how many teams in the big ten

There are 18 teams in the Big Ten Conference.

Quick Scoop

The Big Ten kept its historic name even as it expanded far beyond 10 members. As of the 2024–25 season, it officially has 18 full member schools competing in major sports like football and basketball.

Why 18, not 10?

• Four former Pac-12 schools (Oregon, UCLA, USC, Washington) joined starting in 2024, bumping the league from 14 to 18 teams.

• The name “Big Ten” is now a brand, so it stayed even while the membership count changed over time.

Current context and “latest news”

• Since August 2024, all 18 schools have been part of the regular Big Ten schedule, including football in the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

• There is ongoing realignment talk and speculation that the conference could eventually grow to 20 teams, but as of early 2026, that has not happened yet and the official number remains 18.

TL;DR: If you’re wondering how many teams in the Big Ten right now, the answer is 18, even though the name still says “Ten.”

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.