No. 17/16 Ohio State at Miami (Fla.) Game Notes – Ohio State Buckeyes
9/12/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 12, 2011
#17/16 Ohio State (2-0) at Miami, Fla. (0-1)
Saturday, Sept. 17, 2011
7:30 p.m. ET
Sun Life Stadium (75,540) – Miami Gardens, Fla.
The Broadcasts
Television: ESPN will televise the game with Brad Nessler and Todd Blackledge in the booth and Holly Rowe on the sidelines.
Radio: WBNS (FM 97.1 The Fan) is the flagship station for the 73-station Ohio State radio network. The Luke Fickell pregame show airs 30 minutes prior to kickoff. Paul Keels will call the play-by-play with former Buckeye Jim Lachey in the booth and Marty Bannister on the sidelines. The game can also be heard live on Sirius satellite radio channel 134.
First and 10
? Ohio State is 2-1 all-time against Miami and 14-7 all-time against teams from the ACC.
? Ohio State leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth nationally in rush defense, giving up just 40.5 yards per game.
? Ohio State ranks second in the Big Ten and 10th nationally in total defense at 214.0 ypg.
? Ohio State is 32-16 in night games all-time.
? Ohio State has not allowed a sack in three consecutive games dating to last season.
? Carlos Hyde ranks sixth in the Big Ten with 84.5 yards rushing per game.
? Joe Bauserman has passed for 352 yards, four TDs with zero INTs in his first two starts.
? Etienne Sabino leads all Big Ten players with 4.0 TFL this season.
? Jake Stoneburner has four touchdown catches on the year after catching just two in 2009-10. He is tied for third in the Big Ten with 24 points.
? Head coach Luke Fickell will look to become just the ninth Ohio State head coach and the first since Earle Bruce to win his first three games as Ohio State’s head coach.
Did You Know?
? Since 1941, the last eight Ohio State head coaches are 4-3-1 in road debuts. The last Buckeye head coach to win in his first road game was Earle Bruce, a 21-17 win at Minnesota in 1979.
? Ohio State has not given up a sack in three consecutive games and 90 straight pass attempts going into the Miami game. The last sack Ohio State gave up was against rival Michigan in 2010.
About the Hurricanes
Miami is 0-1 on the season after losing its opener 32-24 at Maryland on Sept. 5. The Hurricanes led 24-23 with 4:01 left in the game before Maryland sealed the game with a late FG and a pick-six with 39 seconds left.
Sophomore quarterback Stephen Morris filled in for senior Jacory Harris, going 19 for 28 for 195 yards and two INTs and running for a touchdown. Harris, who passed for 1,793 yards and 14 TDs in 2010, is expected to return to the starting lineup Saturday night against the Buckeyes. Running back Lamar Miller rushed 18 times for 119 yards against Maryland, which included a 41-yard touchdown run.
The Hurricanes were picked second in the ACC Coastal Division behind Virginia Tech and third overall in the preseason ACC championship voting.
Head coach Al Golden (Penn State, 1991) is in his first season at Miami after spending the past five seasons as the head coach at Temple where he went 17-8 in his final two seasons.
OSU-Miami Series History
Ohio State and Miami have met three times previously, with the Buckeyes holding a 2-1 edge (note: the 2010 game was vacated by The Ohio State University). Ohio State was a 10-0 winner in the 1977 season opener at Ohio Stadium, while the Hurricanes captured a 23-12 contest in the 1999 Kickoff Classic played at the Meadowlands. Ohio State won 31-24 in a double-overtime victory in the 2002 national championship game in Tempe, Ariz.
Ohio State vs. ACC
| Team | Record (Last meeting) |
| Boston College | 3-0 (1995) |
| Clemson | 0-1 (1978) |
| Duke | 3-1 (1981) |
| Florida State | 0-3 (1997) |
| Georgia Tech | 0-0 |
| Maryland | 0-0 |
| Miami | 2-1 (2002) |
| North Carolina | 3-1 (1975) |
| North Carolina St | 2-0 (2004) |
| Virginia | 1-0 (1933) |
| Virginia Tech | 0-0 |
| Wake Forest | 0-0 |
| TOTAL | 14-7 |
In Night Games
Ohio State is 32-16 all-time in night games (games starting 5 p.m. or later local time), including 17-6 away and 9-7 at neutral sites.
