Big Ten

18 current members. Our membership records under this name start in 1953; its titles go back further. 2025 champion: Indiana.

1998 standings

Team	Conf.	Overall	AP	Elo
Wisconsin	7–⁠1	11–⁠1	6	1715	W W L W W
Ohio State	7–⁠1	11–⁠1	2	1800	W L W W W
Michigan	7–⁠1	10–⁠3	12	1749	W W L W W
Purdue	6–⁠2	9–⁠4	24	1654	W W W W W
Penn State	5–⁠3	9–⁠3	17	1681	L W L W W
Michigan State	4–⁠4	6–⁠6		1581	W W L W L
Minnesota	2–⁠6	5–⁠6		1456	W L L L W
Indiana	2–⁠6	4–⁠7		1404	L L L W L
Illinois	2–⁠6	3–⁠8		1327	L L L W L
Iowa	2–⁠6	3–⁠8		1414	L L L L L
Northwestern	0–⁠8	3–⁠9		1406	L L L L W

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied. AP: the AP poll, final (else the final AP rank). Elo is our own rating, a measure of strength, not a prediction.

Against other conferences, 1998

Big Ten teams are 30–⁠12 outside the conference.

Western Athletic Conference7–⁠1
Mid-American Conference7–⁠0
Conference USA4–⁠1
Independent3–⁠2
Pac-101–⁠4
Big 123–⁠1
Big East2–⁠1
SEC2–⁠1
ACC0–⁠1
FCS teams1–⁠0

The bar is the share of those games won. Games against teams from lower divisions count together.

All-Big Ten teams, 1998

First team 30

Offense
Position	Player	School
Quarterback	Joe GermaineOhio State	Ohio State
	Drew BreesPurdue	Purdue
Running back	Ron DayneWisconsin	Wisconsin
	Michael WileyOhio State	Ohio State
Center	Jason StrayhornMichigan State	Michigan State
Guard	Steve HutchinsonMichigan	Michigan
	Rob MurphyOhio State	Ohio State
Tackle	Jon JansenMichigan	Michigan
	Floyd WedderburnPenn State	Penn State
	Aaron GibsonWisconsin	Wisconsin
Tight end	Jerame TumanMichigan	Michigan
Wide receiver	David BostonOhio State	Ohio State
	D’Wayne BatesNorthwestern	Northwestern

Defense
Position	Player	School
Defensive lineman	Tom BurkeWisconsin	Wisconsin
	Rosevelt ColvinPurdue	Purdue
	Jared DeVriesIowa	Iowa
	Brad ScioliPenn State	Penn State
	Courtney BrownPenn State	Penn State
Linebacker	LaVar ArringtonPenn State	Penn State
	Na’il DiggsOhio State	Ohio State
	Brandon ShortPenn State	Penn State
	Barry GardnerNorthwestern	Northwestern
	Andy KatzenmoyerOhio State	Ohio State
Defensive back	Antoine WinfieldOhio State	Ohio State
	Tyrone CarterMinnesota	Minnesota
	Damon MooreOhio State	Ohio State
	David MacklinPenn State	Penn State
	Jamar FletcherWisconsin	Wisconsin

Specialists
Position	Player	School
Kicker	Matt DavenportWisconsin	Wisconsin
Punter	Kevin StemkeWisconsin	Wisconsin

Second team 26

Offense
Position	Player	School
Running back	Sedrick IrvinMichigan State	Michigan State
	Thomas HamnerMinnesota	Minnesota
Center	Casey RabachWisconsin	Wisconsin
Guard	Ben GilbertOhio State	Ohio State
	Chukky OkobiPurdue	Purdue
	Kareem McKenziePenn State	Penn State
Tackle	Chris McIntoshWisconsin	Wisconsin
	Jeff BackusMichigan	Michigan
Tight end	John LumpkinOhio State	Ohio State
Wide receiver	Tai StreetsMichigan	Michigan
	Dee MillerOhio State	Ohio State
	Plaxico BurressMichigan State	Michigan State

Defense
Position	Player	School
Defensive lineman	Adewale OgunleyeIndiana	Indiana
	James HallMichigan	Michigan
	Robert NewkirkMichigan State	Michigan State
	Rob RenesMichigan	Michigan
Linebacker	Sam SwordMichigan	Michigan
	Ian GoldMichigan	Michigan
Defensive back	Tommy HendricksMichigan	Michigan
	Andre WeathersMichigan	Michigan
	Sorie KanuMichigan State	Michigan State
	Ahmed PlummerOhio State	Ohio State
	Eric ThigpenIowa	Iowa

Specialists
Position	Player	School
Kicker	Paul EdingerMichigan State	Michigan State
Punter	Brent BartholomewOhio State	Ohio State
	Craig JarrettMichigan State	Michigan State

From Wikipedia’s 1998 all-conference team article (CC BY-SA): each player on the best team any selector named him to (the coaches’, the media’s or the AP’s), in the article’s order. Players link to their pages where we could match them.

