Big Ten Football: 1 Non-Conference Game We Want Each Team to Schedule

As head coaches and athletic directors in the Big Ten are constantly scheduling non-conference football opponents for years down the road, there are plenty of matchups that the fans would love to see. 

With so much conference realignment going on, so many rivalries are being broken up. When the Nebraska Cornhuskers left the Big 12 for the Big Ten, historic rivalries that dated back centuries between the Oklahoma Sooners and the Missouri Tigers were effectively broken. 

Also, non-conference scheduling for BCS conference teams has become notoriously weak as schools are unwilling to throw a chance at a national title away with a Week 1 or 2 loss to a big-time school. 

So as future opponents outside of Big Ten play are determined, here are some possible matchups that fans would flood the ticket office to see. 

Illinois vs. Missouri

It's time for the Illinois Fighting Illini and the Missouri Tigers to once again renew their rivalry on the gridiron. 

The last time these two teams met in the State Farm Arch Rivalry game was in 2010, when the Tigers beat the Fighting Illini 23-13. 

The two schools share a big-time basketball rivalry with one another. The annual Braggin' Rights game between these two teams, which is played in St. Louis, a neutral site, is one of the most exciting non-conference basketball games of the entire year and generates a lot of buzz on both sides. 

And the fans in those games are usually pretty rowdy. 

It's time to put that back on the football field. 

Missouri has dominated the series against Illinois in football with a 17-7 record. The Tigers have also won the last six meetings dating back to 2002. 

There currently are no future meetings set between the schools, which is truly a travesty. In 2014 and 2015, the Tigers have a home-and-home series set against the Indiana Hoosiers, another Big Ten school. 

Why schedule Indiana when you can fill the stands and earn some of your own braggin' rights by playing the Illini? 

Indiana vs. Kentucky

Speaking of dormant rivalries, it's time for the Indiana Hoosiers to face the Kentucky Wildcats again. 

Formally known as the "Bourbon Barrel," these two teams haven't squared off on the football field since 2005. Currently, the Hoosiers lead the series by the slimmest of margins, as they maintain an 18-17-1 record over the Wildcats. 

This game was an annual tradition from 1987-2005. Before that, the two schools previously met 17 times. 

From 1987-99, the two schools played for a trophy that shared the moniker of the rivalry. However, the trophy was retired in 1999 after Kentucky football player Arthur Steinmetz was killed in an alcohol-related crash. 

These two schools still share a special rivalry, and both athletic departments should look into renewing it. 

Iowa vs. LSU

Who can forget "The Catch" that won the 2005 Capital One Bowl for the Iowa Hawkeyes over the LSU Tigers? 

In the only meeting between the two schools in history, the Hawkeyes beat the Tigers on the final play of the game on a 56-yard touchdown pass from QB Drew Tate to Warren Holloway. The two schools haven't met since. 

However, the story of the history between these two programs doesn't stop at that memorable bowl game in 2005. 

The 1958 national title in college football is split between Iowa and LSU, and there's an interesting reason as to why. 

Back then, the Tigers refused to play racially integrated teams, while the Hawkeyes welcomed it. The Tigers went 11-0 in 1958, and the Hawkeyes won the Rose Bowl and finished 8-1-1. 

It was widely assumed that the Hawkeyes' integrated schedule was tougher, so the Football Writers Association of America voted Iowa as the national champions. However, the AP and Coaches polls both named LSU as its title winner. 

While Iowa may not be up to the task to handle SEC-juggernaut LSU right now, both schools need to look into adding another chapter to this interesting history. 

Michigan vs. a Big 12 Team

The Michigan Wolverines have played just 19 games against Big 12 teams in the program's history, and they have an 11-7-1 record. 

2005 marks the last time the Wolverines faced a team in the Big 12, and it was the Alamo Bowl against Nebraska, a team now in the Big Ten with Michigan. 

The last regular-season matchup between the Wolverines and a Big 12 foe was September 20, 1997. Michigan smashed the Baylor Bears 38-3 that game. 

There are currently five teams in the Big 12 that have never faced the Wolverines, including Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, TCU and Texas Tech. 

A non-conference matchup in prime time early in the year between reigning Big 12 champion Kansas State or even TCU, one of the hottest teams of the past few years, would certainly garner huge television ratings. 

It would also be some great football. 

Michigan State vs. UCLA

The series between the Michigan State Spartans and the UCLA Bruins, which is deadlocked at 3-3, hasn't been renewed since 1974. 

And it should be. 

These two teams were among the most dominant in the 1950's and '60s. During the Duffy Daugherty coaching era at Michigan State, the Spartans faced the Bruins in three Rose Bowls. The Spartans won two of those games. 

The last time these two met was in 1974, a 56-14 regular-season loss for the Spartans. 

The Bruins are certainly on the rise under head coach Jim Mora, who went 9-5 in his first season and took UCLA to the Holiday Bowl. 

With the Bruins becoming a dominant team in the Pac-12, and the Spartans traditionally in the hunt for a Big Ten title, a non-conference game between these two teams would certainly be exciting. 

And it is well overdue. 

Minnesota vs. Notre Dame

The Minnesota Golden Gophers have only played the Notre Dame Fighting Irish five times, and they're 0-4-1 against them. 

What's even worse is that these two teams haven't met since 1938. 

Both of these teams are located in the Midwest, so it's somewhat surprising that they haven't found a way to meet up in 75 years. 

