2021 Big Ten Conference football season

The 2021 Big Ten conference football season is the 126th season of college football play for the Big Ten Conference and part of the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This will be the Big Ten's eighth season with 14 teams. The defending league champion is Ohio State.

2021 Big Ten Conference football season
LeagueNCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision
SportFootball
DurationAugust 28, 2021—January 13, 2022
Number of teams14
TV partner(s)Fox Sports (Fox/FS1, Big Ten Network), ESPN (ESPN, ESPN2, ABC)
2022 NFL Draft
Regular season
Championship Game
2021 Big Ten Conference football standings
Conf  Overall
Team W L    W L 
East Division
Indiana  0 0     0 0  
Maryland  0 0     0 0  
Michigan  0 0     0 0  
Michigan State  0 0     0 0  
Ohio State  0 0     0 0  
Penn State  0 0     0 0  
Rutgers  0 0     0 0  
West Division
Illinois  0 0     0 0  
Iowa  0 0     0 0  
Minnesota  0 0     0 0  
Nebraska  0 0     0 0  
Northwestern  0 0     0 0  
Purdue  0 0     0 0  
Wisconsin  0 0     0 0  
Championship: December 4, 2021
  • $ Conference champion
  • x Division champion/co-champions
  • y Championship game participant
As of February 9, 2021; Rankings from CFP Rankings.

The Big Ten has one new coach for the 2021 season. Illinois hired former Arkansas and Wisconsin head coach Bret Bielema to serve as head coach, replacing Lovie Smith who was fired during the 2020 season.[1]

Previous season

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a delayed start of the season for the Big Ten, where the league ultimately canceled all non-conference games and settled on an eight-game conference-only regular season, beginning on October 23, along with a ninth cross-over week of contests the week of the conference championship game.

On the field of play last season, Ohio State won the East Division title and made their sixth appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game and fourth consecutive appearance. In the West Division, Northwestern won the division title. In that championship game, Ohio State defeated Northwestern 22–10 to win their fourth consecutive Big Ten championship. With that win, the Buckeyes landed a spot in the 2020–21 College Football Playoff as the #3 seed. The Buckeyes defeated #2 Clemson in the CFP semifinals before losing to top-seeded Alabama in the national championship game in Miami.

Five teams qualified for bowl games in the 2020 season, however Iowa's Music City Bowl matchup with Missouri was canceled due to COVID. The Big Ten went 3–2 in its postseason games.

Preseason

Rankings

 PreWk
1
Wk
2
Wk
3
Wk
4
Wk
5
Wk
6
Wk
7
Wk
8
Wk
9
Wk
10
Wk
11
Wk
12
Wk
13
Wk
14
Wk
15
Final
Illinois AP
C
CFP Not released
Indiana AP
C
CFP Not released
Iowa AP
C
CFP Not released
Maryland AP
C
CFP Not released
Michigan AP
C
CFP Not released
Michigan State AP
C
CFP Not released
Minnesota AP
C
CFP Not released
Nebraska AP
C
CFP Not released
Northwestern AP
C
CFP Not released
Ohio State AP
C
CFP Not released
Penn State AP
C
CFP Not released
Purdue AP
C
CFP Not released
Rutgers AP
C
CFP Not released
Wisconsin AP
C
CFP Not released
Legend
    Improvement in ranking
  Drop in ranking
  Not ranked previous week
  No change in ranking from previous week
RV Received votes but were not ranked in Top 25 of poll
т Tied with team above or below also with this symbol

Schedule

Index to colors and formatting
Big Ten member won
Big Ten member lost
Big Ten teams in bold

All times Eastern time.

† denotes Homecoming game

Week 0

DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendance
August 28 Nebraska Illinois Aviva StadiumDublin, Ireland (Aer Lingus College Football Classic)      
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.

