Big Ten Contenders: Buckeyes, Ducks, and Hoosiers Race for a Championship
Indiana is built to defend their title, but Oregon and Ohio State have different plans
The top of the Big Ten is absolutely loaded. Between Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana, you’ll be hard pressed to find better teams — on paper — outside of Austin or Athens. While I will fade any notion that a team goes 12-0 this year, the Big Ten could be set up for a historic season if Penn State rebuilds quickly, or if Michigan finds some giddy up on offense.
Football season is right around the corner, friends; let’s break down the cream of the crop in the Big Ten.
Editor’s note: Teams were power ranked by you, the subscriber, and are previewed in reverse order.
Find our other conference previews here: Big Ten Dark Horses | Big Ten Hopefuls | PAC-12 Preview | CUSA Preview | American Part I | American Part II | Sun Belt East Preview | Sun Belt West Preview | MAC Part I | MAC Part II | Mountain West Part I | Mountain West Part II
6. Michigan Wolverines
2025 in Review
It would be reductionist to say that Michigan lost the only four games that mattered during 2025, but that’s what it felt like on a national stage. Michigan won a fiery game in Lincoln, shoved Washington in a locker (I think I gave out the Huskies as my best bet of the week), and narrowly defeated Northwestern in Wrigley. But each time they played a contender, it felt like they were overmatched. Losses to OU, USC, Ohio State, and Texas cast appall over the results on the field, and that’s without mentioning the absolutely tragic scandal that unfolded off the field with Sherrone Moore. 2026 is, at the very least, about turning the page.
Key Storylines
I thought EA fixed the coaching carousel? That’s what I would have been saying if Whittingham had left Utah for Michigan on my PS5 file. And yet, after over 20 excellent seasons at Utah, Whittingham is now in charge of the maize and blue. While it didn’t pass the vibe test at first, I actually like the hire. Michigan needs to return to some of the fundamentals – the focus – that defines national championship contenders. The Wolverines have known nothing but drama and turmoil since winning the national championship in 2023, but Whittingham might be the grounding rod that the program needs to reach the championship potential that’s evident by looking at the roster.
What is Bryce Underwood’s floor/ceiling? Underwood has been very outspoken that he believes he’s the best player that the state of Michigan has ever produced. While the most viral clip ignored the bit where he says he needs to earn it, the reality is that Underwood still has a ways to go before he meets the expectations that come with being the top QB in the 2025 class. New OC Jason Beck should help with that. Beck helped Devon Dampier achieve some exceptional results at Utah last year, a lot of which came on the ground. Underwood showed he can be explosive in the running game, but the Wolverines also need to see him be more consistent in the passing game (11 TDs, 9 INTs).
Can talent equal success? Michigan has a treasure trove of new guys with which to build a contender. Defensive coordinator Jay Hill (BYU) rejoins Whittingham in Ann Arbor, and his task will be to incorporate fellow newcomers like John Henry Daley (EDGE, Utah) Nathaniel Staehling (LB, NDSU), and Chris Bracey (S, Memphis) into a winning side quickly. Michigan’s pass rush should be pretty stout with Daley (11.5 sacks) alongside Cameron Brandt, Enow Etta, and Trey Pierce. Rod Moore is back at safety, and the two starting CBs are excellent in Jyaire Hill and Zeke Berry.
A Glance at the Schedule
Michigan should be able to bully my MAC favorite, Western Michigan, but they’ll host Oklahoma and Iowa in Week Two and Week Four, respectively. They play Indiana in Week Eight, at Oregon in Week 11, and at Ohio State to close the season, per usual.
One Prediction for 2026
8-4 feels like the floor of this team. I trust Whittingham and staff to get the most out of the talent on this roster, but they’re still a step behind Indiana, Oregon, and Ohio State.
5. Penn State Nittany Lions
2025 in Review
Like many of you, I watched in disbelief as my Big Ten championship (and national runner up) prediction went up in spectacular flames as Penn State collapsed like a dying star. After losing a heartbreaker to Oregon in double overtime at home, The Nittany Lions lost to UCLA, Northwestern, Iowa, Ohio State, and Indiana – in a row. James Franklin was fired and QB Drew Allar was lost for the year to injury. The fact that the team finished 7-6 with a bowl win was borderline miraculous considering everything that happened.
Key Storylines
What are the expectations at Penn State? Is it to consistently win 10 games? Well James Franklin did that and still ended up fired. Is it to win a conference championship and make the playoff every year? Their last title came in 2016. Or is it to win a national championship every so often? It’s hard to tell given the relative success that Penn State has enjoyed, and yet still somehow felt like they were underachieving. Matt Campbell comes over from Iowa State where he was 107-70 in Ames. Campbell was the belle of the ball in the carousel back in 2018, but had somewhat flown under the radar for the bigger jobs until this past offseason. Still, don’t let that distract you from the fact that, at times, Campbell has built an incredible amount of success out of what the championship contenders would consider “less than”. I’m in wait and see mode with Campbell, not only for this year, but also going forward because I’m just not sure what will be deemed “success” over a three, five, or ten year period.
