The Big Ten enters the 2026 season with a familiar shape at the top, and the staff at Nittany Lions Wire is leaning hard into that reality. Ohio State and Oregon stand out as the teams most likely to control the race, while Indiana, the defending national champion, also sits among the league’s biggest threats. USC, Michigan and Penn State are all in the top 20 to open the year, but the sense here is that a true title push from outside the top tier would be a surprise.
That’s the backdrop for the staff’s conference picks, and the split at the top is simple: Ohio State or Oregon.
Kevin McGuire, the lead writer, went with Ohio State and pointed to the Buckeyes’ brutal path through the season as part of what makes them so dangerous. They draw both Oregon and Indiana, have to travel to USC, face a tricky late-season road game at Nebraska and then close the regular season at home against Michigan.
Even with that kind of schedule, McGuire believes the talent level will carry Ohio State through. He singled out wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and quarterback Julian Sayin as the kind of difference-makers who keep the Buckeyes in the hunt before they finish the job in the Big Ten championship game.
McGuire also suggested that title game could be a rematch with Oregon.
Christopher Sheppard and Paul White both backed Oregon, and both saw reasons to believe this could be the Ducks’ year. Sheppard argued that the hype around Ohio State is understandable, but said Dan Lanning has built something in Eugene that deserves just as much attention.
He highlighted quarterback Dante Moore, called him perhaps the best quarterback in the nation, and pointed to a young but talented receiver group. He also said the defense projects as a top-five unit, with Matayo Uiagalelei and new safety Koi Perich leading the way.
One more edge for Oregon: the Ducks avoid Indiana in regular-season play. That leaves their Nov. 7 meeting with Ohio State as a major swing point, potentially deciding which team gets the higher seed in the College Football Playoff.
White’s pick for Oregon came with a different angle. He noted that under Dan Lanning, the Ducks have matched or improved on their previous season’s record every year. He also said last season’s CFP loss left a bitter feeling, and that he expects Oregon to take another step forward in 2026.
In Other News...
Penn State Fans Face A Beaver Stadium Travel Headache This Weekend
Penn State fans heading to Beaver Stadium this weekend are being urged to build extra time into their trip plans as PennDOT rolls out an updated 511PA website and mobile app for home-game travel information. The timing is no accident, with the upcoming matchup against Marshall arriving alongside a busy stretch of road work across the region that could make the usual drive to State College a lot less straightforward.
Construction zones and lane restrictions are in place on major routes through Centre, Clinton, Clearfield and Juniata counties, affecting highways many fans use to reach the stadium. PennDOT is steering drivers to check conditions before leaving and to keep an eye on the 511PA updates, since the changes are expected to ripple through game-day traffic well beyond the immediate area around Beaver Stadium. [Read more 🡒]
Penn States Week 1 Test Just Got Easier At The Last Minute
Penn States opening-week scouting report on Marshall got a little lighter at the last minute, with the Thundering Herd losing a pair of roster pieces before the matchup. Cornerback Boogie Trotter and wide receiver Demarcus Lacey were removed from Marshalls roster ahead of the game, trimming some of the unknowns for the Nittany Lions as they prepare for their first test of the season.
The move comes after a court ruling Wednesday declared Trotter ineligible for a fifth year of college football, following the NCAAs successful stay against a previous nationwide injunction that had temporarily given him another year. For Penn State, the timing matters in more ways than one, since early-season preparation often hinges on what an opponent can actually put on the field rather than what it looked like on paper a few days earlier. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Campbell Just Showed Penn State How Aggressive He Wants To Be
Matt Campbells latest comments offered a useful glimpse into how he wants Penn State to operate when the margins tighten. The coach laid out a broad approach to game planning that puts real weight on offense, situational awareness and the kind of in-game adjustments that can swing a matchup in either direction. For a program that expects to live in big moments, the message was clear: preparation is about more than Xs and Os, it is about understanding when to press an advantage and when to let the game come to you.
Analytics are part of that equation, especially when fourth down decisions arrive and force a coach to weigh risk against reward. Campbell made it clear those numbers are a tool rather than a mandate, with game flow, momentum and experience still shaping the final call. It is the kind of balance that can define how aggressive a team looks on Saturdays, and Penn State will be watching closely to see how often that willingness turns into action when the pressure starts to build. [Read more 🡒]