Introduction
The Big Ten Conference, officially known as the Big Ten, is an American college athletic conference that operates in the Midwest and Northeast regions of the United States. The conference currently consists of 14 member institutions, all of which are located in the states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin. The Big Ten is one of the most prestigious and competitive athletic conferences in the country, and its member institutions have a long history of success in both football and basketball.
Member Institutions
The following is a list of the 14 member institutions of the Big Ten Conference, along with their locations:
| School | Location |
|---|---|
| University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign | Urbana, IL |
| Indiana University Bloomington | Bloomington, IN |
| University of Iowa | Iowa City, IA |
| University of Maryland, College Park | College Park, MD |
| University of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI |
| Michigan State University | East Lansing, MI |
| University of Minnesota, Twin Cities | Minneapolis, MN |
| University of Nebraska–Lincoln | Lincoln, NE |
| Rutgers University–New Brunswick | New Brunswick, NJ |
| Ohio State University | Columbus, OH |
| Penn State University | University Park, PA |
| Purdue University | West Lafayette, IN |
| University of Wisconsin–Madison | Madison, WI |
| Northwestern University | Evanston, IL |
Conference Championships
The Big Ten Conference awards championships in 28 sports, including football, basketball, baseball, softball, and volleyball. The conference’s football championship game, known as the Big Ten Championship Game, is one of the most prestigious games in college football and is often a deciding factor in the national championship race.
History
The Big Ten Conference was founded in 1896 as the Western Conference. The conference’s original members were the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois, Indiana University, Purdue University, the University of Michigan, the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, and the University of Wisconsin. The conference has expanded several times over the years, most recently adding Maryland, Rutgers, and Nebraska in 2014.
Future Plans
The Big Ten Conference is currently in the midst of a major expansion. The conference has announced plans to add the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Southern California (USC) in 2024. The addition of these two schools will give the Big Ten a presence on the West Coast for the first time.
Conclusion
The Big Ten Conference is one of the most prestigious and competitive athletic conferences in the country. The conference’s member institutions have a long history of success in both football and basketball, and the conference’s championship games are often deciding factors in the national championship race. The Big Ten is currently in the midst of a major expansion, and the addition of UCLA and USC will give the conference a presence on the West Coast for the first time.
