B1G Releases 2018, 2019 Football Schedules

Good news for those of you already looking ahead to the 2018 and 2019 football seasons. The Big Ten released those schedules on Wednesday, and not you can begin planning accordingly.

Here they are.

2018

9/22 vs. Penn State
9/29 BYE
10/6 at Rutgers
10/13 vs. Purdue
10/20 at Wisconsin
10/27 at Maryland
11/3 vs. Minnesota
11/10 at Nebraska
11/17 vs. Iowa
11/24 at Northwestern

2019

9/21 vs. Nebraska
9/28 BYE
10/5 at Minnesota
10/12 vs. Michigan
10/19 vs. Wisconsin
10/26 at Purdue
11/2 vs. Rutgers
11/9 at Michigan State
11/16 BYE
11/23 at Iowa
11/30 Northwestern

Things I notice right away is that while our game with Rutgers won't be our first against it as Big Ten foes -- we play Rutgers in 2016 and 2017, meaning we'll play them four seasons in a row -- but our first game against Maryland will be in 2018.

I also notice that our cross-divisional games in each of these seasons are somewhat favorable. Penn State, Rutgers and Maryland in 2018 and Michigan, Rutgers and Michigan State in 2019. Yes, I'd rather see an Indiana or Maryland over either Michigan or Michigan State in 2019, but at least it's not Ohio State, Michigan and Penn State! Which is how the schedules have been in recent seasons.

You can see all Illinois' future football schedules here.

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