The Big Ten released its full conference schedule with dates on Wednesday, giving college basketball fans a clearer view of when the top matchups for the 2026–27 season will occur. After the Big Ten sent two teams to the Final Four — including reigning national champion Michigan — the conference title race will be one of the biggest storylines to monitor.
Michigan’s team will look completely different than it did five months ago in Indianapolis. The Wolverines lost four starters from their national title team and former Michigan coach Dusty May made one of the most shocking moves of the coaching carousel by jumping to the NBA on the eve of the 2026 NBA Draft.
While Michigan’s roster will look different, several familiar faces from the conference are returning. Illinois reached the Final Four for the first time since 2005 and returns the nucleus of its roster, headlined by David Mirković, Andrej Stojaković and Tomislav Ivišić. Michigan State brings back Jeremy Fears Jr., who led the country in assists per game (9.4) and will likely be the preseason Big Ten Player of the Year.
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While Michigan, Michigan State and Illinois are expected to be the top contenders in the conference, others could crash the party. USC has its best roster under third-year coach Eric Musselman and crosstown rival UCLA made one of the biggest offseason acquisitions by signing Serbian forward Nikola Kusturica, who could be the No. 1 pick in 2028.
With the schedule set, here are the biggest games that will impact the Big Ten title race.
1. Illinois vs. Michigan State
When: Feb. 5 | Where: State Farm Center (Champaign, Illinois)
Illinois only plays Michigan State once during the regular season. This game could be a Big Ten title game preview, as Michigan State and Illinois enter the season as top contenders for the regular-season title. Illinois is set to enter the season as a top-five team after returning five of its top eight scorers from a team that won 28 games while also adding Stefan Vaaks (transfer portal) and five-star freshman Quentin Coleman to the roster. Michigan State has the same returning scoring production (65.4%) as Illinois, which ranks No. 1 in the Big Ten.
Fears is the headliner on Michigan State’s roster, but high-flying forward Coen Carr and Jordan Scott will also have big roles. The winner of this game should be in the driver’s seat to potentially win the conference.
2. Michigan vs. Michigan State
When: Feb. 26 | Where: Crisler Center (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
Michigan will face Michigan State twice (Feb. 13 and 26) this season, with the second matchup coming less than two weeks after the first. It should come as no surprise that this game is part of the “home-and-home” Big Ten schedule slate because it is always appointment viewing. Michigan swept Michigan State last season for the first time since the 2013-14 campaign behind its dominant frontcourt. Although Michigan returns Final Four Most Outstanding Player Elliot Cadeau, the Wolverines will have to replace four starters from their national title team.
On top of that, Michigan suffered a serious blow last month when incoming five-star guard Brandon McCoy Jr., a projected starter, tore his ACL during Michigan’s European Tour. With McCoy out, all eyes will be on sophomore guard Trey McKenney. He projects as a major breakout candidate after being a microwave scorer off the bench last season.
3. UCLA vs. USC
When: March 6 | Where: Pauley Pavilion (Los Angeles)
Similar to Michigan/Michigan State, USC and UCLA will play each other twice as part of the Big Ten scheduling model that prioritizes rivalry games. This season will be the most anticipated set of games since UCLA and USC moved to the Big Ten in 2024. USC’s roster is the best the program has had in years, and undoubtedly, the best Musselman has had since arriving from Arkansas in 2024. USC returns Jacob Cofie, Alijah Arenas and Rodney Rice and signed three top-30 recruits from the 2026 recruiting class: Christian Collins, Adonis Ratliff and Darius Ratliff.
UCLA is welcoming one of the best international prospects of the cycle in Kusturica, who is set to play at least two years of college basketball because of the NBA’s age requirement to enter the draft. Kusturica arrives at UCLA as the program’s best draft prospect in nearly a decade, when Lonzo Ball arrived on campus. Both matchups will be must-watch TV.
4. Purdue vs. Michigan
When: Jan. 4 | Where: Crisler Center (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
Purdue‘s roster will look completely different after the program said goodbye to its “Big Three” of Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer. Although Kaufman-Renn is currently pursuing a sixth year of eligibility, he is not expected to suit up for the Boilermakers this season. That group played over 100 games together and reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament three consecutive years, including a berth to the national title game in 2024.
When Purdue faces Michigan, it will be a rematch of one of the biggest upsets of the season within the Big Ten when the Boilermakers defeated the Wolverines in the Big Ten title game. That game marked Michigan’s last loss en route to winning the national title.
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5. Iowa vs. Illinois
When: March 6 | Where: State Farm Center (Champaign, Illinois)
The Big Ten was guaranteed at least one representative in the Final Four after Iowa and Illinois advanced to the South Regional final. Illinois was able to outlast Iowa in the Elite Eight to punch a ticket to the Final Four. Still, an Elite Eight appearance in Ben McCollum’s first season at Iowa should be considered a massive success.
