Week 4 Big Ten football schedule: Some major conference matchups to watch

Trent Knoop | Sep 20, 2024

Oct 6, 2023; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini wide receiver Pat Bryant (13) catches a pass for a touchdown in front of Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive back Quinton Newsome (6) during the first half at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Out of the 11 games taking place this weekend revolving around the Big Ten Conference, four of them are conference games and there are a few big ones. For starters, on Friday evening, a top-25 matchup between Illinois and Nebraska will take place. Both teams are playing better than preseason expectations and both quarterbacks -- Luke Altmyer and Dylan Raiola -- are playing extremely well. That game will be telling for both programs wanting a signature early win.

USC and Michigan is the other top-25 game. The Trojans will get their Big Ten slate started by traveling to Ann Arbor to face a Wolverines team who really needs to win this game. Michigan has already lost a key game at home against Texas. The Wolverines can't afford to lose a second game in four weeks. But USC wants to prove its early win against LSU wasn't a fluke and the Trojans can make noise in the Big Ten.

A couple of other games to keep an eye on is Iowa vs. Minnesota at night and Michigan State vs. Boston College in the evening. How good are the Spartans? They haven't lost yet, and while a win against Maryland could carry stock, the Eagles look to be a much better team in 2024. This game could be telling about MSU moving forward.

Here's the full Big Ten schedule for the weekend.

Friday September 19

No. 24 Illinois vs. No. 22 Nebraska -- 8:00 p.m. ET on FOX

Saturday September 20

Marshall vs. No. 3 Ohio State -- Noon ET on FOX
Charlotte vs. Indiana -- Noon ET on BTN
Villanova vs. Maryland -- Noon ET on BTN
Kent State vs. No. 10 Penn State -- 3:30 p.m. ET on BTN
No. 11 USC vs. No. 18 Michigan -- 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS
Rutgers vs. Virginia Tech -- 3:30 p.m. ET on ACC Network
Northwestern vs. Washington -- 7:00 p.m. ET on FS1
Iowa vs. Minnesota -- 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC
Michigan State vs. Boston College -- 8:00 p.m. ET on ACC Network
Purdue vs. Oregon State -- 8:30 p.m. ET on The CW Network

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