It’s that time of the year when the discussion pivots from what teams are going bowling to which bowl game each team will be assigned. With nine teams bowl eligible for the conference, here are the potential bowl games for the Big Ten conference this season.
Big Ten Bowl Selection Procedures
How are the bowls ultimately decided? Well, quite frankly it’s a bit of a complex process that has a spaghetti monster’s worth of dependencies. The short answer is that the Big Ten will send teams to various bowls that they have partnered with (see below) based on a number of criteria:
- Where the team finished in the final Big Ten standings
- Whether or not the team has recently played in that bowl game – in fact, Big Ten schools will not be able to go to the same bowl game in consecutive years, except for the Rose Bowl and College Football Playoff bowls
- Whether or not the team has played multiple and/or consecutive bowls within a specific state or region
- Occasionally they may chase a story line – for example if Indiana could potentially match up with Kentucky.
The goals for the above criteria ultimately boil down to the ability to have competitive set of bowls to produce the most appealing games and diversifying bowl match ups and teams traveling to new locations for both the teams and their fans.
2019 Big Ten Bowl Partners
The following bowl games are ranked in an approximate pecking order. The higher the regular season finish for each respective team, the higher we would anticipate to land on the following list of bowl games. Keep in mind that there are specific bowl determination criteria associated with selections (see below), so the process is far from a precise science.
College Football Playoffs
The College Football Playoffs is determined based on evaluation from the selection committee for the CFP. They rank teams based on conference championships, strength of schedule, head-to-head results and comparing wins against common opponents.
Playstation Fiesta Bowl
Glendale Ariz., University of Phoenix Stadium
December 28, 4:00 or 8:00 pm EST, ESPN
CFP semifinalist vs CFP semifinalist
Projection: LSU vs. Oklahoma
Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl
Atlanta Ga., Mercedes-Benz Stadium
December 28, 4:00 or 8:00 pm EST, ESPN
CFP semifinalist vs CFP semifinalist
Projection: Clemson vs. Ohio State
Other Big Ten teams in consideration:
None
Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual
The Rose Bowl Game between the Big Ten and Pac-12. The Big Ten conference champion will play in the Rose Bowl Game, unless it is among the top four teams that are selected for the CFP. If so, then the Rose Bowl will select a replacement Big Ten team.
- Pasadena, Calif. (Rose Bowl Stadium)
- January 1, 5:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
- Website
- Big Ten vs. Pac-12
- Projection: Penn State vs. Utah
Other Big Ten teams in consideration:
Wisconsin
Vrbo Citrus Bowl
The Vrbo Citrus bowl is played between five different teams every six years between Big Ten or ACC to play against the SEC. The Big Ten is invited to either the Citrus Bowl or the Orange Bowl. Penn State was invited and lost against Kentucky last year.
- Orlando, Fla. (Camping World Stadium)
- January 1, 2020, 1:00 p.m. EST, ABC
- Website
- Big Ten/ACC vs. SEC
- Projection: Michigan vs. Alabama
Other Big Ten teams in consideration:
Penn State, Minnesota
Big Ten teams not preferred to be invited (recently played in this bowl):
Penn State, Minnesota
Outback Bowl
The Outback Bowl hosts five different Big Ten schools over a six-year span and is between the Big Ten and SEC.
- Tampa, Fla. (Raymond James Stadium)
- January 1, 2020, 1:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
- Website
- Big Ten vs. SEC
- Projection: Minnesota vs. Auburn
Other Big Ten teams in consideration:
Penn State, Wisconsin, Michigan
Big Ten teams not preferred to be invited (recently played in this bowl):
Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan, Northwestern
San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl
The San Diego County Credit Union Holiday Bowl aims to have five different teams in each six year segment and to be a game between a Big Ten and Pac-12 school.
- San Diego, Calif. (SDCCU Stadium)
- December 27, 2019, 8:00 p.m. EST, FS1
- Website
- Big Ten vs. Pac-12
- Projection: Iowa vs. USC
Other Big Ten teams in consideration:
Indiana, Minnesota
Big Ten teams not preferred to be invited (recently played in this bowl):
Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, Wisconsin
TaxSlayer Gator Bowl
The TaxSlayer Gator Bowl is traditionally held between the SEC and a team from the Big Ten or ACC. A Big Ten team will either play in the Music City or Gator Bowl in 2019 and they will play in three of each over a six year span. No Big Ten school can play in more than one Music City Bowl and one TaxSlayer Gator Bowl during the agreement. The Big Ten will likely play in the Gator Bowl as they have been represented in the Music City Bowl the last three consecutive years. Iowa and Penn State have played in the 2015 and 2016 Gator Bowls respectively; however, in recent discussions, there is a possibility that the Music City Bowl “bends the rules” and selects a Big Ten school this year as well.
