Big Ten Launches New Football Rivalry Series — Which New 'Rival' Does Purdue Play?

Purdue fans are counting down the days until Oct. 18, when it travels to Evanston for its annual rivalry game against ... Northwestern?! Yes, you read that correctly, the Big Ten is actually attempting to incorporate a mid-October game between the Boilermakers and Wildcats into its new rivalry series.

Friday, the Big Ten announced the launch of the "Big Ten Football Rivalry Series, presented by Venmo." This new series will feature 17 games and all 18 teams. All of the authentic rivalries remain intact, but the conference is adding a few more to the mix.

So, apparently, this year's Purdue-Northwestern game will serve as part of the rivalry series. It seems a little forced, especially since the Boilermakers have an authentic rivalry with Illinois, with that game scheduled for Oct. 4.

Who am I to try to make sense of this, though?

The good news? The annual Old Oaken Bucket game between Purdue and Indiana did make the list. So, at least the Big Ten got something right with this announcement.

The launch of the new Big Ten Football Rivalry Series begins on Saturday, Sept. 27, with the age-old rivalry between Oregon and Penn State ... seriously. Here's the complete lineup from the conference:

Big Ten Football Rivalry Series games

• Sept. 27 — Oregon vs. Penn State
• Oct. 18 — Michigan State vs. Indiana
• Oct. 18 — Purdue vs. Northwestern
• Oct. 18 — Ohio State vs. Wisconsin
• Oct. 25 — Minnesota vs. Iowa
• Oct. 25 — Michigan vs. Michigan State
• Nov. 1 — Penn State vs. Ohio State
• Nov. 8 — Maryland vs. Rutgers
• Nov. 15 — Penn State vs. Michigan State
• Nov. 22 —Michigan vs. Maryland
• Nov. 22 — Illinois vs. Wisconsin
• Nov. 22 — USC vs. Oregon
• Nov. 28 — Iowa vs. Nebraska
• Nov. 28 — Indiana vs. Purdue
• Nov. 29 — Northwestern vs. Illinois
• Nov. 29 — UCLA vs. USC
• Nov. 29 — Oregon vs. Washington