The final game of the regular season will mark first time they have played each other since. Illinois returns a majority of its scoring production, while Iowa (50.3%) ranks sixth in the Big Ten in that category. The Hawkeyes will have to replace two of their top three scorers in Bennett Stirtz (NBA) and Alvaro Folgueiras (transferred to Louisville). McCollum does return veteran guard Tavion Banks, who played for him at Drake during the 2024-25 campaign.
Big Ten 2026-27 conference schedule
| Date | Matchup |
| Dec. 1 | Rutgers at Indiana |
| Dec. 1 | Iowa at Purdue |
| Dec. 1 | Oregon at UCLA |
| Dec. 1 | Wisconsin at Northwestern |
| Dec. 2 | Minnesota at Michigan State |
| Dec. 2 | Ohio State at Nebraska |
| Dec. 2 | Washington at USC |
| Dec. 5 | USC at Oregon |
| Dec. 6 | Maryland at Ohio State |
| Dec. 7 | Indiana at Iowa |
| Dec. 8 | Illinois at Minnesota |
| Dec. 8 | Nebraska at Penn State |
| Dec. 8 | Purdue at Wisconsin |
| Dec. 9 | Michigan State at Maryland |
| Dec. 9 | Michigan at Rutgers |
| Dec. 12 | Penn State at Illinois |
| Dec. 12 | Northwestern at Michigan |
| Dec. 13 | UCLA at Washington |
| Dec. 30 | Oregon at Ohio State |
| Dec. 30 | USC at Purdue |
| Jan. 2 | USC at Indiana |
| Jan. 2 | Ohio State at Iowa |
| Jan. 2 | UCLA at Maryland |
| Jan. 2 | Washington at Michigan |
| Jan. 2 | Michigan State at Nebraska |
| Jan. 2 | Oregon at Penn State |
| Jan. 2 | Rutgers at Purdue |
| Jan. 2 | Illinois at Wisconsin |
| Jan. 3 | Minnesota at Northwestern |
| Jan. 5 | Purdue at Illinois |
| Jan. 5 | USC at Maryland |
| Jan. 5 | Washington at Michigan State |
| Jan. 5 | Michigan at Nebraska |
| Jan. 5 | UCLA at Rutgers |
| Jan. 6 | Wisconsin at Iowa |
| Jan. 6 | Penn State at Minnesota |
| Jan. 6 | Northwestern at Ohio State |
| Jan. 6 | Indiana at Oregon |
| Jan. 8 | Purdue at Michigan |
| Jan. 8 | USC at Rutgers |
| Jan. 9 | Ohio State at Illinois |
| Jan. 9 | Maryland at Iowa |
| Jan. 9 | Michigan State at UCLA |
| Jan. 9 | Indiana at Washington |
| Jan. 9 | Minnesota at Wisconsin |
| Jan. 10 | Nebraska at Oregon |
| Jan. 10 | Northwestern at Penn State |
| Jan. 12 | Maryland at Indiana |
| Jan. 12 | Minnesota at Michigan |
| Jan. 12 | Ohio State at Purdue |
| Jan. 12 | Iowa at Rutgers |
| Jan. 12 | Michigan State at USC |
| Jan. 13 | Illinois at Northwestern |
| Jan. 13 | Nebraska at Washington |
| Jan. 13 | Penn State at Wisconsin |
| Jan. 16 | Michigan at Indiana |
| Jan. 16 | Illinois at Maryland |
| Jan. 16 | Oregon at Michigan State |
| Jan. 16 | Iowa at Nebraska |
| Jan. 16 | Rutgers at Northwestern |
| Jan. 16 | Washington at UCLA |
| Jan. 16 | Wisconsin at USC |
| Jan. 17 | Purdue at Minnesota |
| Jan. 17 | Penn State at Ohio State |
| Jan. 19 | Nebraska at Illinois |
| Jan. 19 | Rutgers at Maryland |
| Jan. 19 | Oregon at Michigan |
| Jan. 19 | Wisconsin at UCLA |
| Jan. 20 | Indiana at Minnesota |
| Jan. 20 | Purdue at Penn State |
| Jan. 20 | Northwestern at Washington |
| Jan. 22 | UCLA at Nebraska |
| Jan. 23 | Penn State at Iowa |
| Jan. 23 | Michigan State at Ohio State |
| Jan. 23 | Northwestern at Oregon |
| Jan. 23 | Maryland at Purdue |
| Jan. 23 | Minnesota at Rutgers |
| Jan. 23 | Michigan at USC |
| Jan. 23 | Washington at Wisconsin |
| Jan. 24 | Illinois at Indiana |
| Jan. 26 | Wisconsin at Maryland |
| Jan. 26 | Penn State at Michigan State |