- Jacksonville, Fla. (TIAA Bank Field)
- January 2, 2020, 7:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
- Website
- Big Ten vs. SEC
- Projection: Wisconsin vs. Tennessee
Other Big Ten teams in consideration:
Minnesota, Indiana
Big Ten teams not preferred to be invited (recently played in this bowl):
Iowa, Penn State
New Era Pinstripe Bowl
The New Era Pinstripe Bowl aims to have eight different teams participate over the course of eight years, with the minimum being 6 teams.
- Bronx, N.Y. (Yankee Stadium)
- December 27, 2019, 3:20 p.m. EST, ESPN
- Website
- Big Ten vs. ACC
- Projection: Michigan State vs. Wake Forest
Other Big Ten teams in consideration:
Illinois, Indiana
Big Ten teams not preferred to be invited (recently played in this bowl):
Indiana, Iowa, Northwestern, Penn State or Wisconsin
Redbox Bowl
The Redbox Bowl has an agreement for five different teams over a six year span. It is played traditionally between the Big Ten and Pac-12.
- Santa Clara, Calif. (Levi’s Stadium)
- December 30, 2019, 4:00 p.m. EST, FOX
- Website
- Big Ten vs. Pac-12
- Projection: Illinois vs. California
Other Big Ten teams in consideration:
Indiana, Illinois
Quick Lane Bowl
Much like the Rose Bowl Game, the Quick Lane Bowl selects a team between the Big Ten and ACC regardless if they have been invited in recent years.
- Detroit, Mich. (Ford Field)
- Dec. 26, 2019, 8:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
- Website
- Big Ten vs. ACC
- Projection: Indiana vs. Florida State
Other Big Ten teams in consideration:
Illinois, Michigan State
Big Ten teams not preferred to be invited (recently played in this bowl):
Indiana, Maryland, Michigan State, Nebraska, Purdue
Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl
There is an agreement for there to be three SERVPRO First Responder Bowls and three Armed Forces bowls in a six year span for the Big Ten. The Big Ten has not been in the Armed Forces Bowl since 2014 and will likely play this year if there is a qualified team.
- Fort Worth, Texas (Amon G. Carter Stadium)
- January 4, 2020, 11:30 a.m. EST, ESPN
- Website
- Big Ten vs. MWC
- Projection: Toledo vs. Air Force
Big Ten teams in consideration:
Indiana, Illinois
Big Ten Bowl affiliates likely not represented by Big Ten this year
Capital One Orange Bowl
The Orange Bowl is one of the selection committee bowl games that has variability in the conference selection. By default, the ACC will play, but their opponent comes from the SEC, Big Ten, or Notre Dame. It is also can be chosen to be a CFP playoff game. The last two times the Orange Bowl was not a CFP semifinal was in 2016 and 2017, where Michigan and Wisconsin played respectively.
- Miami Gardens, Fla. (Hard Rock Stadium)
- December 30, 2019, 8:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
- Website
- Big Ten/SEC/ND vs. ACC
- Projection: Florida vs. Virginia
Big Ten teams in consideration:
Minnesota, Penn State, Iowa, Michigan
SERVPRO First Responder Bowl
There is an agreement for there to be three SERVPRO First Responder Bowls and three Armed Forces bowls in a six year span for the Big Ten. The Big Ten has not been in the Armed Forces Bowl since 2014 and will likely play this year.
- Dallas, Tex. (Gerald J. Ford Stadium)
- December 30, 2019, 1:30 p.m. EST, ESPN
- Website
- Big 12 vs. C-USA
- Projection: Kent State vs. Southern Miss.
Big Ten teams in consideration:
Illinois, Michigan State
Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl
The ACC and Big Ten combine between the Music City and TaxSlayer bowls, where each get three appearances over six years. The ACC played in the Music City in 2015, and then played in the TaxSlayer in 2016, 2017, and 2018. This means that the ACC will likely play in the Music City and Big Ten in the TaxSlayer bowls against the SEC. Additionally, they try to get different schools to participate over this period of time.
- Nashville, Tenn. (Nissan Stadium)
- December 30, 2019, 4:00 p.m. EST, ESPN
- Website
- ACC vs. SEC
- Projection: Louisville, Mississippi State
Big Ten teams in consideration:
Indiana
One problem….one of the B10s selection criteria is that a team cannot be selected ahead of another team that has two or more wins than they do. If this holds true, MSU Orr UI cannot be picked ahead of Indiana.
First off, MSU is guaranteed a real crappy bowl. And Iowa is projected in a New Years bowl (one of the best) it’s based of the wins and Indiana had a average season. Iowa did better, MSU did worse. Indiana will probably hit the music city bowl or pinstripe bowl
How could you put Iowa in consideration Of the orange bowl and not the citrus bowl 😂