The 2010 Big Ten Conference football season was the 115th season for the Big Ten. The conference started its season on Thursday, September 2, as conference member Minnesota traveled to Murfreesboro, Tennessee to face Middle Tennessee, and Ohio State hosted the Thundering Herd of Marshall. The conference’s other 9 teams began their respective 2010 season of NCAA Division I FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) competition on Saturday, September 4. It was also the final season for the conference before the Nebraska Cornhuskers joined the conference from the Big 12 the following season. Preseason After a 2010 NFL Draft, which saw 34 Big Ten athletes selected, 12 2009 first-team All-Big Ten selections, 8 second-team selections and 33 honorable mention selections returned for the 2010 season. The Big Ten held the 2010 Football Media Days and 39th annual Kickoff Luncheon on Monday and Tuesday, August 2–3. Schedules In a given year, each Big Ten team will play eight of the other Big Ten teams. Thus for any given team in a given year, there are two others which will not be competed against. Below is the breakdown of each team and its two "no-plays" for 2010: Illinois: Iowa, Wisconsin Indiana: Michigan State, Minnesota Iowa: Illinois, Purdue Michigan: Minnesota, Northwestern Michigan State: Indiana, Ohio State Minnesota: Indiana, Michigan Northwestern: Michigan, Ohio State Ohio State: Michigan State, Northwestern Penn State: Purdue, Wisconsin Purdue: Iowa, Penn State Wisconsin: Illinois, Penn State Rankings In Weeks 3 and 4, the Big Ten had six teams ranked in both polls for the first time since September 13, 2004. Spring games April 17 Indiana Iowa Michigan Purdue Wisconsin April 24 Illinois Michigan State Minnesota Northwestern Ohio State Penn State Season Homecoming games October 2 Penn State @ Iowa 7:05 p.m. CT (Iowa's record in homecoming games is 52-41-5) Northwestern @ Minnesota 11:00 a.m. CT (Minnesota's record in homecoming games is 54-33-3) October 9 Illinois @ Penn State 12:00 p.m. ET (Penn State's record in homecoming games is 65-20-5) Minnesota @ Wisconsin 11:00 a.m. ET (Wisconsin's record in homecoming games is 52-45-5) October 16 Arkansas State @ Indiana 12:00 p.m. ET (Indiana's record in homecoming games is 43-48-6) Iowa @ Michigan 3:30 p.m. ET (Michigan's record in homecoming games is 83-26) Illinois @ Michigan State 12:00 p.m. ET (Michigan State's record in homecoming games is 61-30-3) Minnesota @ Purdue 12:00 p.m. ET (Purdue's record in homecoming games is 48-35-4) October 23