Big Ten Football Preview and Predictions for 2026 Season
For nearly two decades, the SEC held an inarguable place atop college football. Recently, however, the Big Ten has shifted the conversation.
Indiana put together an incredible year en route to its first-ever championship last season, giving the conference three national titles in a row. Michigan (2023) and Ohio State (2024) hoisted the previous two trophies.
Will the Big Ten's reign continue in 2026?
Thanks to IU, Ohio State and Oregon with several other well-respected teams, such as Michigan, Penn State and USC, the league has plenty of talent.
Best Players
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In a league with 18 teams, elite ability is everywhere.
The best player in the country—regardless of position—is Ohio State wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. He's already a two-time All-American, and this should be his final year in Columbus before heading to the NFL.
OSU's Julian Sayin and Oregon's Dante Moore are considered top-tier QBs, while Indiana's Josh Hoover, USC's Jayden Maiava and Washington's Demond Williams Jr. aren't far behind.
Rutgers wideout KJ Duff quietly finished 10th nationally in receiving yards last season, and Indiana's Charlie Becker exploded in the second half. They, along with Oregon tight end Jamari Johnson, are excellent pass-catchers. UCLA running back Wayne Knight is a tremendous all-around player, as well.
In the trenches, the Big Ten boasts IU left tackle Carter Smith, Iowa IOL Kade Pieper and Oregon center Iapani Laloulu, among others. The defensive side features IU edge Stephen Daley, Michigan edge John Henry Daley, Minnesota DL Anthony Smith and Oregon DT A'Mauri Washington.
One of the nation's premier linebackers is Indiana's Rolijah Hardy, and Iowa's Zach Lutmer holds similar recognition at nickelback. Oregon has a star duo in cornerback Brandon Finney Jr. and safety Koi Perich, too.
Top Storylines
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Indiana's Title Defense
What a ridiculous ride. Prior to the 2024 campaign, the Indiana football program never had a 10-win season. Never! Curt Cignetti has reshaped our view of the Hoosiers, who went 11-2 with a College Football Playoff appearance in 2024 and rattled off a perfect 16-0, CFP-winning year in 2025. Armed with an experienced and transfer-fueled roster, can IU do it again?
Ohio State, Oregon in Title-or-Bust Mode
From an overall perspective, the programs will not collapse if they don't win a title. Ryan Day, however, is feeling some pressure after 12-0 Ohio State lost to IU in the Big Ten Championship Game and Miami in the CFP. Oregon, meanwhile, brought back a bunch of veterans to chase an elusive championship.
Who's No. 4?
Two years ago, Penn State joined IU, OSU and Oregon in the CFP. That trifecta represented the Big Ten last season, and they're widely expected to contend for the Playoff again. But will a fourth team finish in CFP position? Nobody else had a convincing argument for an at-large spot in 2025.
Top Challengers
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Tier 1: Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon
Back-to-back Playoff trips for all three programs is about as much evidence as you need. These are championship threats, both in the Big Ten and nationally.
Tier 2: Michigan, Penn State, USC and Washington
Michigan faces a much tougher schedule, but new coach Kyle Whittingham was a master of maximizing talent over two decades at Utah. Penn State, on the other hand, has a very favorable slate in Matt Campbell's debut. USC and Washington both are relying on star QBs to prop up their rosters, but Maiava and Williams certainly have that level of ability at their best.
Tier 3: Iowa, Nebraska and UCLA
Iowa's upside seems capped, given its struggles to score against top competition. But the Hawkeyes are always a thorn, something both Nebraska and UCLA should also be this season. UCLA is particularly interesting after hiring Bob Chesney, who took James Madison to the Playoff last season.
Coaches on the Hot Seat
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The first two names to know are no strangers to this conversation.
Mike Locksley is entering his eighth season at Maryland, and it's likely a make-or-break campaign. The program has mustered 4-8 records in each of the last two years, including a 1-8 mark in Big Ten action both times.
Over at Wisconsin, the honeymoon with Luke Fickell is long gone. He's fortunate to have a fourth year in Madison, where a school that made 22 straight bowl trips has fallen short of six wins in back-to-back seasons.
Nebraska is expecting real progress from Matt Rhule after a pair of recent seven-win records, and Rutgers needs to decide if hovering around bowl eligibility is enough from Greg Schiano. They aren't on sizzling seats, like Locksley and Fickell, but Rhule and Schiano are squarely on the radar.
The same applies to USC's Lincoln Riley, who is due a mountain of money if fired but doesn't have a locked-in path to 2027 in Los Angeles, either.