| Jan. 26 | Washington at Minnesota |
| Jan. 26 | Iowa at Ohio State |
| Jan. 26 | Nebraska at Purdue |
| Jan. 26 | Michigan at UCLA |
| Jan. 27 | USC at Illinois |
| Jan. 27 | Indiana at Northwestern |
| Jan. 27 | Rutgers at Oregon |
| Jan. 30 | UCLA at Indiana |
| Jan. 30 | Nebraska at Iowa |
| Jan. 30 | Ohio State at Michigan |
| Jan. 30 | Purdue at Michigan State |
| Jan. 30 | USC at Northwestern |
| Jan. 30 | Maryland at Penn State |
| Jan. 30 | Rutgers at Washington |
| Jan. 31 | Wisconsin at Minnesota |
| Feb. 2 | UCLA at Illinois |
| Feb. 2 | Maryland at Michigan State |
| Feb. 2 | Indiana at Penn State |
| Feb. 3 | Purdue at Rutgers |
| Feb. 3 | Iowa at USC |
| Feb. 3 | Oregon at Wisconsin |
| Feb. 5 | Illinois at Michigan State |
| Feb. 6 | Indiana at Nebraska |
| Feb. 6 | Ohio State at Penn State |
| Feb. 6 | Northwestern at Purdue |
| Feb. 6 | Iowa at UCLA |
| Feb. 6 | Minnesota at USC |
| Feb. 6 | Michigan at Wisconsin |
| Feb. 7 | Washington at Oregon |
| Feb. 9 | Northwestern at Indiana |
| Feb. 9 | Nebraska at Maryland |
| Feb. 9 | Illinois at Michigan |
| Feb. 9 | Wisconsin at Ohio State |
| Feb. 9 | Minnesota at UCLA |
| Feb. 10 | Oregon at Iowa |
| Feb. 10 | Rutgers at Michigan State |
| Feb. 10 | USC at Washington |
| Feb. 12 | Penn State at Nebraska |
| Feb. 12 | Illinois at Purdue |
| Feb. 13 | Indiana at Maryland |
| Feb. 13 | Michigan State at Michigan |
| Feb. 13 | Oregon at Minnesota |
| Feb. 13 | Iowa at Northwestern |
| Feb. 13 | Wisconsin at Rutgers |
| Feb. 13 | UCLA at USC |
| Feb. 14 | Washington at Ohio State |
| Feb. 16 | Northwestern at Illinois |
| Feb. 16 | Purdue at Indiana |
| Feb. 16 | Michigan State at Iowa |
| Feb. 16 | Michigan at Minnesota |
| Feb. 16 | Rutgers at Nebraska |
| Feb. 17 | Maryland at Oregon |
| Feb. 17 | Washington at Penn State |
| Feb. 17 | Ohio State at UCLA |
| Feb. 19 | Indiana at Wisconsin |
| Feb. 20 | Iowa at Michigan |
| Feb. 20 | Nebraska at Michigan State |
| Feb. 20 | Illinois at Oregon |
| Feb. 20 | Penn State at Rutgers |
| Feb. 20 | Ohio State at USC |
| Feb. 20 | Maryland at Washington |
| Feb. 21 | Northwestern at Minnesota |
| Feb. 21 | UCLA at Purdue |
| Feb. 23 | Michigan State at Indiana |
| Feb. 23 | USC at Nebraska |
| Feb. 23 | Michigan at Penn State |
| Feb. 23 | Illinois at Washington |
| Feb. 24 | Minnesota at Maryland |
| Feb. 24 | UCLA at Northwestern |
| Feb. 24 | Purdue at Oregon |
| Feb. 24 | Iowa at Wisconsin |
| Feb. 25 | Rutgers at Ohio State |
| Feb. 26 | Michigan at Michigan State |
| Feb. 27 | Minnesota at Iowa |
| Feb. 27 | Nebraska at Northwestern |
| Feb. 27 | Penn State at UCLA |
| Feb. 27 | Oregon at USC |
| Feb. 27 | Purdue at Washington |
| Feb. 28 | Wisconsin at Illinois |
| Feb. 28 | Ohio State at Indiana |
| Feb. 28 | Maryland at Rutgers |
| Mar. 2 | Washington at Iowa |
| Mar. 2 | Michigan State at Northwestern |
| Mar. 2 | Penn State at USC |
| Mar. 3 | UCLA at Oregon |
| Mar. 3 | Illinois at Rutgers |
| Mar. 3 | Nebraska at Wisconsin |
| Mar. 4 | Maryland at Michigan |
| Mar. 4 | Ohio State at Minnesota |
| Mar. 5 | Indiana at Purdue |
| Mar. 6 | Iowa at Illinois |
| Mar. 6 | Wisconsin at Michigan State |
| Mar. 6 | USC at UCLA |
| Mar. 6 | Oregon at Washington |
| Mar. 7 | Northwestern at Maryland |
| Mar. 7 | Minnesota at Nebraska |
| Mar. 7 | Michigan at Ohio State |
| Mar. 7 | Rutgers at Penn State |