Big Ten releases 2015 conference schedule

A little less than three weeks after releasing its 2014 schedule, the Big Ten has done the same for its 2015 slate.

In a press release Monday morning, the conference announced its full slate of league games for what will be the final season before the move to a nine-game schedule. As was the case for the 2014 schedule, Rutgers-Penn State will open conference play, this time in Happy Valley Sept. 19.

The 12 other Big Ten members will open conference play Oct. 3.

From the release:

From Oct. 3 to Nov. 28, the 2015 Big Ten schedule will feature nine consecutive weeks of Big Ten competition, boasting at least five conference games each week. All 14 teams will be in action during the final week of Big Ten play, including six division games.

Big Ten West heavyweights Nebraska and Wisconsin will avoid playing Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State -- and vice versa -- for a second straight year, with the former’s cross-division games in 2015 consisting of Michigan State and Rutgers while the latter will face New Big Ten members Maryland and Rutgers.

Rutgers, on the other hand, was handed the Badgers and Cornhuskers as cross-division opponents for the second consecutive season. That’s in addition to East foes Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State.

The other new member that will join for the 2014 season, Maryland, drew Iowa as well as Wisconsin in back-to-back years.

Below is the complete 2015 Big Ten conference schedule: