Big Ten Emerges as Strongest Conference in College Football

## Overview The Big Ten Conference, officially known as the Big Ten, is one of the oldest and most prestigious collegiate athletic conferences in the United States, but its influence extends far beyond sports. Founded in 1896 as the Intercollegiate Conference of Faculty Representatives—also known as the Western Conference—the Big Ten was initially created to standardize rules and improve safety in college football, which was growing rapidly in popularity at the time[1][3]. Its founding members included the Universities of Chicago, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Purdue, and Northwestern[1][3]. ## Historical Development Over the decades, the Big Ten has undergone several significant changes. Iowa and Indiana joined in 1899, and Ohio State was added in 1912[3]. The conference experienced a notable departure when the University of Michigan left temporarily from 1907 to 1916 due to disagreements over rules, only to return and solidify the “Big Ten” moniker[1][2]. The University of Chicago withdrew in 1946, but Michigan State’s addition in 1949 restored the conference to ten members[3]. The conference remained stable for nearly 40 years before a new era of expansion began in 1990 with the addition of Penn State, followed by Nebraska in 2011, Maryland and Rutgers in 2014, and most recently, Oregon, USC, Washington, and UCLA in 2024, bringing the total to 18 members[3][5]. ## Key Achievements and Notable Aspects The Big Ten is renowned for its combination of athletic excellence and academic rigor. It pioneered the Big Ten Medal of Honor in 1915, recognizing student-athletes who excel both on the field and in the classroom[5]. The conference also established the first permanent bowl-conference affiliation with the Tournament of Roses in 1946 and introduced a groundbreaking revenue-sharing model for television proceeds in 1955[5]. Academically, th

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