When will the Big Ten go to a nine-game conference schedule? It appears as if 2017 is the target date.
Purdue announced on Monday that it has made changes to two future nonconference games and noted the Big Ten asked the school to clear some room out for 2017. That's a pretty clear sign that the league is going to a nine-game conference schedule at that time. The topic is sure to be discussed this week at the Big Ten media days event in Chicago.
Purdue athletic director Morgan Burke told the Indianapolis Star that the nine-game schedule is coming. He said teams would play four games against the opposite division, but a permanent crossover game won't be added.
The Boilermakers rescheduled their 2017 game at Marshall for Sept. 5, 2015. The two teams will meet at Ross-Ade Stadium in September 2012 as planned. Purdue also canceled its 2014 and 2015 games with Cincinnati while keeping its 2013 and 2016 games as previously scheduled. The 2013 game will be on the road, with 2016 at home.
Here's a look at Purdue's future schedules (home games in caps):
2012
Sept. 1: EASTERN KENTUCKY
Sept. 8: at Notre Dame
Sept. 15: EASTERN MICHIGAN
Sept. 29: MARSHALL
Oct. 6: MICHIGAN
Oct. 13: WISCONSIN
Oct. 20: at Ohio State
Oct. 27: at Minnesota
Nov. 3: PENN STATE
Nov. 10: at Iowa
Nov. 17: at Illinois
Nov. 24: INDIANA
2013
Aug. 31: at Cincinnati
Sept. 7: INDIANA STATE
Sept. 14: NOTRE DAME
Sept. 28: NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Oct. 12: NEBRASKA
Oct. 19: at Michigan State
Oct. 26: at Wisconsin
Nov. 2: OHIO STATE
Nov. 9: IOWA
Nov. 16: at Penn State
Nov. 23: ILLINOIS
Nov. 30: at Indiana
2014
Aug. 30: TBA
Sept. 6: CENTRAL MICHIGAN
Sept. 13: at Notre Dame
Sept. 20: SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
Oct. 4: at Ohio State
Oct. 11: WISCONSIN
Oct. 25: at Iowa
Nov. 1: PENN STATE
Nov. 8: MICHIGAN STATE
Nov. 15: at Illinois
Nov. 22: at Nebraska
Nov. 29: INDIANA
2015
Sept. 5: at Marshall
Sept. 12: INDIANA STATE
Sept. 19: NOTRE DAME
Sept. 26: BOWLING GREEN
2016
Sept. 3: CINCINNATI
TBA: at Notre Dame
2017
TBA: NOTRE DAME
2018
Sept. 22: at Notre Dame
2019
Sept. 21: NOTRE DAME
2020
Sept. 19:at Notre Dame
2021
Sept. 18: NOTRE DAME