Big Ten

Cultural

A group of prominent midwestern universities known for high academic standards and keen athletic competition. Nine of the ten are state universities: the universities of Illinois (at Urbana), Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin (at Madison); Michigan State University; Ohio State University; Indiana University; and Purdue University. Northwestern University is the sole private school.

Example Sentences

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Big Ten

The collective Big Ten media seems less convinced, having voted the Bruins to finish 13th in their preseason conference poll.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

The member of Michigan’s famous 1990s Fab Five recruiting class came on as head coach in 2019 and led the team to the 2021 Big Ten regular-season title.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 2026

He couldn’t do anything about that Wednesday from the podium at Big Ten media days.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 30, 2026

Petitti said that the Big Ten would’ve preferred “a much skinnier bill” than the current version, but “that is not the reality right now.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026

“You played Big Ten? That’s serious bragging rights,” Styx acknowledged.

From "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023