Best Games
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Nonconference Games
Sep. 5: Boise State at Oregon
Sep. 6: Washington State at Washington
Sep. 6: Notre Dame vs. Wisconsin (in Green Bay)
Sep. 12: Oklahoma at Michigan
Sep. 12: Ohio State at Texas
An obvious pick is the rematch of Ohio State and Texas—a potential top-five clash—although Week 2 also features a rematch of Oklahoma and Michigan. Oregon kicks off the season with leading Group of Six contender Boise State, too.
Top Conference Matchups
Sep 26: Oregon at USC
Oct. 3: Ohio State at Iowa
Oct. 17: Ohio State at Indiana
Oct. 24: Indiana at Michigan
Nov. 7: Oregon at Ohio State
Basically, the Big Ten's most anticipated games are Ohio State's showdowns with IU and Oregon plus the "who's for real?" contests. Do we believe in USC? Have to beat Oregon. Are we underestimating Iowa? Win a big game at home. Will Michigan stay in the picture? Knock off IU.
Best of the Rest
Sep. 26: Iowa at Michigan
Oct. 10: USC at Penn State
Nov. 7: Penn State at Washington
Nov. 14: USC at Indiana
Nov. 21: Indiana at Washington
Nov. 28: Michigan at Ohio State
Nov. 28: Washington at Oregon
These matchups fit that latter category, as well. Iowa or Michigan will secure a valuable early win, while one of USC or Penn State will follow suit a couple weeks later. November then brings some critical opportunities for IU and Washington, along with "The Game" wrapping up the Big Ten calendar as usual.
Best Offense: Oregon Ducks
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If not now, when?
That's a bit of the feeling around Oregon, which flexed its financial muscle to keep several star defenders and, most notably, quarterback Dante Moore.
Rather than becoming an early pick in the 2026 NFL draft, Moore hung around to chase a national title. He threw for 3,565 yards with 30 touchdowns last season, but he struggled in both losses to Indiana and performed poorly in a close win over Iowa, too. Stronger days in marquee games will be critical.
Fortunately for Moore, this supporting cast is outstanding.
The receiving corps of Evan Stewart, Dakorien Moore, Jeremiah McClellan and Iverson Hooks is hugely promising, and tight end Jamari Johnson is a proven weapon. At running back, Jordon Davidson and Dierre Hill Jr. each rushed for 650-plus yards and combined for 21 scores last season.
Up front, the Ducks return a third-team AP All-American with center Iapani Laloulu and an experienced guard in Dave Iuli. Yale transfer Michael Bennett III was a two-time All-Ivy League selection, too.
This optimism will be tested in a November gauntlet that includes Oregon heading to Ohio State and hosting both Michigan and Washington.
Best Defense: Ohio State Buckeyes
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The bad news is Ohio State must replace seven of its nine top tacklers from a season ago. That's no easy task.
The good news is, well, this is Ohio State.
Dating back to 2023, the Buckeyes have ranked third, first and first nationally in yards allowed per game. They've finished second, first and first in points allowed per game, as well. Odds are OSU is going to figure it out!
Ohio State is set to reload with a mix of returning contributors—like linebacker Payton Pierce and safety Jaylen McClain—and notable transfers. Key newcomers include D-tackles James Smith (Alabama) and John Walker (UCF), linebacker Christian Alliegro (Wisconsin) and safety Terry Moore (Duke), among others.
Under the direction of coordinator Matt Patricia, the Bucks are well-positioned to organize an elite defense yet again.
Projected Order of Finish
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1. Indiana
2. Oregon
3. Ohio State
4. Penn State
5. Iowa
6. Michigan
7. Washington
8. USC
9. UCLA
10. Nebraska
11. Illinois
12. Wisconsin
13. Minnesota
14. Maryland
15. Rutgers
16. Michigan State
17. Northwestern
18. Purdue
Projected Title Game: Indiana vs. Oregon
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Want a sleeper? Penn State. That's not necessarily because I believe so strongly in the Nittany Lions; rather, it's that avoiding Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon in the regular season is incredibly lucky.
Still, I won't venture far from the leading trio.
Picking against Curt Cignetti seems a foolish decision until proven otherwise, especially after the last-second returns of edge-rushers Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt. The key to IU's upside is winning at home against Ohio State on Oct. 17.
Oregon, similarly, likely needs to win at OSU on Nov. 7 to have a tiebreaker edge. However, the Ducks open Big Ten action at USC yet have a relatively soft October (in theory, of course). Dan Lanning's squad will have ample time to prepare for its challenging November stretch.
Ohio State fans, don't worry. It'd be zero percent surprising if the Buckeyes run the table again, let alone simply make the Big Ten title game. Although the schedule is very tough, this roster is excellent.
But on the first Saturday of December, expect a top-five showdown in Indianapolis to decide which program stands atop the Big Ten.
Projected Champion: Indiana
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