Buckeyes Edge Toledo
It wasn’t easy, but Ohio State kept its unblemished record alive vs. Mid-American Conference schools – 18-0 – with a 27-22 win over Toledo before more than 105,000 fans at Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes received a fourth touchdown receiving of the season from tight end Jake Stoneburner and Carlos Hyde, making his second start, had a fine game with 76 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He scored on a career-long 36-yarder in the second quarter and scored the game winner on a 2-yard run with just over 3 minutes to go in the third quarter. Hyde also had career-highs in receptions (four) and yards (28). Return man Chris Fields sparked the Buckeyes late in the second quarter with a 69-yard punt return for a score — the first for Ohio State since 2008. Ohio State’s defense surrendered 338 yards to the pass happy Rockets, but it did not relinquish the lead for the final 18 minutes and held the Rockets on fourth down from the 16 inside of a minute to play. Orhian Johnson led the Silver Bullets with a career-high nine tackles and Etienne Sabino had eight, including three TFLs for minus-14 yards. Ben Buchanan dropped three punts inside the 10-yard line, a single game career high for him.
11 First-Time Starters
Eleven Buckeyes made their first starts Sept. 3 vs. Akron. On offense, LT Andrew Norwell, LG Jack Mewhort, WR Verlon Reed, QB Joe Bauserman and TB Carlos Hyde all experienced their first start. And on defense six Buckeyes were first-time starters: defensive linemen Johnathan Hankins, Adam Bellamy and Garrett Goebel, LB Storm Klein and CBs Dominic Clarke and Bradley Roby.
Young Bucks
A dozen true freshmen played in the opener vs. Akron. Only two FBS schools – Texas with 18 and Auburn with 13 – played more true freshmen than Ohio State Sept. 3. Virginia, Tennessee and Clemson also played 12 true frosh Saturday.
QB Protection
Ohio State has not given up a sack in three consecutive games and 90 straight pass attempts going into the Miami game — the third longest active streak among FBS teams. The Buckeyes are one of just 10 FBS teams who have not allowed a sack this season. The last sack Ohio State gave up was against rival Michigan in 2010.
Most Pass Attempts Without Allowing Sack FBS Teams – Active Streaks:
| UAB | 119 |
| Oklahoma | 112 |
| Ohio State | 90 |
| Middle Tennessee | 89 |
| Maryland | 89 |
| Houston | 87 |
The Big Stage
This is the second consecutive year that ESPN will televise the Ohio State/Miami game to a national audience with Brad Nessler and Todd Blackledge in the booth and Holly Rowe on the sidelines.
Star Power
Ohio Sate (32) and Miami (20) have combined for 52 national award winners. Ohio State (seven) and Miami (five) also have won a combined 12 national championships.
19 Bowl Wins Apiece
Ohio State and Miami each have recorded 19 bowl game wins. Ohio State is in its 122nd season of football while Miami is in its 86th season.
10 From The Sunshine State
Ohio State has 10 players on its roster from the state of Florida. The list includes senior All-America C Mike Brewster (Orlando/Edgewater H.S.), Sr. QB Joe Bauserman (Tallahassee Lincoln H.S.), RS Jr. LB Etienne Sabino, (North Miami Beach/Dr. Krop), RS Jr. SAF Orhian Johnson (St. Petersburg/Boca Ciega), RS Jr. CB Travis Howard (Miami/Dr. Krop), RS So. RB Jaamal Berry (Miami/Palmetto), So. RB Carlos Hyde (Naples/Naples), Fr. LB Ryan Shazier and Fr. DB Jeremy Cash (both from Plantation/Plantation), and Fr. TE Jeff Heuerman (Naples/Barron Collier).
Eight Have Started 3-0
Eight of Ohio State’s 22 previous head coaches have started 3-0 in their first season. Earle Bruce was the last to do so, winning his first 11 games before a 17-16 loss to USC in the Rose Bowl. Carroll Widdoes won his first 12 games in 1944.
Efficient QB Play
Joe Bauserman and backup QB Braxton Miller each played about one-half of football and together they combined for 355 yards of total offense in the opener vs. Akron. Miller, who got all but three snaps of his playing time in the second half, passed for 130 yards and rushed for 30 in support of Bauserman’s 163-yard passing and 32-yard rushing game.
Bauserman played all 64 snaps against Toledo, passing for 189 yards and a touchdown with zero INTs for the second straight game.
