: AJ Henning, Aidan Hubbard, Theran Johnson, Xander Mueller, Josh Thompson, Caleb Tiernan, Devin Turner, Mac Uihlein; OHIO STATE: John Ferlmann, Josh Fryar, Ty Hamilton, Jordan Hancock, Davison Igbinosun, Quinshon Judkins, Jack Sawyer, Drew Shelton, Sonny Styles, Tyliek Williams; Oregon: Jeff Bassa, Jamaree Caldwell, Marcus Harper II, Ross James, Brandon Johnson, Tez Johnson, Tysheem Johnson, Iapani Laloulu, Nikko Reed, Teitum Tuioti; PENN STATE: Drew Allar, Kaytron Allen, Ryan Barker, Nick Dawkins, Dani Dennis-Sutton, Anthony Donkoh, Zane Durant, DVon J-Thomas, Jalen Kimber, Drew Shelton, Nicholas Singleton, Harrison Wallace III, Zakee Wheatley; PURDUE: Cole Brevard, Keelan Crimmins, Gus Hartwig, Max Klare, Dillon Thieneman; RUTGERS: Kwabena Asamoah, Kyonte Hamilton, Aaron Lewis, Robert Longerbeam, Shaquan Loyal, Tyreem Powell, Austin Riggs, Gus Zilinskas; UCLA: Kain Medrano, Kaylin Moore, Jay Toia; USC: Mason Cobb, Makai Lemon, Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Jonah Monheim, Hank Pepper, Kamari Ramsey, Jaylin Smith; WASHINGTON: Denzel Boston; WISCONSIN: Atticus Bertrams, Ricardo Hallman, Joe Huber, Jack Nelson, Tawee Walker, Hunter Wohler.

Home attendance

Bold – At or Exceed capacity

†Season High

2025 NFL draft

The following list includes all Big Ten players who were drafted in the 2025 NFL draft

Trades
In the explanations below, (PD) indicates trades completed prior to the start of the draft (i.e. Pre-Draft), while (D) denotes trades that took place during the 2022 draft.

Head coaches

''Current as of January 20, 2025''

References

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