Why it matters: The new free-for-all format means the two teams with the best records at the end of the season will earn a ticket to Lucas Oil Stadium and the Big Ten Championship game in Indianapolis on Dec. 7.
Driving the news: USC, UCLA, Washington and Oregon are the new kids this year.
Zoom in: The infusion of West Coast talent will make U of M's conference and national title defenses even tougher.
What they're saying: "We're not going to stray away from the goal of trying to win it all every year," first-year head coach Sherrone Moore said at Big Ten media days. "When you're at Michigan, that should be your goal."
Meanwhile, Michigan State has more modest expectations after finishing 4-8 last year. A winning season and a bowl game would likely be seen as a success for new head coach Jonathan Smith.
"We're definitely trying to win, and we're definitely trying to win more than we lose," Smith said, per the Free Press.
What's next: The 2024 season kicks off Aug. 29 when Rutgers, Minnesota and Illinois take on non-conference teams.
MSU's first game is against Florida Atlantic on Aug. 30 in East Lansing at 7pm. U of M starts its season against Fresno State on Aug. 31 at 7:30pm at Michigan Stadium.