Bruise Brothers
A pair of 230-plus pound running backs bashed their way to a combined 167 yards rushing on 37 carries vs. Akron. Starter Carlos Hyde rushed for 93 yards on 19 carries (4.9 avg.) and his backup, Rod Smith, added 74 yards and one touchdown on 18 carries (4.1 avg.). Hyde received a bulk of the carries against Toledo, rushing 20 times for 76 yards and two TDs.
Stoneburner Sets Record
Tight end Jake Stoneburner set a modern day Ohio State record for tight ends by catching three touchdown passes vs. Akron, from 28, 11 and 2 yards out with Bauserman throwing all three. Stoneburner, who came into the game with two career touchdowns, finished with four catches for 50 yards. The Ohio State record for career touchdowns by a tight end: 10 by John Lumpkin from 1996-98.
Stoneburner was the fourth-leading receiver on the team last season with 21 catches for 222 yards and two TDs. He caught five passes for 61 yards and a TD in the Ohio win. Over the final three games, he caught nine passes for 98 yards.
Noting the Buckeyes
? The Buckeyes will be looking to start the season 3-0 for the first time since 2007 when they started 10-0.
? Joe Bauserman completed 72.7 percent of his passes in 2010 by connecting on 16 of 22 attempts. That was fifth among all FBS players with a minimum of 20 attempts in 2010, trailing Oregon’s Nate Costa (75.8 pct), Houston’s Cotton Turner (74.2 pct), Northwestern’s Dan Persa (73.5 pct) and Wisconsin’s Scott Tolzien (72.9 pct). This season Bauserman has completed 61 percent of his passes for 352 yards, four TDs and zero INTs.
? Bauserman joined Ohio State as a walk-on in 2007. This was after he spent three seasons in the Pittsburgh Pirates organization. Prior to the Akron game he had not started a game since his senior season in 2003 at Lincoln High School in Tallahassee, Fla.
? Senior All-America center Mike Brewster is regarded by some as the best center in college football. He is a four-year starter with 38 career starts. In 2010 he was the only junior to rank among finalists for the Rimington Trophy, was a first team all-Big Ten selection and a FWAA and Phil Steele first team All-American. This season Brewster was named to the preseason Playboy All-America team, the Rimington and Outland Trophy watch lists and was voted one of 12 “players to watch” by a Big Ten media panel.
? Sophomore running back Carlos Hyde ranks fifth in the Big Ten with 84.5 yards per game. He narrowly missed gaining 100 yards in his first career start with 93 yards in the win over Akron Sept. 3. He ripped off a career-long 36 yard TD run in the win over Toledo, tying for the longest play from scrimmage this season by the Buckeyes.
? True freshman Braxton Miller led Wayne High School to the Division I state title game in 2010 while passing for 2,167 yards and 17 TDs while rushing for 658 yards and 17 TDs as a senior. He had a career record of 31-7 over three seasons and was a finalist for Ohio’s Mr. Football. A first team all-state selection, he also played in the 2010 Under Armour All-American Game.
? Junior defensive back Orhian Johnson recorded a career-high nine tackles in the win over Toledo while junior linebacker and Miami native Etienne Sabino recorded career highs with eight tackles and three TFL.
? Junior defensive lineman John Simon was named one of 12 “players to watch” at the Big Ten media days in July. Simon has 62 career tackles and 14 TFL. A promising defensive star with power and strength, Simon was an honorable mention all-Big Ten selection and Lott Trophy nominee in 2010 as a true sophomore.
? Senior linebacker Andrew Sweat is Ohio State’s co-leader in tackles this season with 11. He recorded a team-high six tackles, including 2.0 TFL, a forced fumble and an interception against Akron in the season opener and had five and 1.0 TFL against Toledo. He has 72 career tackles. In 2010 he recorded an 18-yard interception at Wisconsin and led the team with 8 tackles and 2.5 TFL against Purdue before recording eight stops in the win at Iowa.
? Senior defensive end Nathan Williams was named to the Ted Hendricks preseason watch list. Williams has recorded 92 career tackles and 21.5 TFL. Last season he recorded 46 tackles, which included 9.5 TFL and 4.5 sacks. He had a 22-yard interception against Miami on the Hurricanes’ first possession and a team-best 6 tackles against Eastern Michigan. He enjoyed his best game with 9 tackles, 2 TFL and a sack at Illinois before recording 6 tackles and 2.5 TFL against the Wolverines.