The Fighting Irish are also one of nine BCS schools that the Golden Gophers have played but never beaten in the program's history. Notre Dame is also just one of four BCS teams that the Golden Gophers have played multiple times and never beaten. 

The Golden Gophers aren't one of the more "popular" Big Ten schools, in that they generally don't get the type of publicity that the likes of Ohio State and Michigan receive. 

So why not play the Fighting Irish? It'd be excellent to help give Minnesota some national exposure, and it also gives it a chance to finally get off the schneid against Notre Dame. 

Nebraska vs. Missouri

The rivalry between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and the Missouri Tigers dates back to 1892 and is currently the third-oldest rivalry west of the Mississippi River. 

However, in 2011 the rivalry was effectively put on hold as the Cornhuskers bolted the Big 12 for the Big Ten. One year later, the Tigers left the Big 12 for the SEC. 

Currently, there are no scheduled meetings between the two schools. But there absolutely needs to be one. 

Nebraska has dominated the series with a 65-36-3 advantage over the Tigers. 

However, the last eight meetings have been split evenly between the two schools dating back to 2003. The Cornhuskers won the last matchup in 2010 by a score of 31-17. The Tigers were ranked No. 6 in the country at that time. 

It's never a bad idea to renew a heated rivalry that dates back over a century. So it's time for Nebraska and Missouri to find date in the future for a matchup on the gridiron. 

Northwestern vs. Kansas State

The similarities between Northwestern and Kansas State are almost uncanny. 

First off, both schools use "Wildcats" as its team name. Also, "Willie the Wildcat" is the mascot for both teams. 

Purple is also the main color of the two schools, although Northwestern's purple is generally a tad lighter shade than Kansas State's. 

While both schools look extremely similar, there is some interesting history between the two schools on the football field as well. 

Northwestern has only played Kansas State twice and beaten them both times. Both wins were dominant in nature as well. In 1938, Northwestern won 21-0, then in 1941 they won 51-3. 

However, that was at a time when Northwestern was a formidable team in college football, while Kansas State was the lowest of the low. 

Now the Wildcats of Manhattan, Kansas, are one of the best teams in the country, and a meeting with Northwestern would certainly be different than it was 72 years ago. 

Ohio State vs. USC

The September 12, 2009 game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the USC Trojans was not only a terrific game on the field but drew outstanding television rations as well. 

According to Yahoo! Rivals, the 18-15 win for USC was ESPN's most watched college football game in history. It also drew the highest ratings for any college football game on any network in 15 years. 

The 106,033 also set a record for the highest attendance at Ohio Stadium. That record has since been broken, with 106,102 piling into the horseshoe on October 6, 2012 for a game against Nebraska. 

It's time to bring all the hype that surrounded that game back. 

The history between these two schools certainly dates back past 2009. The Trojans lead the series over the Buckeyes 13-9-1. That includes seven straight wins for USC over Ohio State dating back to 1975. The two schools have also played each other in seven Rose Bowls. 

Both USC and Ohio State are also coming off periods where they faced NCAA sanctions. So that storyline is another parallel to throw into the mix. 

Simply put, these two programs are two of the most storied in college football history. The last meeting between the schools proved that the game will draw hype of epic proportions. 

So why not put on this spectacle again? 

Penn State vs. Florida

Urban Meyer ended his career with the Florida Gators a winner, as his team beat the Penn State Nittany Lions in the 2011 Outback Bowl 37-24. 

That was the third, and to this point the last, time these two teams have met in college football history. The Gators have beaten the Nittany Lions all three times, and all their meetings have been in bowl games. 

The other two meetings were in the 1998 Florida Citrus Bowl and the 1962 Gator Bowl. 

So a regular-season meeting between two of college football's most historic programs is well overdue. 

Both squads are under relatively new management too, so a regular-season game could be a good test of both coaches and their ability to pounce on fresh meat. Will Muschamp is entering his third season at Florida, while Bill O'Brien just finished up his first year at Penn State. 

With the sanctions levied against Penn State keeping them out of bowl games, a regular-season game between these two teams may be the only chance to see both of them on the field together for a long time. 

Purdue vs. Washington

Between the 2000-01 and the 2002-03 seasons, the Purdue Boilermakers and the Washington Huskies played in two bowl games. In the 2000-01 bowl season, the Boilermakers lost to the Huskies in the Rose Bowl 34-24.

Two seasons later, Purdue exacted its revenge on Washington with a win in the Sun Bowl by the same score of 34-24. 

Since then, though, the Boilermakers and Huskies haven't met up on the field. 

Perhaps that's been more on Purdue than Washington. The Huskies lead the all-time series against the Boilermakers 7-2-1. 

Still, what better way to reminisce about the days of Drew Brees and Marques Tuiasosopo than to see Purdue and Washington battle it out yet again?

Wisconsin vs. Arkansas

Bad blood between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Arkansas Razorbacks was immediately created when former Badgers head coach Bret Bielema took the job in Fayetteville last December. 

Now, there's nothing more that Wisconsin fans would like to do than stick one to the man that left the Badgers with virtually no notice. 

Plus, any game between Big Ten and SEC teams is certainly desirable. 

The two schools have only met twice in their histories, and the two meetings were nearly a century apart. The Badgers beat the Razorbacks 17-14 in the 2007 Capital One Bowl. Ninety-five years prior to that, Wisconsin made minced meat of Arkansas with a 64-7 drubbing in 1912. 

Now with the Razorbacks stealing Bielema from under the Badgers' nose, a third meeting has to happen.