Twelve Big Ten Schools Slated for Postseason Action

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Twelve Big Ten schools were selected for postseason competition on Sunday, highlighted by invitations to the College Football Playoff for Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon and Penn State.

The undefeated Ducks were ranked No. 1 by the College Football Playoff selection committee and clinched one of four first-round byes with their 45-37 win over Penn State in the 2024 Discover Big Ten Championship Game. Oregon will face the winner of No. 8 Ohio State vs. No. 9 Tennessee on Jan. 1 at 5 p.m. ET at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif.

Penn State was ranked No. 4 by the committee and will make its first-ever appearance in the College Football Playoff when it hosts No. 10 SMU in the first round on Saturday, Dec. 21. Kickoff is slated for noon in Beaver Stadium and the game will air on TNT and Max. The winner of Penn State-SMU will take on Boise State in the quarterfinal game at the VRBO Fiesta Bowl.

The Buckeyes earned a No. 6 ranking and will host No. 9 seed Tennessee in a first-round game at Ohio Stadium. The game will kick off at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 21 and will be televised by ABC and ESPN. A win would lead to an Ohio State-Oregon rematch at the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.  

Indiana was tabbed No. 10 and will travel to South Bend to take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in first-round action on Friday, December 20 at 8 p.m. ET. The game will air on ABC and ESPN. A victory would send the Hoosiers to the Sugar Bowl against No. 2 Georgia on Jan. 1 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The full Big Ten bowl lineup is as follows (final CFP rankings are listed):
 
Rose Bowl Game (College Football Playoff National Quarterfinal)

• No. 1 Oregon vs. No. 8 Ohio State or No. 9 Tennessee
• Jan. 1, 2025 – 5 p.m. ET (ESPN)
• Pasadena, Calif. (Rose Bowl Stadium)
• A Big Ten school will play in the Rose Bowl for the 75th time.

• Oregon will make its ninth all-time appearance in the Rose Bowl, and its fifth since 2010.
• The Ducks are 4-4 all-time in the game and have won in each of their last three trips, most recently defeating Wisconsin in 2020. 

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl

• No. 20 Illinois vs. No. 15 South Carolina
• Dec. 31, 2024 – 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Orlando, Fla. (Camping World Stadium)
• A Big Ten school will play in the Citrus Bowl for the 33rd time.
• The Illini qualified for the 21st bowl game in program history and the Illini's second New Year's bowl in Florida in the last three seasons, along with the 2023 ReliaQuest Bowl.

ReliaQuest Bowl

• Michigan vs. No. 11 Alabama
• Dec. 31, 2024 – 12 p.m. ET (ESPN)
• Tampa, Fla. (Raymond James Stadium)
• A Big Ten school will play in the ReliaQuest Bowl for the 36th time.
• The Wolverines will be making their Big Ten-leading seventh appearance in the ReliaQuest Bowl, previously known as the Outback Bowl and Hall of Fame Bowl.

TransPerfect Music City Bowl

• No. 19 Missouri vs. Iowa
• Dec. 30, 2024 – 2:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
• Nashville, Tenn. (Nissan Stadium)
• A Big Ten school will play in the Music City Bowl for the 11th time.
• The Hawkeyes will be making their 37th bowl game appearance and their second Music Bowl appearance.

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl

• Boston College vs. Nebraska
• Dec. 28, 2024 – 12 p.m. ET (ABC)
• Bronx, N.Y. (Yankee Stadium)
• A Big Ten school will play in the Pinstripe Bowl for the 10th time.
• Nebraska’s trip to the Pinstripe Bowl marks the 54th bowl trip in school history and the Huskers’ first since the 2016 postseason.

Duke’s Mayo Bowl

• Minnesota vs. Virginia Tech
• Jan. 3, 2025 – 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
• Charlotte, N.C. (Bank of America Stadium)
• The Duke's Mayo Bowl will be the 25th bowl game all-time for Minnesota.
• The Gophers have won seven straight bowl games dating back to the 2015 Quick Lane Bowl. That is the longest active streak in the nation (excluding national championship games), the longest in Big Ten history and tied for the seventh longest in college football history. 

Rate Bowl

• Rutgers vs. Kansas State
• Dec. 26, 2024 – 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
• Phoenix, Ariz. (Chase Field)
• A Big Ten school will play in the Rate Bowl for the second time.
• Rutgers is making its 13th bowl appearance.
• This will mark the 35^th game in the history of the Rate Bowl. Rutgers previously appeared in 2005 against Arizona State when it was labeled the Insight Bowl.

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl

• USC vs. Texas A&M
• Dec. 27, 2024 – 10:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
• Las Vegas, Nev. (Allegiant Stadium)

• A Big Ten school will play in the Las Vegas Bowl for the third time.
• USC is making its third appearance in the Las Vegas Bowl and 58th all-time bowl appearance.
• The Trojans and the Aggies will meet on the field for the first time in 47 years. 

Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl

• Louisville vs. Washington
• Dec. 31, 2024 – 2 p.m. ET (CBS)
• El Paso, Texas (Sun Bowl)
• The Huskies will be making their fifth appearance in the Sun Bowl, the second-oldest bowl game in the country.
• Washington and Louisville have never before met on the gridiron.

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