How many teams play in the big ten conference?

Answer 1

Twelve (12). From 1917 to 1946 the Big 10 had ten (10) member schools, The University of Chicago (an original member of the Big 10) withdrew in 1946 and was replaced in 1949 by Michigan State, bringing the total number of schools back to ten (10). In 1990 Penn State became the eleventh member of the Big 10 with no change in the conference name; however the number eleven (11) was outlined in the body of the words "BIG TEN". In 2010 Nebraska became the twelfth member of the Big 10, with the letters i and g in the word "BIG" forming the number ten (10) to represent the original ten (10) member schools. Prior to the unofficial naming of the conference in 1917, seven (7) universities (University of Chicago, University of Illinois, University of Michigan, University of Minnesota, Northwestern University, Purdue University and the University of Wisconsin) met in 1895 and formed The Western Conference, adding two (2) more schools in 1899 (Indiana & Iowa), loosing Michigan in 1908 before the Wolverines return in 1917. Ohio State joined in 1912.