The Silver Bullet Defense
The Buckeyes have a long-standing tradition of producing the best defenses in the Big Ten and the nation year in, year out and rank in the top 10 nationally in several defensive categories in 2011. Here are some bullets that put into perspective the Silver Bullets dominance:
? Ohio State has featured a Top 20 scoring defense in each of the last nine seasons, including a top 6 in each of the last six.
| Year | PPG Allowed | FBS Rank |
| 2010 | 14.3 | 5th |
| 2009 | 12.5 | 5th |
| 2008 | 13.9 | 6th |
| 2007 | 12.8 | 1st |
| 2006 | 12.8 | 5th |
| 2005 | 15.3 | 5th |
| 2004 | 18.3 | 19th |
| 2003 | 17.6 | 16th |
| 2002 | 13.1 | 2nd |
? Since the beginning of the 2005 season, the Ohio State defense has allowed only 10 100-yard rushers during a span of 80 games and only six since the start of the 2007 season. Both of those marks are the third best among FBS schools during those spans.
Fewest 100-yd rushers allowed (FBS Teams Since 2005)
| 1. Boston College | 8 |
| 2. Alabama | 9 |
| 3. Ohio State | 10 |
| 4. Florida | 14 |
| 5. TCU | 15 |
Fewest 100-yd rushers allowed (FBS Teams Since 2007)
| 1. Alabama | 4 |
| 2. Boston College | 6 |
| 3. Ohio State | 6 |
| 4. Brigham Young | 8 |
| 5. Pittsburgh | 9 |
Last six players to rush for 100 yards against the Buckeyes:
| Date | Player | Team | Att.-Yards |
| 1/4/11 | Knile Davis | Arkansas | 26-139 |
| 11/27/10 | D. Robinson | Michigan | 18 -105 |
| 10/16/10 | John Clay | at Wisconsin | 21-104 |
| 9/13/08 | Joe McKnight | at USC | 12-105 |
| 11/10/07 | Daniel Dufrene | Illinois | 8-106 |
| 9/15/07 | Jake Locker | at Washington | 14-102 |
? Ohio State has allowed just one 100-yard rusher in the past 24 games at Ohio Stadium.
? Since the 2005 season, Ohio State has finished either first or second in scoring defense among Big Ten teams all six years. The Buckeyes were first in 2010, 2007 and 2005 and second in 2009, 2008 and 2006.
? Among FBS teams in 2010, Ohio State ranked fourth in total defense (262.2 ypg), third in rushing defense (96.7 ypg), eighth in pass defense (165.5 ypg), fifth in scoring defense (14.3 ppg) and fourth in TO margin (+1.15).
? Ohio State has held 63 opponents to 21 points or fewer since the start of the 2005 season, the most among FBS teams. TCU (62) is second.
? Ohio State has surrendered 125 touchdowns in 79 games since 2005. That is the fewest in the FBS in this span.
? Ohio State has allowed 113 touchdowns from scrimmage since the start of the 2005 season, the fewest by any FBS team in this span.
? Ohio State has surrendered 49 rushing touchdowns since the start of the 2005 season. That mark is tied with Alabama for the fewest among FBS teams during that span.
? Ohio State has surrendered 64 passing touchdowns since the start of the 2005 season, the second-fewest among FBS teams.
? Ohio State has allowed fewer than 10 points 30 times since the start of the 2006 season.
? It had been 29 games since the Buckeye defense had allowed a 100-yard individual rushing performance until John Clay ran for 104 yards Oct. 16, 2010 in Madison. The previous was USC’s Joe McKnight, who gained 105 yards on 12 carries in the 2008 meeting. That streak was second-longest in the nation at the time.
? The Ohio State defense averaged 5.69 three-and-outs per contest in 2010, second best among FBS teams behind TCU (6.0 per game). The game-by-game totals in that statistic: vs. Eastern Michigan (10); Ohio (8); Illinois (6); Marshall, Indiana (5); Miami (3); Wisconsin (1); Purdue (9); Minnesota (6); Penn State (7); Iowa (4); Michigan (5); Arkansas (5). Ohio State was third in the nation in 2009 behind TCU and Alabama, averaging 5.61 three-and-outs per game.
? Ohio State has allowed an average of 13.6 points over the last six full seasons. That is the best scoring defense among FBS teams in this span. TCU is second at 14.2 points per game.
? Ohio State had 30 takeaways last season. It was the second straight season that the Buckeyes forced at least 30 turnovers. The Buckeyes forced 35 in 2009.
Head Coach Luke Fickell
? New head coach Luke Fickell is backed by nine assistant coaches who have 184 years combined working as college assistant coaches or staff assistants in their careers.
