The Big Ten is back, and the league’s title picture starts with a familiar name sitting on top of the pile.
Indiana opens at No. 1 in the preseason power rankings after a 2025 run that was nothing short of overwhelming. The Hoosiers went 16-0, becoming the first modern-era team to finish that kind of season with emphasis. Until someone knocks them off, they’re the standard.
Right behind them is the usual heavyweight crowd, beginning with Ohio State at No. 2.
The Buckeyes are the popular pick to win the conference, and they’ll get a first crack at settling in with a tune-up against Ball State on Sept. 5 before heading to Texas. New coordinator Arthur Smith will have a week of trial and error to sort through on offense.
Oregon comes in at No. 3, with Dante Moore back in Eugene and Dan Lanning keeping things steady after losing both coordinators. He filled those openings with internal hires, a move that preserves some continuity for a team still expected to be in the thick of the race.
Southern Cal checks in at No. 4 after already opening the season 1-0. The Trojans’ quarterback play remains a major strength, and if Lincoln Riley’s team is better equipped for the Big Ten’s physical grind, it can push for a spot in Indianapolis. Penn State follows at No. 5, and there’s real belief in the Nittany Lions for three reasons: Matt Campbell’s Cignetti-esque cultural transplant, veteran and familiar quarterback play, and an early schedule that looks manageable.
Washington lands at No. 6, and the Huskies have a case to rise. Demond Williams Jr. is one of the conference’s most underappreciated offensive players, and Jedd Fisch’s Year 3 at Arizona was his best before he moved to Seattle. The bold call here is simple: Washington will be in the playoff race in November.
Michigan sits seventh, though there’s a sense that might be selling the Wolverines short. Kyle Whittingham built Utah into one of the country’s most consistent programs, and now he has more resources to work with. How far Michigan goes in 2026 will depend heavily on Bryce Underwood’s growth and whether the team fully embraces Whittingham’s physical identity.
Iowa is next at No. 8, and the schedule is about to tell everyone plenty about what the Hawkeyes have left. They get Northern Illinois in Week 1, then the Cy-Hawk Trophy in Week 2, followed by a brutal conference stretch: at Michigan, Ohio State, at Washington and at Minnesota.
Nebraska lands at No. 9, with a schedule that gives Matt Rhule some opportunities to make noise. The Cornhuskers get Indiana, Ohio State and Washington at home this fall, and the question is whether one of those games becomes the signature win that moves the project forward.
Illinois rounds out the top 10. The Fighting Illini open against UAB on Thursday, and if East Carolina transfer Katin Houser can follow the path Luke Altmyer left behind, this ranking could climb fast. Bret Bielema has built something sturdy in Champaign.
Minnesota comes in at No. 11, and that’s a reminder of just how dependable the Gophers have been under P.J. Fleck.
They’ve reached double-digit wins only once, but they’ve also won seven bowl games without a postseason loss. Northwestern is No. 12, and the Wildcats may be a little underrated after what they accomplished last year.
If Aiden Chiles and Chip Kelly click early, they can survive a difficult second half of the schedule.
UCLA is No. 13, and the opening test comes with all the familiar late-night weirdness at Cal on Sept. 5.
A 10:30 p.m. ET kickoff is exactly the kind of setting that keeps #Pac12AfterDark alive.
If the Bruins win it, Bob Chesney can build early momentum in Year 1 in Westwood.
Wisconsin follows at No. 14.
The Badgers seem to have addressed some of the resource issues that had been slowing Luke Fickell, and they’ll ask Old Dominion transfer quarterback Colton Joseph to help navigate a demanding first month. That stretch includes Notre Dame in the opener at Lambeau Field and a trip to Penn State.
Maryland is No. 15, and the spotlight is squarely on Malik Washington. The Terps’ first half includes road games at UConn, Nebraska and Ohio State, so they need a step forward quickly. Rutgers sits at No. 16 and will need Dylan Lonergan at his best when he faces his old team at Boston College in Week 2, especially with Southern Cal and Indiana both showing up in the first five weeks.
Michigan State is No. 17, with the quarterback situation front and center. Given the atrophy and talent drain before Pat Fitzgerald arrived in East Lansing, the Spartans could use Alessio Milivojevic to get rolling right away. Purdue closes the rankings at No. 18, and the Boilermakers need to find some kind of offensive-defensive rhythm in Week 1 because the next three games - Wake Forest, at UCLA and Notre Dame - won’t offer much forgiveness.
In Other News...
Griffin Name Returns To The Shoe With Something To Prove
Diant Griffins return to Ohio Stadium in a Ball State uniform adds an unusual layer to Ohio States season opener, because the grandson of Archie Griffin spent part of his college career right there in Columbus before transferring for his final year. He left with a national championship ring, a degree and a set of relationships that still matter to him, and now hes back on the opposing sideline with the chance to measure himself in a place that helped shape his career.
For Griffin, the matchup is about more than family history or a familiar setting. He has made clear hes proud of what he accomplished at Ohio State, but he also wants to be seen as his own player, not just a name tied to Buckeye lore. Ball State gives him that stage, and the opener in the Shoe offers the kind of backdrop that can make a personal proving ground feel a lot bigger. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio Stadium Is Changing The Buckeyes Game Day Experience This Season
Ohio Stadium is heading into the 2026 season with a noticeable makeover, and the Ohio State athletic department spent a press conference outlining a long list of changes meant to alter the experience for fans inside and around the building. The updates touch just about every part of a home game, from a new FieldTurf playing surface and a new video board above the north end zone to field level suites and improved WiFi service powered by AI.
The changes also reach beyond the field, with expanded facial authentication for entry and new traffic barriers designed to enhance security on game days. And amid all the modernization, the Buckeyes will also add a more traditional touch, unveiling a new sign honoring former coach Jim Tressel as the stadium gets ready for another chapter. [Read more 🡒]
Ohio States Biggest 2026 Matchups Just Got A TV Hint
The 2026 schedule is starting to take shape for Ohio State, and the latest Big Ten media-rights draft offered a useful hint about two of the Buckeyes biggest regular-season games. Scott Dochterman reported the expected television assignments for Ohio States matchups with Indiana and Oregon, adding to a slate that already has several kickoff times and networks announced, including games against Ball State, Texas, Kent State and Michigan.
If the draft holds, the Indiana game would land in the noon window on FOX with Gus Johnson and Joel Klatt on the call, while Oregon would get a 3:30 p.m. FOX slot with Brad Nessler and Charles Davis. For Ohio State, the network placement matters almost as much as the opponent in a season built around marquee dates, and these early TV hints only sharpen the intrigue around two games that should carry plenty of weight in the Big Ten race. [Read more 🡒]