If the Big Ten pushes a 28-team format, which teams from the conference would realistically benefit most, and how should fantasy bettors adjust intra-conference risk in early-season scheduling?
A 28-team format would elevate the value of even mid-tier Big Ten teams on a betting slate, but the true beneficiaries would be those with consistent late-season performance and strength-of-schedule depth. For fantasy-minded bettors, monitor early-season matchups that could tilt conference seeding and automatic-bid placement; teams with coach-driven tempo and resilience in late games (e.g., Ohio State, Michigan) may still dominate, but sleepers from non-traditional powerhouses could scrape playoff relevance if the field expands. The real edge comes from identifying teams that can win conference titles or finish 7–5 yet secure an automatic bid, which would shift volatility to the margins and heighten the value of underdog props and late-week momentum bets.