MINNEAPOLIS — The Big Ten has finalized the first two years of nine-game conference schedules for football. The extra contest means Minnesota will play newcomers Rutgers and Maryland at home right away with the new format.
The Big Ten released the 2016 and 2017 schedules Thursday.
Starting in 2014, the Gophers will play Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue and Wisconsin every year in the West Division. They'll play East Division teams on a rotating basis. In 2016, they travel to Penn State and Maryland and host Rutgers. In 2017, they host Maryland and Michigan State and travel to Michigan. Neither Indiana nor Ohio State will appear on their schedules then.
The Gophers are in a nine-year span with only one game against the Hoosiers, from 2009-17. They play at Indiana this season.