Week 1

DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendance
September 2 Ohio State Minnesota TCF Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MN      
September 4 UTSA Illinois Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL      
September 4 Indiana Iowa Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA      
September 4 West Virginia Maryland Maryland StadiumCollege Park, MD (MD-WVU Rivalry)      
September 4 Western Michigan Michigan Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI      
September 4 Michigan State Northwestern Ryan FieldEvanston, IL      
September 4 Penn State Wisconsin Camp Randall StadiumMadison, WI      
September 4 Oregon State Purdue Ross-Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN      
September 4 Temple Rutgers SHI StadiumPiscataway, NJ      
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.
DateBye Week
September 4Nebraska

Week 2

DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendance
September 11 Illinois Virginia Scott StadiumCharlottesville, VA      
September 11 Idaho Indiana Memorial StadiumBloomington, IN      
September 11 Iowa Iowa State Jack Trice StadiumAmes, IA (Cy-Hawk Trophy)      
September 11 Washington Michigan Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI      
September 11 Youngstown State Michigan State Spartan StadiumEast Lansing, MI      
September 11 Miami (OH) Minnesota TCF Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MN      
September 11 Buffalo Nebraska Memorial StadiumLincoln, NE      
September 11 Indiana State Northwestern Ryan FieldEvanston, IL      
September 11 Oregon Ohio State Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH      
September 11 Ball State Penn State Beaver StadiumUniversity Park, PA      
September 11 Purdue Connecticut Rentschler FieldEast Hartford, CT      
September 11 Rutgers Syracuse Carrier DomeSyracuse, NY      
September 11 Eastern Michigan Wisconsin Camp Randall StadiumMadison, WI      
September 11 Howard Maryland Maryland StadiumCollege Park, MD      
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.

Week 3

DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendance
September 18 Maryland Illinois Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL      
September 18 Cincinnati Indiana Memorial StadiumBloomington, IN      
September 18 Kent State Iowa Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA      
September 18 Northern Illinois Michigan Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI      
September 18 Michigan State Miami (FL) Hard Rock StadiumMiami Gardens, FL      
September 18 Minnesota Colorado Folsom FieldBoulder, CO      
September 18 Nebraska Oklahoma Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial StadiumNorman, OK (NU-OU Rivalry)      
September 18 Northwestern Duke Wallace Wade StadiumDurham, NC      
September 18 Tulsa Ohio State Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH      
September 18 Auburn Penn State Beaver StadiumUniversity Park, PA      
September 18 Purdue Notre Dame Notre Dame StadiumSouth Bend, IN (Shillelagh Trophy)      
September 18 Delaware Rutgers SHI StadiumPiscataway, NJ      
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.
DateBye Week
September 18Wisconsin

Week 4

DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendance
September 25 Illinois Purdue Ross-Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN (Purdue Cannon)      
September 25 Indiana Western Kentucky Houchens Industries–L. T. Smith StadiumBowling Green, KY      
September 25 Colorado State Iowa Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA      
September 25 Kent State Maryland Maryland StadiumCollege Park, MD      
September 25 Rutgers Michigan Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI      
September 25 Nebraska Michigan State Spartan StadiumEast Lansing, MI      
September 25 Bowling Green Minnesota TCF Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MN      
September 25 Ohio Northwestern Ryan FieldEvanston, IL      
September 25 Akron Ohio State Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH      
September 25 Villanova Penn State Beaver StadiumUniversity Park, PA      
September 25 Wisconsin Notre Dame Soldier FieldChicago, IL      
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.

Week 5

DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendance
October 2 Charlotte Illinois Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL      
October 2 Indiana Penn State Beaver StadiumUniversity Park, PA      
October 2 Iowa Maryland Maryland StadiumCollege Park, MD      
October 2 Michigan Wisconsin Camp Randall StadiumMadison, WI      
October 2† Western Kentucky Michigan State Spartan StadiumEast Lansing, MI      
October 2† Minnesota Purdue Ross-Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN      
October 2 Northwestern Nebraska Memorial StadiumLincoln, NE      
October 2 Ohio State Rutgers SHI StadiumPiscataway, NJ      
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.

