2023 Big Ten Conference football season

The 2023 Big Ten Conference football season was the 128th season of college football played for the Big Ten Conference and part of the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This was the Big Ten's tenth season with 14 teams, and its thirteenth and final season with a divisional scheduling format. Next season the league will expand to 18 with the additions of UCLA, USC, Oregon and Washington. This was the first year of the Big Ten's new media deal and thus its first year of no games airing on ESPN/ABC and first year of games airing on NBC Sports and CBS Sports properties. This was also the final year Northwestern played in the original Ryan Field before its demolition.

The 2023 season saw the Michigan Wolverines win the College Football Playoff and the national championship.

Previous season
Michigan won the East Division championship, with the Wolverines making their second consecutive appearance in the Big Ten Championship Game. In the West Division, Purdue won the division title and made their first championship game appearance. In that championship game, Michigan defeated Purdue 43–22 to win the Big Ten championship. With that win, the Wolverines landed a spot in the 2022–23 College Football Playoff as the No. 2 seed. The Wolverines lost in the semifinal game of the playoffs to third-seeded TCU 51–45 in the Fiesta Bowl. Along with Michigan, the Big Ten placed a second team into the College Football Playoff as Ohio State earned the #4 seed, but fell to the top-seed and eventual national champion Georgia in the Peach Bowl, 42–41.

Besides Michigan and Ohio State, seven other Big Ten football teams qualified for bowl games: Illinois, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, Penn State, Purdue, and Wisconsin. The Big Ten overall went 5–4 in postseason games in the 2022 season.

Coaching changes
There are four head coaching changes in the Big Ten for the 2023 season. Nebraska hired Matt Rhule to replace Scott Frost. Rhule most recently coached in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers.

Purdue hired Illinois defensive coordinator Ryan Walters to replace Jeff Brohm, who left for the head coaching job at his alma mater of Louisville.

Wisconsin released Paul Chryst and replaced him with Luke Fickell, who had been serving as the head coach at Cincinnati.

On July 10, 2023, Northwestern announced they were parting ways with head coach Pat Fitzgerald after allegations surrounding hazing within the Wildcat football program. On July 14, 2023, Northwestern named defensive coordinator David Braun the interim coach for the 2023 season.

On September 10, 2023, Michigan State coach Mel Tucker was suspended as part of an investigation into a sexual harassment claim. Secondary coach Harlon Barnett will serve as interim coach while the case is being sorted out. Tucker was officially fired on September 27.

On November 26, 2023, following the conclusion of the regular season, Indiana fired Tom Allen after the Hoosiers had completed a third consecutive losing season.

Big Ten Media Days
The teams, representatives and times(CT) in respective order were as follows:


 * Big Ten Commissioner – Tony Petitti 10:30 – 11 a.m.

Notes: 


 * Northwestern players opted out of the media day due to Northwestern hazing scandal.

Preseason Media Poll
The annual Cleveland.com Preseason Big Ten Media Poll.

Preseason Player of the Year
Below are the results of the annual Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year awards conducted by Cleveland.com.

All−American Teams
Sources:

Schedule
All times Eastern time.

† denotes Homecoming game

Bowl games
For the 2020–2025 bowl cycle, The Big Ten will have annually eight appearances in the following bowls: Rose Bowl (unless they are selected for playoffs filled by a Pac-12 team if champion is in the playoffs), Citrus Bowl, Guaranteed Rate Bowl, Las Vegas Bowl, Music City Bowl, Pinstripe Bowl, Quick Lane Bowl, and Outback Bowl. The Big Ten teams will go to a New Year's Six bowl if a team finishes higher than the champions of Power Five conferences in the final College Football Playoff rankings. The Big Ten champion is also eligible for the College Football Playoff if it is among the top four teams in the final CFP ranking.

Rankings are from College Football Playoff Rankings. All times Eastern Time Zone.

Big Ten records vs other conferences
2023–2024 records against non-conference foes

Post Season

Big Ten individual awards
The following individuals won the conference's annual player and coach awards:

