Northwestern University Athletics
Big Ten Announces Nine-Game Conference Schedule Beginning in 2017
8/4/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 4, 2011
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Beginning in 2017, Big Ten football programs will move to a nine-game conference schedule, an increase from the traditional eight-game slate, the Conference announced Thursday.
Teams will alternate seasons in which they play four or five Big Ten home games, with six teams (three from both the Leaders and Legends Divisions) featuring five home contests in odd-numbered years and the other six teams doing so in even-numbered years. Northwestern will play four conference opponents at home in 2017 and five in 2018.
The Big Ten returns to a full nine-game conference schedule for the first time since the 1983 and 1984 seasons. Eight of 10 conference schools played nine-game schedules during the 1981 and 1982 seasons, while two of 10 teams featured nine-game schedules from 1971-72 and 1977-80.
Northwestern, a member of the Big Ten's Legends Division, kicks off the 2011 football season Sept. 3 at Boston College. Its conference home-opener this year comes Oct. 8 against Michigan.
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