Week 6

DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendance
October 9 Penn State Iowa Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA      
October 9 Maryland Ohio State Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH      
October 9 Wisconsin Illinois Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL      
October 9 Michigan Nebraska Memorial StadiumLincoln, NE      
October 9 Michigan State Rutgers SHI StadiumPiscataway, NJ      
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.
DateBye Week
October 9IndianaMinnesotaNorthwesternPurdue

Week 7

DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendance
October 16 Nebraska Minnesota TCF Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MN ($5 Bits of Broken Chair Trophy)      
October 16 Rutgers Northwestern Ryan FieldEvanston, IL      
October 16 Michigan State Indiana Memorial StadiumBloomington, IN (Old Brass Spittoon)      
October 16 Purdue Iowa Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA      
October 16 Army Wisconsin Camp Randall StadiumMadison, WI      
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.
DateBye Week
October 16IllinoisMarylandMichiganOhio StatePenn State

Week 8

DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendance
October 23 Illinois Penn State Beaver StadiumUniversity Park, PA      
October 23 Maryland Minnesota TCF Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MN      
October 23 Ohio State Indiana Memorial StadiumBloomington, IN      
October 23 Northwestern Michigan Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI      
October 23 Wisconsin Purdue Ross-Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN      
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.
DateBye Week
October 23IowaMichigan StateNebraskaRutgers

Week 9

DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendance
October 30 Rutgers Illinois Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL      
October 30 Indiana Maryland Maryland StadiumCollege Park, MD      
October 30 Iowa Wisconsin Camp Randall StadiumMadison, WI (Heartland Trophy)      
October 30 Minnesota Northwestern Ryan FieldEvanston, IL      
October 30 Purdue Nebraska Memorial StadiumLincoln, NE      
October 30 Michigan Michigan State Spartan StadiumEast Lansing, MI (Paul Bunyan Trophy)      
October 30 Penn State Ohio State Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH (OSU-PSU Rivalry)      
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.

Week 10

DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendance
November 6 Illinois Minnesota TCF Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MN      
November 6 Ohio State Nebraska Memorial StadiumLincoln, NE      
November 6 Iowa Northwestern Ryan FieldEvanston, IL      
November 6 Penn State Maryland Maryland StadiumCollege Park, MD (MD-PSU Rivalry)      
November 6 Indiana Michigan Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI      
November 6 Michigan State Purdue Ross-Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN      
November 6 Wisconsin Rutgers SHI StadiumPiscataway, NJ      
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.

Week 11

DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendance
November 13 Maryland Michigan State Spartan StadiumEast Lansing, MI      
November 13 Minnesota Iowa Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA (Floyd of Rosedale)      
November 13 Purdue Ohio State Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH      
November 13 Michigan Penn State Beaver StadiumUniversity Park, PA      
November 13 Southeastern Louisiana Nebraska Memorial StadiumLincoln, NE      
November 13 Rutgers Indiana Memorial StadiumBloomington, IN      
November 13 Northwestern Wisconsin Camp Randall StadiumMadison, WI      
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.
DateBye Week
November 13Illinois

Week 12

DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendance
November 20 Illinois Iowa Kinnick StadiumIowa City, IA      
November 20 Minnesota Indiana Memorial StadiumBloomington, IN      
November 20 Michigan Maryland Maryland StadiumCollege Park, MD      
November 20 Michigan State Ohio State Ohio StadiumColumbus, OH      
November 20 Nebraska Wisconsin Camp Randall StadiumMadison, WI (Freedom Trophy)      
November 20 Purdue Northwestern Ryan FieldEvanston, IL      
November 20 Rutgers Penn State Beaver StadiumUniversity Park, PA      
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.

Week 13

DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendance
November 26 Iowa Nebraska Memorial StadiumLincoln, NE (Heroes Trophy)      
November 27 Northwestern Illinois Memorial StadiumChampaign, IL (Land of Lincoln Trophy)      
November 27 Indiana Purdue Ross-Ade StadiumWest Lafayette, IN (Old Oaken Bucket)      
November 27 Maryland Rutgers SHI StadiumPiscataway, NJ      
November 27 Ohio State Michigan Michigan StadiumAnn Arbor, MI (The Game)      
November 27 Wisconsin Minnesota TCF Bank StadiumMinneapolis, MN (Paul Bunyan's Axe)      
November 27 Penn State Michigan State Spartan StadiumEast Lansing, MI (Land Grant Trophy)      
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.

Big Ten Championship Game

DateTimeVisiting teamHome teamSiteTVResultAttendance
December 4 East Division Champion West Division Champion Lucas Oil StadiumIndianapolis, IN      
#Rankings from AP Poll released prior to game. All times are in Eastern Time.

