How many schools are in the Big Ten? This is a question that often comes up among sports enthusiasts and college football fans. The Big Ten Conference, one of the most prestigious athletic conferences in the United States, consists of 14 member institutions. However, not all of these institutions are considered “Big Ten” schools in the traditional sense.
The Big Ten Conference was originally founded in 1896 as the Western Conference. It started with just seven members, which included the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois, the University of Michigan, the University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, the University of Wisconsin, and Purdue University. Over the years, the conference has expanded and rebranded, ultimately becoming the Big Ten Conference in 1917.
Currently, the Big Ten Conference has 14 member institutions, which are divided into two divisions: the East and the West. The East Division includes the University of Maryland, Rutgers University, the University of Michigan, the University of Michigan State, and the University of Ohio. The West Division includes the University of Iowa, the University of Minnesota, the University of Nebraska, the University of Northwestern, the University of Penn State, and the University of Wisconsin.
While all 14 institutions are part of the Big Ten Conference, only 10 of them are considered “Big Ten” schools in the traditional sense. These 10 schools are: the University of Illinois, the University of Indiana, the University of Iowa, the University of Maryland, the University of Michigan, the University of Michigan State, the University of Minnesota, the University of Nebraska, the University of Northwestern, and the University of Wisconsin.
The other four institutions, which are the University of Penn State, the University of Ohio, Rutgers University, and the University of Maryland, are part of the conference but are not considered “Big Ten” schools in the traditional sense. This is due to the fact that they were not original members of the conference and joined at different times.
In conclusion, there are 10 schools that are considered “Big Ten” schools in the traditional sense, while the conference as a whole consists of 14 member institutions. The Big Ten Conference has a rich history and a strong presence in the world of college sports, and its member institutions continue to compete at the highest level.
