The 2016 Big Ten Conference football season is the 121st season of college football play for the Big Ten Conference and is a part of the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. This is the Big Ten's third season with 14 teams. The defending league champion is Michigan State. The 2016 season will also mark a return to a nine-game conference schedule, something the league has not had since 1984. On October 16, 2016, Purdue announced they were parting ways with head coach Darrell Hazell. Receivers coach Gerad Parker was named interim head coach for the remainder of the 2016 season.