Big Ten announces 2014 conference football schedule

The Big Ten has released its conference schedule for the 2014 season.

Penn State travels to Rutgers to open conference play on Sept. 13, 2014. The game will be the Scarlet Knights first Big Ten Conference game.

Illinois opens conference play against new division rival Nebraska on Sept. 27.

Northwestern travels to Happy Valley to face Penn State on Sept. 27.

The Illini and Wildcats will play for the Land of Lincoln Trophy in the regular season finale on Nov. 29.

2014 is the first year Rutgers and Maryland, whose first conference game is at Indiana on Sept. 27, will be apart of the conference.

It’s also the first year of the new geography-based divisions.

The Illini and Wildcats will be in the same division for the first time, joining Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, Purdue and Wisconsin in the West Division.

Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State and Rutgers are in the East Division.

The two division champions will play in the Big Ten Championship Game on Dec. 6.