Big Ten 2026 schedule preview: Calendar change should limit byes, reduce frustration on the West Coast
The Big Ten’s 2026 football schedule will be revealed Tuesday and should elicit far less angst than the previous two versions, particularly from the western wing of the sprawling conference.
Commissioner Tony Petitti and his lieutenants heard loudly and clearly the frustrations expressed over imbalances in preparation time — specifically, the frequency with which Washington, Oregon, UCLA and USC played opponents coming off byes.
Other concerns were raised by member schools, prompting the Big Ten to form a subcommittee of athletic directors to offer input on the underlying strategy and advice for the 2026 edition, according to multiple sources.
“We needed to take a look at what we were doing after two years,” a source said.
For the West Coast quartet, byes were atop the list. Oregon coach Dan Lanning addressed the unequal preparation time on several occasions last season. Washington, which faced five opponents that had extra time, was known to be irked, as well.
The issue should be largely, if not entirely resolved with the 2026 conference schedule — not because the Big Ten overhauled its approach but because of the same issue that caused the problem in the first place: the competition calendar.
Because Week 1 is hooked to Labor Day weekend and the holiday comes late this year (Sept. 7), the regular season covers just 13 Saturdays, whereas the 2024 and 2025 seasons spanned 14.
That slight change makes all the difference when it comes to the number of times a given team will face opponents coming off byes.
In a 14-week season, there are two byes per team.
In a 13-week season, there is one.
And in case you hadn’t heard, the Big Ten has 18 schools.
There are 36 instances in which teams are coming off byes in a 14-week season and only 18 instances in a 13-week season.
The 50 percent reduction should limit the instances in which Washington, Oregon, USC and UCLA face far-flung, well-rested opponents.
Most of the 18 schools will encounter one case of unequal preparation time. It’s unavoidable, although the Big Ten attempts to limit the competitive disadvantage by making the team with extra rest play on the road.
A handful might face the issue twice. But four or five occasions? It won’t happen in a 13-week season.
The situation underscores an aspect of schedule-making often overlooked by fans and even head coaches, especially a certain head coach in Los Angeles: Much of the process is beyond the Big Ten’s control.
Crafting a perfectly balanced schedule for 18 teams playing nine conference games across four time zones simply isn’t feasible. There are too many competing dynamics.
The conference must account for coast-to-coast travel, historic rivalries and competitive balance, which includes the sequencing of games.
“Some of it is a shell game because you’re trying to predict the future,” a source said. “When the opponent rotation was set (in 2023), nobody knew Indiana would be good.”
Another factor: The parameters baked into the conference’s $1 billion media rights deal with Fox, CBS and NBC.
Yet another: Restrictions and requests at the campus level, from facility availability to Homecoming dates to academic calendars.
As a result, the Big Ten attempts to create a matrix considered satisfactory by as many schools as possible knowing that a few will have legitimate complaints in a given year. In theory, those complaints are one-offs.
“Not everything is solvable,” a source said. “But feedback has been offered from the schools and media partners alike, and that feedback has been considered.
“We’ve learned a lot over the past two years.”
Additional matters to watch when the schedule is released Tuesday:
— How many big games will be played in September? They cannot all be slotted into the stretch run, after all — it’s neither feasible or smart.
If the Oregon-Penn State matchup from last season is an indication, the second half of September will feature at least one duel between heavyweight teams.
— To what extent will the Big Ten implement an NFL model in which marquee matchups are strategically scheduled on Saturdays with the greatest opportunities for exposure?
For example, the conference already announced the Indiana-Ohio State showdown for Oct. 17, which coincides with a relatively light weekend of games in the SEC.
— Based on the opponent rotation created three years ago, USC plays each of the other West Coast schools in 2026. Same for Oregon. Washington and UCLA miss each other, but both play the Trojans and Ducks.
— Lastly, the kickoff times for the early-season games and full lineup of Friday matchups will be announced in the spring.
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