How many teams are in the Big Ten ahead of the 2024 season? Looking at Tony Petti's FBS powerhouse amid conference realignment moves

The Big Ten increases in size for the upcoming 2024 college football season. One of the most dominant conferences in the landscape will be getting more competitive following the addition of a host of new teams. Here's a look at how many teams will make up the conference next season.

How many teams are in the Big Ten ahead of the 2024 season?

The Big Ten will have a total of 18 teams at the start of the 2024 college football season, marking a significant increase from 14. The conference went through a series of expansion for the upcoming season, adding all of the four new schools from the imploded Pac-12.

USC and UCLA were the first two schools added by the Big Ten in its expansion. The cross-town rivals were invited to the conference in 2022 ahead of the negotiations for a new media deal. This followed the transition of Texas and Oklahoma to the SEC the previous year.

Oregon and Washington were subsequently accepted to the conference in the summer of 2023, following the failure of the Pac-12 to secure a lucrative media deal. The exit of the two long-term rivals played a crucial role in the implosion of the Pac-12, which is now left with two teams.

The Trojans and the Bruins are joining the conference ahead of the finalization of the new media deal with NBC, CBS, and FOX. They will be entitled to a full share of the league's media revenue from 2024.

The Ducks and the Huskies, on the other hand, won't be eligible for a full share after joining following the conclusion of the deal.

Does the expansion take the Big Ten closer to the SEC?

The SEC has undoubtedly been the dominant conference in the college football world over the last couple of years. The league has won an astonishing 12 of the last 17 national championships, showcasing the brilliance of the teams on its roster.

While the Big Ten has always been financially buoyant, it has lagged behind the SEC in terms of competitiveness over the years. Nonetheless, this gap is set to reduce with the addition of the four Pac-12 teams, as they bring a new level of competitiveness.

It's worth noting that the SEC has also strengthened its roster with the addition of Texas and Oklahoma. This is bound to make it even more competitive. The two leagues are expected to light up the college football world for the next couple of years and 2024 is obviously a season to watch out for.