Big Ten schedule release: Breaking down the best and worst of the 2024 lineup for USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington

As the final Pac-12 football season hurtles toward its conclusion, the next era crystalized Thursday for four departing schools. The Big Ten unveiled its weekly schedule for the 2024 season — the first with USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington as members of the 18-team behemoth.

The reveal came exactly four weeks after the Big Ten released the opponent rotation and protected games for a five-year period.

The four Pac-12 transplants will make a slew of cross-country trips next fall, as anticipated. But the schedules weren’t created equally, especially when non-conference opponents are considered.

Our breakdown of the master schedule …

First, the parameters

Each team will play nine conference games, including a rivalry game in late November. (On the West Coast, those are USC vs. UCLA, and Washington vs. Oregon.) The Big Ten is eliminating divisions next season; the teams with the best winning percentage in league play will advance to the championship game. Kickoff times for the 2024 season will be announced at a later date.

Toughest start

Two years ago, USC agreed to open the 2024 season with a neutral site showdown against LSU on Labor Day weekend in Las Vegas. That duel now kicks off a rugged September for the Trojans that includes a trip to Michigan — yep, USC opens Big Ten play in the Big House — and a visit from Wisconsin.

Toughest finish

Washington’s stretch run is as tough as it gets, anywhere. The Huskies start November with USC (home) then face  Penn State (road), UCLA (home) and Oregon (road). Good luck with that.

Worst stretch

On three consecutive weekends beginning in late September, UCLA plays LSU on the road, Oregon at home and Penn State on the road. It’s hard to believe any team in any conference has a three-game stretch to match. (The LSU series was agreed to a decade ago.)

A break with travel

The Big Ten took care to ensure that none of the four West Coast teams play road games in the Eastern or Central Time Zones on back-to-back weeks. Both Washington and UCLA play consecutive games across the Mississippi, but they have a bye in between the trips. (Let’s see how that issue is handled when the conference schedules for  basketball and the Olympic sports are finalized.)

The next Saturday

The frequency of road games in the eastern half of the country is only one piece of the broader challenge for the West Coast quartet. The other is what happens the week after their cross-country trips. In that regard, the Big Ten did right by the schools: Every trip east is followed by either a home game or a bye. However, some of the home games are daunting, especially for Washington. The Huskies host Michigan in early October after a trip to Rutgers, they welcome USC after visiting Indiana in late October, and they host UCLA after a trip to Penn State in mid-November.

Good byes

The NCAA competition calendar in 2024 features 14 weeks for regular-season games, meaning each team has two byes. For UCLA and Washington, the breaks are slotted just right: Neither team plays more than four Big Ten games in a row. On the other hand, Oregon plays eight consecutive conference games, while USC plays seven. Of note: Both Pacific Northwest teams have byes the week before they square off in Eugene at the end of the season. Meanwhile, the L.A. schools are in action the week before their annual showdown.

Big Saturday

Within an enticing lineup of games across the conference, Nov. 2 (Week 10) leaps off the schedule grid: Ohio State visits Penn State; Wisconsin heads to Iowa; UCLA visits Nebraska; Oregon plays in Michigan’s Big House for the first time 2007; and USC visits Washington. That said, one of those matchups could get moved to Friday, with Wisconsin-Iowa and USC-Washington as the most likely. (More on the Friday factor below.)

Brutality scale

Which of the West Coast teams faces the most grueling overall schedule? Here’s our assessment on a 1-to-5 scale.

Oregon: The Ducks are taking advantage of the Hawaii exemption and will play four non-conference games. They open in Honolulu (on Week Zero) and also face Idaho, Texas Tech and Boise State at home. Their conference schedule has a rousing start with UCLA (away), Michigan State (home) and Ohio State (home) on consecutive weeks, plus a trip to Ann Arbor in early November. Brutality scale: 3

UCLA: The Bruins own arguably the funkiest schedule in the country with an opener at Hawaii, a trip to LSU and a finale against Fresno State. The league lineup includes Penn State and all three West Coast teams. We were struck by the travel awaiting UCLA: On consecutive alternating Saturdays, the Bruins visit LSU, Penn State, Rutgers, Nebraska and Washington. Add the Hawaii trip, and the total air miles logged will be insane. Brutality scale: 4

Washington: Alone among the West Coast quartet, the Huskies have an incomplete schedule — they must add a third non-conference game to join matchups with Weber State and Eastern Washington. Inside league play, the highlight is the astonishing finish with USC, Penn State, UCLA and Oregon. “UW had best rack up the wins in September and October,” said Captain Obvious. Brutality scale: 4

USC: In addition to conference showdowns against Michigan, Penn State, UCLA and Washington, the Trojans have non-conference dates with LSU (in Las Vegas) and Notre Dame (home). Add the “easy” matchups in league play, which include Wisconsin and Rutgers, and the Trojans likely will face 11 teams that were bowl-eligible this season. So Lincoln Riley can look forward to that in Year 3. Brutality scale: 5

Finally, the Friday factor

The schedule unveiled this week does not feature any Friday games, but just wait — those are coming.

The Hotline expects five or six games to be moved to Friday evening, with Washington and Oregon likely being impacted more than other schools.

After all, Fox has plenty of premium programming for its Saturday windows (9 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.). It’s shelling out $65 million annually for the Huskies and Ducks in order to have Friday programming options.

(We don’t expect any teams to travel across the country for Friday games unless the trip comes after a bye.)

The Big Ten’s news release Thursday noted that, “Selected Saturday games in the 2024 season may be adjusted to select Fridays and other special dates, including Labor Day Sunday and Black Friday.”

Don’t be surprised if the Washington-Oregon brawl gets Black Friday treatment.

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