All-Conference Teams
2023 Big Ten All-Conference Teams and Awards

Coaches Honorable Mention: ILLINOIS: Isaiah Adams, Julian Pearl, Josh Gesky, Josh Kreutz, Kaden Feagin, John Paddock, Caleb Griffin, Xavier Scott, Dylan Rosiek, Seth Coleman, Keith Randolph Jr.; INDIANA: Zach Carpenter, Donaven McCulley, Jaylin Lucas, James Evans, Andre Carter; IOWA: Mason Richman, Rusty Feth, Erick All, Leshon Williams, Sebastian Castro, Quinn Schulte, Nick Jackson, Logan Lee, Joe Evans, Yahya Black; MARYLAND: Corey Bullock, Roman Hemby, Kaden Prather, Jeshaun Jones, Beau Brade, Ja'Quan Sheppard, Jaishawn Barham, Quashon Fuller; MICHIGAN : A.J. Barner, Semaj Morgan, Makari Paige, Josh Wallace, Braiden McGregor, Josaiah Stewart, Jaylen Harrell, Derrick Moore; MICHIGAN STATE: J.D. Duplain, Nick Samac, Nathan Carter, Jonathan Kim, Jaden Mangham, Cal Haladay, Simeon Barrow; MINNESOTA: Quinn Carroll, Nathan Boe, Brevyn Spann-Ford, Darius Taylor, Justin Walley; NEBRASKA: Isaac Gifford, Quinton Newsome, Tommi Hill, Omar Brown, Nash Hutmacher, Ty Robinson; NORTHWESTERN: A. J. Henning, Jack Olsen, Rod Heard, Xander Mueller; OHIO STATE: Davison Igbinosun, Josh Proctor, Lathan Ransom, Sonny Styles, Steele Chambers, Ty Hamilton; PENN STATE: Caedan Wallace, JB Nelson, Sal Wormley, Theo Johnson, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Drew Allar, Nicholas Singleton, Riley Thompson, Jaylen Reed, Kevin Winston Jr., Kobe King, Curtis Jacobs; PURDUE: Gus Hartwig, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Devin Mockobee, Sanoussi Kane, Kydran Jenkins, Isaiah Nichols; RUTGERS: Hollin Pierce, Jai Patel, Max Melton, Mohamed Toure, Aaron Lewis; WISCONSIN: Tanor Bortolini, Ricardo Hallman.

Media Honorable Mention: ILLINOIS: Isaiah Adams, Josh Gesky, Josh Kreutz, Julian Pearl, Zy Crisler, Dylan Rosiek, Seth Coleman, Xavier Scott, Caleb Griffin, Hugh Robertson; INDIANA: Donaven McCulley, Zach Carpenter, Andre Carter, Kobee Minor; IOWA: Gennings Dunker, Leshon Williams, Logan Jones, Mason Richman, Nick DeJong, Rusty Feth, Deontae Craig, Logan Lee, Quinn Schulte, Yahya Black, Drew Stevens; MARYLAND: Corey Bullock, Gottlieb Ayedze, Kaden Prather, Beau Brade, Ruben Hyppolite II, Braeden Wisloski; MICHIGAN: AJ Barner, Cornelius Johnson, Braiden McGregor, Derrick Moore, Jaylen Harrell, Josh Wallace, Michael Barrett, Rod Moore, James Turner, Semaj Morgan, Tommy Doman; MICHIGAN STATE: J.D. Duplain, Nathan Carter, Nick Samac, Aaron Brule, Cal Haladay, Jaden Mangham, Simeon Barrow, Jonathan Kim; MINNESOTA: Brevyn Spann-Ford, Darius Taylor, Quinn Carroll, Danny Striggow, Jah Joyner, Justin Walley, Kyler Baugh, Mark Crawford; NEBRASKA: Ben Scott, Bryce Benhart, Isaac Gifford, Jimari Butler, Luke Reimer, Nash Hutmacher, Omar Brown, Quinton Newsome, Tommi Hill, Ty Robinson; NORTHWESTERN: A. J. Henning, Bryce Kirt, Aidan Hubbard, Coco Azema, Rod Heard, Jack Olsen; OHIO STATE: Emeka Egbuka, Davison Igbinosun, Lathan Ransom, Michael Hall Jr., Sonny Styles, Jayden Fielding; PENN STATE: Caedan Wallace, Drew Allar, JB Nelson, KeAndre Lambert-Smith, Olaivavega Ioane, Sal Wormley, Theo Johnson, Tyler Warren, Daequan Hardy, Dani Dennis-Sutton, Dvon Ellies, Jaylen Reed, Johnny Dixon, Kevin Winston Jr., Kobe King, Zane Durant, Nicholas Singleton, Riley Thompson; PURDUE: Deion Burks, Devin Mockobee, Gus Hartwig, Hudson Card, Marcus Mbow, Tyrone Tracy Jr., Kydran Jenkins, Sanoussi Kane; RUTGERS: Bryan Felter, Gus Zilinskas, Hollin Pierce, Johnny Langan, Aaron Lewis, Deion Jennings, Flip Dixon, Max Melton, Mayan Ahanotu, Mohamed Toure, Robert Longerbeam; WISCONSIN: Will Pauling, Nathanial Vakos.

Home attendance
Bold – At or Exceed capacity †Season High

2024 NFL Draft
The following list includes all Big Ten players who were drafted in the 2024 NFL draft

Trades In the explanations below, (PD) indicates trades completed prior to the start of the draft (i.e. Pre-Draft), while (D) denotes trades that took place during the 2022 draft.

Head coaches
Through games of Jan. 8, 2024