ESPN has selected seven Big Ten Conference college football games for Saturday prime-time on ABC, ESPN or ESPN2 during the 2016 college football season. The schedule features eight Big Ten teams, including three teams in the ESPN.com way too early preseason rankings: No. 3 Michigan, No. 10 Ohio State and No. 17 Iowa. The Buckeyes and Hawkeyes both participated in last season’s New Year’s Six – Iowa in the Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual and Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl.
Ohio State will be featured four consecutive weeks in the Saturday prime-time schedule — back-to-back away games on Oct. 15 and Oct. 22 (at Wisconsin, at Penn State) followed by back-to-back home games on Oct. 29 and Nov. 5 (vs. Northwestern, vs. Nebraska). Additionally, Michigan opens (at Rutgers) and closes (at Iowa) the six week prime-time slate on the road on Oct. 8 and Nov. 12, respectively. Overall, the slate of seven games over six consecutive weeks is highlighted with an ESPN.com way too early top 25 team every Saturday.
The Wolverines became the highest-ranked Big Ten team in the ESPN.com way-too-early poll after securing a top 10 Signing Day class that includes the No. 1 ESPN 300 recruit Rashan Gary.
2016 Big Ten Schedule as of May 2
| Date | Time (ET) | Matchup |
| Sat, Oct. 8 | 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. | No. 3 Michigan at Rutgers |
| Sat, Oct. 15 | 8 p.m. | No. 10 Ohio State at Wisconsin |
| Sat, Oct. 22 | 8 p.m. | No. 10 Ohio State at Penn State |
| Sat, Oct. 29 | 5:30 p.m. | Northwestern at No. 10 Ohio State |
| 7 p.m. | Nebraska at Wisconsin | |
| Sat, Nov. 5 | 8 p.m. | Nebraska at No. 10 Ohio State |
| Sat, Nov. 12 | 7 p.m. or 8 p.m. | No.3 Michigan at No. 17 Iowa |
Please note: Schedule & rankings subject to change. Additional Big Ten non-prime time matchups will be announced in the coming months.
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