Postseason

Big Ten records vs other conferences

2021–2022 records against non-conference foes:

Power Conferences 5 Record
ACC 0-0
Big 12 0-0
Pac-12 0-0
BYU/Notre Dame 0-0
SEC 0-0
Power 5 Total 0-0
Other FBS Conferences Record
American 0-0
C–USA 0-0
Independents (Excluding Notre Dame) 0-0
MAC 0-0
Mountain West 0-0
Sun Belt 0-0
Other FBS Total 0-0
Total Bowl Record 0-0

Awards and honors

All-Americans


Home attendance

Due to COVID-19, the Big Ten is not allowing fans into stadiums for the 2020 season. Family members and limited staff are permitted. Some schools count and track those numbers and some do not.

Team Stadium Capacity Game 1 Game 2 Game 3 Game 4 Game 5 Game 6 Game 7 Game 8 Total Average % of Capacity
Illinois Memorial Stadium 60,670
Indiana Memorial Stadium 52,656
Iowa Kinnick Stadium 69,250
Maryland Maryland Stadium 51,802
Michigan Michigan Stadium 107,601
Michigan State Spartan Stadium 75,005
Minnesota TCF Bank Stadium 50,805
Nebraska Memorial Stadium 85,458
Northwestern Ryan Field 47,130
Ohio State Ohio Stadium 102,780
Penn State Beaver Stadium 106,572
Purdue Ross–Ade Stadium 57,236
Rutgers SHI Stadium 52,454
Wisconsin Camp Randall Stadium 80,321

2022 NFL Draft

The following list includes all Big Ten players who were drafted in the 2022 NFL Draft

Player Position School Draft
Round
Round
Pick
Overall
Pick
Team

Head coaches

Current through January 11, 2021

Team Head coach Years at school Overall record Record at school B1G record
Illinois Bret Bielema* 1 97–58 (.626) 0–0 (–) 37–19 (.661)
Indiana Tom Allen* 5 24–22 (.522) 24–22 (.522) 15–19 (.441)
Iowa Kirk Ferentz 23 180–127 (.586) 168–106 (.613) 103–77 (.572)
Maryland Mike Locksley* 3 8–43 (.157) 6–17 (.261) 4–16 (.200)
Michigan Jim Harbaugh 7 107–49 (.686) 49–22 (.690) 34–16 (.680)
Michigan State Mel Tucker 2 7–12 (.368) 2–5 (.286) 2–5 (.286)
Minnesota P.J. Fleck 5 56–41 (.577) 26–19 (.578) 15–19 (.441)
Nebraska Scott Frost 4 31–27 (.534) 12–20 (.375) 9–17 (.346)
Northwestern Pat Fitzgerald 16 106–81 (.567) 106–81 (.567) 63–60 (.512)
Ohio State Ryan Day* 3 23–2 (.920) 23–2 (.920) 15–0 (1.000)
Penn State James Franklin 8 84–43 (.661) 60–28 (.682) 38–23 (.623)
Purdue Jeff Brohm 5 49–35 (.583) 19–25 (.432) 14–19 (.424)
Rutgers Greg Schiano* 13 71–73 (.493) 71–73 (.493) 3–6 (.333)
Wisconsin Paul Chryst 7 75–38 (.664) 56–19 (.747) 37–13 (.740)

* Bret Bielema coached in the Big Ten from 2006 through 2012 at Wisconsin, going 37-19 in Big Ten play and winning three Big Ten championships.

* Tom Allen was hired to replace Kevin Wilson in December 2016 at Indiana and coached the Hoosiers in their 2016 bowl game, going 0–1.

* Mike Locksley served as interim head coach at Maryland in 2015 and coached for six games, going 1–5.[2]

* Ryan Day served as interim head coach at Ohio State for the first three games of the 2018 season while Urban Meyer served a three-game suspension and went 3–0.[3]

* Greg Schiano served as head coach at Rutgers from 2001 through 2011 then left for the NFL. Following the conclusion of the 2019 season, Schiano returned to Rutgers for his second stint as head coach. The Scarlet Knights competed in the Big East Conference in his previous stay at the school.

References

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