ESPN’s preseason Football Power Index has started to sort out the Big Ten picture for 2026, and the numbers point to a familiar hierarchy near the top.
Ohio State sits in the No. 1 spot in the conference and, according to the FPI metrics, is also the best team in college football. The Buckeyes won the national championship two years ago and are again among the favorites to get back to the playoff trophy, with quarterback Julian Sayin and consensus top wide receiver Jeremiah Smith back on offense.
Even so, there are real questions to answer on defense after some prominent departures, and the schedule is no joke. Ohio State has road games at Texas, Iowa, Indiana, USC, and Nebraska.
Oregon comes in second in the Big Ten preseason order of finish. The Ducks are projected to win 10.2 games, the same number as Ohio State, but the model gives them a 24.2 percent chance to reach Indianapolis and win the conference title. Dante Moore’s decision to return at quarterback instead of entering the NFL Draft is a huge lift for Oregon’s offense, and he’ll have help from a group of blue-chip receivers and two talented backs.
Indiana is next in the league pecking order after running the table over 16 games last season. The reigning national champion is projected to finish third in the Big Ten and still carries a 57 percent chance to make the College Football Playoff again.
At the other end of the spectrum, Purdue is staring at another tough year. The Boilermakers have dropped 18 straight games against Big Ten opponents and are coming off a season in which the offense managed just 18.8 points per game. There was at least some progress in Barry Odom’s first season, with quarterback Ryan Browne helping a unit that lost two of those conference games by one score and took a small step forward.
FPI has Purdue ranked No. 71 nationally after 20,000 season simulations, projecting 4.3 wins and giving the Boilermakers a 25 percent chance to reach six victories and become bowl eligible.
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Urban Meyer Still Sounds Bitter About Penn States Block Six Loss
Urban Meyer still hasnt made peace with Penn States 2016 win over Ohio State, and he brought the grievance back up on The Triple Option podcast while talking through one of the most painful losses of his Buckeyes tenure. The former Ohio State coach, now a FOX Sports analyst, pointed to the field-goal sequence as the moment that still sticks with him, a play that became part of the larger argument around how that season was judged.
The frustration lingers because the loss did more than sting in the moment. It helped reshape the Big Ten race and later fed into the playoff debate, with Penn State and Ohio State both left to wonder how much that head-to-head result should have mattered. Meyers comments only reopened an old wound, one Penn State fans have long worn as a badge of honor and Ohio State supporters have never quite forgotten. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Quiet Quarterback Addition Could Matter More Than Fans Think
Connor Barrys path to Penn State is the kind of under-the-radar addition that can get overlooked in a crowded quarterback room, but it comes with a track record worth noting. The senior arrives after a breakout season at Division III Christopher Newport, where he piled up 2,866 passing yards and 35 touchdowns, production that helped turn him into a proven college arm heading into his final season.
For the Nittany Lions, the immediate quarterback picture still points elsewhere, but Barry gives the staff a seasoned option who can help keep things steady if the depth chart gets tested. Even if his on-field chances are limited to late-game situations, his value may show up just as much behind the scenes, where Penn State can use another veteran presence as the season unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
Penn State QB Commit Just Sent Fans The Message They Needed
Penn States 2028 quarterback commitment is already sounding like the kind of recruit the program has wanted to build around. Four-star James Armstrong has made it clear that his decision was about more than the usual recruiting noise, putting loyalty, relationships and development ahead of the biggest financial pitch. That message fits neatly with the way Matt Campbell and his staff have been selling the program, leaning on trust and long-term connection as much as on-field vision.
Armstrong has also started doing more than just talking about his own pledge. Since committing, he has been reaching out to other in-state recruits and pushing Penn State as a place they should consider, which is the sort of early recruiting leadership staffs love to see from a quarterback. For a class still taking shape, having a passer already acting like a recruiter of his own gives the Nittany Lions another reason to feel good about where this one could go next. [Read more 🡒]