Champions

Most titles

Michigan	45	last 2023
Ohio State	39	last 2020
Minnesota	18	last 1967
Illinois	15	last 2001
Wisconsin	14	last 2012
Iowa	12	last 2004
Michigan State	9	last 2015
Northwestern	8	last 2000
Purdue	8	last 2000
Penn State	4	last 2016

By year

2025	Indiana
2024	Oregon
2023	Michigan
2022	Michigan
2021	Michigan
2020	Ohio State
2019	Ohio State
2018	Ohio State
2017	Ohio State
2016	Penn State
2015	Michigan State
2014	Ohio State

113 earlier seasons, back to 1896

2013	Michigan State
2012	Wisconsin
2011	Wisconsin
2010	Michigan State, Wisconsin (shared)
2009	Ohio State
2008	Ohio State, Penn State (shared)
2007	Ohio State
2006	Ohio State
2005	Ohio State, Penn State (shared)
2004	Iowa, Michigan (shared)
2003	Michigan
2002	Iowa, Ohio State (shared)
2001	Illinois
2000	Michigan, Northwestern, Purdue (shared)
1999	Wisconsin
1998	Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin (shared)
1997	Michigan
1996	Northwestern, Ohio State (shared)
1995	Northwestern
1994	Penn State
1993	Ohio State, Wisconsin (shared)
1992	Michigan
1991	Michigan
1990	Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State (shared)
1989	Michigan
1988	Michigan
1987	Michigan State
1986	Michigan, Ohio State (shared)
1985	Iowa
1984	Ohio State
1983	Illinois
1982	Michigan
1981	Iowa, Ohio State (shared)
1980	Michigan
1979	Ohio State
1978	Michigan, Michigan State (shared)
1977	Michigan, Ohio State (shared)
1976	Michigan, Ohio State (shared)
1975	Ohio State
1974	Michigan, Ohio State (shared)
1973	Michigan, Ohio State (shared)
1972	Michigan, Ohio State (shared)
1971	Michigan
1970	Ohio State
1969	Michigan, Ohio State (shared)
1968	Ohio State
1967	Indiana, Minnesota, Purdue (shared)
1966	Michigan State
1965	Michigan State
1964	Michigan
1963	Illinois
1962	Wisconsin
1961	Ohio State
1960	Iowa, Minnesota (shared)
1959	Wisconsin
1958	Iowa
1957	Ohio State
1956	Iowa
1955	Ohio State
1954	Ohio State
1953	Illinois, Michigan State (shared)
1952	Purdue, Wisconsin (shared)
1951	Illinois
1950	Michigan
1949	Michigan, Ohio State (shared)
1948	Michigan
1947	Michigan
1946	Illinois
1945	Indiana
1944	Ohio State
1943	Michigan, Purdue (shared)
1942	Ohio State
1941	Minnesota
1940	Minnesota
1939	Ohio State
1938	Minnesota
1937	Minnesota
1936	Northwestern
1935	Minnesota, Ohio State (shared)
1934	Minnesota
1933	Michigan, Minnesota (shared)
1932	Michigan, Purdue (shared)
1931	Michigan, Northwestern, Purdue (shared)
1930	Michigan, Northwestern (shared)
1929	Purdue
1928	Illinois
1927	Illinois, Minnesota (shared)
1926	Michigan, Northwestern (shared)
1925	Michigan
1923	Illinois, Michigan (shared)
1922	Iowa, Michigan (shared)
1921	Iowa
1920	Ohio State
1919	Illinois
1918	Illinois, Michigan, Purdue (shared)
1917	Ohio State
1916	Ohio State
1915	Illinois, Minnesota (shared)
1914	Illinois
1912	Wisconsin
1911	Minnesota
1910	Illinois, Minnesota (shared)
1909	Minnesota
1907	Iowa
1906	Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin (shared)
1904	Michigan, Minnesota (shared)
1903	Michigan, Minnesota, Northwestern (shared)
1902	Michigan
1901	Michigan, Wisconsin (shared)
1900	Iowa, Minnesota (shared)
1898	Michigan
1897	Wisconsin
1896	Wisconsin

Conference titles as each program’s Wikipedia infobox lists them (CC BY-SA), shared titles counted for every co-champion; the conference’s earlier names count as the same conference.

Members

Illinois1953 on
Indiana1953 on
Iowa1953 on
Michigan1953 on
Michigan State1953 on
Minnesota1953 on
Northwestern1953 on
Ohio State1953 on
Purdue1953 on
Wisconsin1953 on
Penn State1993 on
Nebraska2011 on
Maryland2014 on
Rutgers2014 on
Oregon2024 on
UCLA2024 on
USC2024 on
Washington2024 on

Every school and its years (18)

Members now

Illinois 1953 on
Indiana 1953 on
Iowa 1953 on
Michigan 1953 on
Michigan State 1953 on
Minnesota 1953 on
Northwestern 1953 on
Ohio State 1953 on
Purdue 1953 on
Wisconsin 1953 on
Penn State 1993 on
Nebraska 2011 on
Maryland 2014 on
Rutgers 2014 on
Oregon 2024 on
UCLA 2024 on
USC 2024 on
Washington 2024 on

Football membership as CollegeFootballData.com records it under this conference’s name, from 1953; a school’s separate stays are listed apart.