? Fickell is among four first-year head coaches in the Big Ten. The last time the Big Ten featured four first-year coaches: 1997. Illinois (Ron Turner), Indiana (Cam Cameron), Minnesota (Glen Mason) and Purdue (Joe Tiller) were hired that season.
? Fickell will be the first Ohio State coach to face a defending Big Ten champion in his conference opener (Michigan State) since the Buckeyes began Big Ten competition in 1913.
? Since 1913, Ohio State coaches are 6-4-1 in their Big Ten debuts. The last six Ohio State coaches are 2-3-1 in their Big Ten debuts.
? In guiding OSU to a season-opening win in his first game as coach, Fickell joins 20 other Buckeye coaches with a first-game win. OSU has had only 23 head coaches in 122 years of football and that group is 21-1-1 in first games.
Team/Miscellaneous Notes
? Ohio State is tied with Oklahoma with eight BCS bowl appearances. USC is third with seven.
? Ohio State is 1-2 in national title games since the inception of the BCS in 1998. The three national title game appearances match Florida State for the second-most all-time. Only Oklahoma has more with four.
? Ohio State is 5-3 in BCS bowls, tied for second with Florida (5-1) for the most BCS Bowl wins all-time. USC is first at 6-1.
? Ohio State has not finished with a losing record since finishing 4-6-1 in 1988 (John Cooper’s first season leading the Buckeyes). Ohio State’s run of 21 straight seasons without a losing record is the third-longest among active FBS teams. Florida State has gone 34 straight seasons since finishing 5-6 in 1976 and Florida has gone 31 seasons since going 0-10-1 in 1979. Virginia Tech and Texas Tech have the fourth-longest runs at 18 seasons each.
? In Ohio State’s eight BCS bowl appearances, they have only been the Big Ten’s automatic BCS bowl qualifier four times (2002, 2006, 2007, 2009). They have received an at-large berth three times (1998, 2003, 2008) and were an automatic participant by the `3-4 rule’ in 2005.
? Ohio State has won the Fiesta Bowl three times, the Sugar Bowl once and the Rose Bowl once in the BCS era. The Buckeyes join Oklahoma (Orange, Rose and Fiesta), Florida (Orange, Sugar and BCS title game) and Miami (Sugar, Rose and Orange) as the only teams to win three different BCS bowls.
? Ohio State is among three different programs to have appeared in at least four different BCS bowls, joining Oklahoma and Miami. The Buckeyes only need to play in the Orange Bowl to join Oklahoma as the only program to appear in five different BCS bowls. While Miami has won the BCS title (2001 season), they have not played in a bowl game specifically called the BCS title game.
? Ohio State (19) is tied with Michigan (19) for the most bowl wins all-time by a Big Ten team. Nebraska is 24-23 in bowl games, but has not represented the Big Ten in the postseason.
? Ohio State has won 34 Big Ten titles. Only Michigan has more with 42.
? Ohio State has appeared in a bowl game in 15 of the last 17 seasons. Fourteen of those bowl appearances have taken place in January (2004 Alamo Bowl). Ohio State has appeared in a January bowl in five of the past six seasons.
? Ohio State has 821 wins all-time, the fifth-most among FBS teams.
| Michigan | 886 |
| Texas | 851 |
| Notre Dame | 845 |
| Nebraska | 839 |
| Ohio State | 821 |
| PennState | 819 |
| Oklahoma | 812 |
| Alabama | 804 |
? Ohio State has featured 14 NFL Draft first-round picks since 2004. That is the most by any college team in this span.
? Ohio State has had 65 consecutive crowds of more than 100,000 at Ohio Stadium.
? Ohio State has not lost a home opener in 34 years – Sept. 16, 1978 to be exact when No. 6 Ohio State suffered a 19-0 loss to No. 5 Penn State in Woody Hayes’ final season.
? Ohio State has an all-time opening game record of 105-12-4. The Buckeyes’ last opening day loss away from Columbus was to Miami in the 1999 Kickoff Classic in East Rutherford, N.J.
? All-time, the Buckeyes are 109-8-4 in home openers since 1890. The largest opening day crowd at Ohio Stadium was 105,092 in the 2009 opener vs. Navy.
Not Since 1922-24
Ohio State ranks second among all NCAA Div. I programs with 85 consecutive seasons since last posting back-to-back losing records. The Buckeyes have not been under .500 for two or more consecutive seasons since 1922-24, which trails only Tennessee; the Vols have not had back-to-back losing seasons since 1909-11, a span of 98 consecutive seasons.
