The Big Ten Universities Rugby Conference has officially released its 2025 Fall Schedule, with a challenging slate of games and some space for teams to find non-conference competition, too.
Following a dramatic 2024 campaign that culminated in Ohio State University edging out the University of Notre Dame in a nail-biting Championship Final, the 2025 season is set to build on that momentum with intense divisional matchups and a revamped championship format.
This year’s competition will once again be divided into East and West Divisions, each featuring four powerhouse programs:
East Division: Michigan State University, Ohio State University, University of Michigan, University of Notre Dame
West Division: Indiana University, Purdue University, University of Illinois, University of Wisconsin
Conference play kicks off earlier than ever before with a high-stakes opener between Notre Dame and Michigan on August 29. Fans can also look forward to several marquee clashes throughout the season, including:
Ohio State at Michigan
Indiana at Wisconsin
Purdue at Illinois
The regular season will culminate in the Big Ten Universities Rugby Championship Series, beginning November 1, 2025. The top two teams from each division will advance to the Cup Championship bracket, where:
The East #1 seed will host the West #2 seed
The West #1 seed will host the East #2 seed
Meanwhile, the remaining teams will compete in the Bowl Championship bracket, with:
The East #3 seed hosting the West #4 seed
The West #3 seed hosting the East #4 seed
Winners from each semifinal will advance to the Big Ten Championship Final, scheduled for the weekend of November 8, 2025, hosted at the University of Notre Dame.
In preparation for conference play, Big Ten clubs will also take on elite programs from Division 1 and Division 1AA, continuing to raise the standard of collegiate rugby and providing valuable experience ahead of the postseason. Outside of conference play Purdue is very busy with matches against Western Michigan, Trine, Louisville, and a non-league match against Notre Dame on the slate. Indiana is also busy with Marian, Lindenwood, Kentucky, and UCLA in four straight weekends.
Ohio State adds five additional opponents and three of those are Rugby East opponents—Penn State, Southern Virginia, and Life—while they also add in traditional rivalry matches with Tennessee and with Bowling Green.