Who came and went

Season	School	Announced
2024	Oregon	Joined from Pac-12	August 4, 2023
2024	UCLA	Joined from Pac-12	June 30, 2022
2024	USC	Joined from Pac-12	June 30, 2022
2024	Washington	Joined from Pac-12	August 4, 2023
2014	Maryland	Joined from ACC	November 19, 2012
2014	Rutgers	Joined from American Athletic Conference	November 20, 2012
2011	Nebraska	Joined from Big 12	June 11, 2010
1993	Penn State	Joined (independent before)	Source

Football moves from Wikipedia’s lists of NCAA Division I conference changes; the season is the first one played in the new conference, and the date the one the lists or their sources give for the announcement. SportsDataverse’s football memberships agree with ours in all 828 team-seasons from 1953. Conference realignment: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA); memberships: SportsDataverse.

Honors while members

Heisman winners 10

Ohio State	5
Michigan	2
Wisconsin	2
Indiana	1

Consensus All-Americans 295

Ohio State	79
Michigan	56
Iowa	33
Michigan State	28
Wisconsin	25

NFL first-round picks 329

Ohio State	96
Michigan	50
Michigan State	32
Iowa	25
Penn State	25

Counted only in seasons a school was a member on file (from 1953); a draft pick counts for the season before the draft. Heisman and All-America lists from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), draft picks from CollegeFootballData.com.

The money

The Big Ten Conference is a nonprofit. Its IRS Form 990 for the year to June 2025 reports $1.47 billion in revenue, $1.35 billion of it from sports revenue, and $1.45 billion in expenses; it ended the year with $280.7 million in assets. Its best-paid, former commissioner James E Delany, was paid $5.8 million.

By year

Year	Revenue	Expenses	Assets	Top pay
2024-25	$1.47B	$1.45B	$281M	$5.8M
2023-24	$928M	$942M	$292M	$6.8M
2022-23	$880M	$897M	$353M	$5.9M
2021-22	$846M	$851M	$336M	$5.9M
2020-21	$680M	$706M	$379M	$7.5M
2019-20	$769M	$727M	$329M	$8.5M
2018-19	$782M	$747M	$261M
2017-18	$759M	$717M	$203M	$5.5M
2016-17	$513M	$499M	$166M
2015-16	$483M	$494M	$125M
2014-15	$449M	$436M	$98.8M
2013-14	$339M	$337M	$90.3M
2012-13	$318M	$312M	$82.1M
2011-12	$315M	$300M	$48.0M
2010-11	$265M	$265M	$33.8M

Best paid, 2024-25

James E Delany, former commissioner	$5.8 million
Anthony Petitti, commissioner	$4.5 million
Carol Folt, director (start 8/2/24)	$3.0 million
Santa Ono, director (end 5/6/25)	$2.1 million
Ted Carter, director	$2.1 million

Paid by bowls

2024-25	Rose Bowl	$44.9 million
2024-25	Orange Bowl	$8,000
2024-25	ReliaQuest Bowl	$3.4 million
2023-24	Orange Bowl	$8,000
2023-24	ReliaQuest Bowl	$3.2 million
2022-23	Rose Bowl	$41.9 million
2022-23	Orange Bowl	$8,000
2022-23	ReliaQuest Bowl	$3.2 million

Grants it lists, 2024-25

Ohio State	to support the missions of member institutions	$91.6 million
Penn State	to support the missions of member institutions	$88.9 million
Indiana	to support the missions of member institutions	$81.0 million
Nebraska	to support the missions of member institutions	$79.9 million
Michigan	to support the missions of member institutions	$79.4 million
Minnesota	to support the missions of member institutions	$79.2 million
Illinois	to support the missions of member institutions	$79.1 million
Iowa	to support the missions of member institutions	$79.1 million

10 more

Rutgers the State Univ of New Jersey	to support the missions of member institutions	$78.5 million
USC	to support the missions of member institutions	$78.1 million
Michigan State	to support the missions of member institutions	$77.9 million
Wisconsin	to support the missions of member institutions	$77.8 million
Purdue	to support the missions of member institutions	$77.7 million
Northwestern	to support the missions of member institutions	$77.5 million
Maryland	to support the missions of member institutions	$76.0 million
UCLA	to support the missions of member institutions	$76.0 million
Oregon	to support the missions of member institutions	$48.4 million
Washington	to support the missions of member institutions	$46.7 million

From the organization’s IRS Form 990, via ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer and the IRS’s e-file data. Fiscal years end in June; top pay is the best-paid person’s total compensation on the return, listed for e-filed years (2018 on). Grants are the ones the conference lists on Schedule I; bowl payments are the ones bowls list on theirs. See every filing at ProPublica (EIN 36-3640583).