Ohio State to Wear Advanced Nike Uniforms for Wisconsin Game
Ohio State will be one of nine college football programs donning uniquely designed, highly advanced Nike uniforms for at least one game during the 2011-12 season.
The teams selected to sport the 2011 Nike Pro Combat system of dress uniforms include the United States Military Academy (Army), Boise State University, University of Georgia, Louisiana State University, Michigan State University, the United States Naval Academy, The Ohio State University, University of Oregon, and Stanford University.
The uniforms will hit the field on opening day of the 2011-12 college football season and throughout the year during some of fiercest rivalries in college football. Dates include Oregon vs. LSU at Cowboys Stadium (9/3), Boise State vs. Georgia at the Georgia Dome (9/3), Michigan State vs. Michigan (10/15), LSU vs. Auburn (10/22), Ohio State vs. Wisconsin (10/29), Stanford vs. Notre Dame (11/27) and the annual service academy bragging rights matchup between two of the nation’s most prestigious football programs – Army vs. Navy (12/10).
Buckeyes vs. the State of Ohio
Ohio State is 178-48-15 in its history against opponents from the state of Ohio; that list includes Akron, Bowling Green, Case, Cincinnati, Denison, Heidelberg, Kent State, Kenyon, Marietta, Miami, Mount Union, Muskingum, Oberlin, Ohio Medical, Ohio, Ohio Wesleyan, Otterbein, Toledo, Western Reserve, Wilmington, Wittenberg, Wooster and Youngstown State.
The Buckeyes have played at least one team from Ohio each season since 1997. Ohio State has not lost to an Ohio opponent since 1921, falling to Oberlin 7-6; the Buckeyes tied Wooster 7-7 in 1924 in Columbus.
Big Ten Announces 2013-14 Football Schedule
The Big Ten Conference has announced its 2013 and 2014 conference football schedules. Ohio State, a member of the Leaders division, will play four home and four away league contests in each of those seasons.
In 2013, OSU opens Big Ten play hosting Wisconsin Sept. 28. Other Big Ten games in 2013: Oct. 5 at Northwestern; Oct. 19 vs. Iowa; Oct. 26 vs. Penn State; Nov. 2 at Purdue; Nov. 16 at Illinois; Nov. 23 vs. Indiana; Nov. 30 at Michigan.
Ohio State has two non-conference dates confirmed for the 2013 season: Aug. 31 vs. Vanderbilt at Ohio Stadium; and Sept. 14 at California.
In 2014, Ohio State begins Big Ten action hosting Purdue Oct. 4. Other Big Ten contests in 2014: Oct. 18 at Iowa; Oct. 25 vs. Northwestern; Nov. 1 at Wisconsin; Nov. 8 vs. Illinois; Nov. 15 at Penn State; Nov. 22 at Indiana; Nov. 29 vs. Michigan.
The Buckeyes’ non-conference games for 2014 are Aug. 30 vs. Navy in Baltimore; followed by three games at Ohio Stadium: Sept. 6 vs. Cincinnati; Sept. 13 vs. Kent State; and Sept. 20 vs. Virginia Tech.
The champions of the Legends Division and the Leaders Division will meet in the Big Ten Football Championship Game on the first Saturday of December, with the winner earning the Big Ten Championship and a chance to play in the Rose Bowl Game or Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game. The inaugural Big Ten Football Championship Game will be played in prime time on December 3, 2011, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, while the second Big Ten Football Championship Game is scheduled for Dec. 1, 2012, at a site to be determined.
Big Ten to Play Nine Conference Games Beginning with 2017 Season
The Big Ten will move to a nine-game conference schedule beginning with the 2017 season.
Three teams each from the Legends Division and Leaders Division will feature five conference home games during odd-numbered years, while the other three schools from each division will host five conference contests during even-numbered years. The 2017 schedule will include five conference home outings for Iowa, Michigan State and Nebraska from the Legends Division and Illinois, Indiana and Ohio State from the Leaders Division. The 2018 schedule will feature five Big Ten home games for Michigan, Minnesota and Northwestern of the Legends Division and Penn State, Purdue and Wisconsin of the Leaders Division. The Big Ten will return 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.
Up Next
Ohio State returns home next Saturday when it welcomes Colorado to Ohio Stadium. Miami hosts Kansas State.