I really like the potential for a steady offense once again. Despite the struggles, Penn State didn’t actually have issues scoring last year (34th in scoring). They should be good again this year with Rocco Becht (Iowa State) and a host of other Cyclones moving to Happy Valley. Becht has been a reliable QB with flashes of true NFL potential over the last three season. He’ll have his top RB (Carson Hansen) and two leading WRs with him behind a solid offense line. His productivity did experience a pretty noticeable decline last season, but he was also battling all kinds of injuries. A clean bill of health and an improved offensive line should help.
D’Anton Lynn takes over a talented defensive puzzle. Lynn was directly responsible for some of the much needed improvement at USC, finally getting the Trojans to a level where they were playing physical, competent defense. At Penn State, he’ll need to replace a ton of pass rush production asap, but he could have one of the best linebacking corps in the country. Tony Rojas and Caleb Bacon (Iowa State) will be the standouts, but Kooper Ebel and Cael Brezina also made the trip from Ames and should form a LB room that can rotate at will. New arrivals from Iowa State also fill out a fun secondary, while the interior defensive line was rebuilt with the additions of Keanu Williams and Siale Taupakia from UCLA.
A Glance at the Schedule
Carlos Del-Rio Wilson will come out swinging when Marshall opens the season in Happy Valley, giving Campbell a tough opener to his Penn State tenure. They host Wisconsin in the conference opener and then head to Northwestern to open their new stadium on a Friday night. USC, Michigan, and Washington are on the schedule, but they avoid Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana, and Illinois.
One Prediction for 2026
I think Penn State could pick off a nine win season this year, the roster is that talented. I have a feeling that they drop an early one to either Wisconsin or Northwestern, which won’t thrill the Nittany Lion faithful. Survive those, however, and you’re dreaming about a 10-win year with a win in the vs USC or at The Big House.
USC Trojans
2025 in Review
Another year of Lincoln Riley, another year of saying “What could have been!” The Trojans went 9-3, scoring victories over the likes of Michigan, Nebraska, and Iowa, but they couldn’t win the big ones. A frustrating loss to Illinois was one-upped by a 10-point loss to Notre Dame, which was then surpassed by a 42-27 loss to Oregon. Oh and then they lost to TCU in the bowl game. But surely this year is going to be different, right?
Key Storylines
It had better be different this year. Trojans’ fans and I have quibbled back and forth about the virtues of Lincoln Riley in the past. I’ve unapologetically been out on them each year that Riley has been there, and so far, I’m up 4-0. But this year simply must be different. The Trojans are trending in the right direction, whether it be the talent, the resources, or the adjustments to Big Ten play. ALL of those were used as reasons why I should allow Lincoln more of a runway before leveling championship expectations at his visor. He’s out of runway. It’s this year, or I fear he literally never breaks through. Here’s why…
This team is simply too talented to be allowed to fail. You want an elite QB? Jayden Maiava threw for over 3,700 yards last season. Looking for an explosive running game? Waymond Jordan is healthy and King Miller performed admirably when thrust into action last season. The offensive line returns all five starters from last season, a truly impossible feat given NIL and the portal. Sure, Makai Lemon and Jakobi Lane are gone to the NFL, but the Trojans have talented returners and even dipped into the portal to find a key replacement – hello Terrell Anderson (NC State). The offense finished 13th in scoring last year (35.8 ppg), so the bar is set high, but I think USC can be in that neighborhood again.
Gary Patterson takes over the defense, and what a crew he inherits. Patterson has the talent and physicality along the line to switch to his vaunted 4-2-5 scheme, something that hasn’t always been a given at USC in the last 20 years. His primary focus will likely be ensuring that his defense travels on the road, another bugaboo for USC. Last season, the defense gave up 37 points per game in their losses, and has failed them numerous times during the 3-7 stretch in true road games. He’ll need continued progression from his edges – Braylan Shelby (4.5 sacks) and Kameryn Crawford (5.5 sacks) — as he looks to get after the QB and compound the effects of what should be a decent secondary. The linebackers, Patterson’s specialty, will be very solid with Desman Stephens II, the team leader in tackles, back alongside newcomer Deven Bryant (Wash).
A Glance at the Schedule
The schedule isn’t easy, but the home road splits are exceedingly kind. USC will get Oregon, Washington, and Ohio State inside the Coliseum. Notre Dame is nowhere to be found after USC backed out of the rivalry. The Trojans take road trips to Penn State, Wisconsin, and Indiana, but at some point you’ve got to start winning those.
One Prediction for 2026
USC leaves something to be desired once again, going 9-3 (a solid year), but missing the postseason.
3. Ohio State Buckeyes
2025 in Review
The end of 2025 felt like we switched over to the trial version of Ohio State – Buckeyes Lite, if you will. During the regular season, Ohio State dominated everyone on the schedule (after surviving Texas), but the offense just felt like it was missing a gear. A lot of it centered around protecting Julian Sayin, who was extremely efficient, but primarily thrived on short passes. When it came to must-have moments against Indiana and Miami at the end of the year, it seemed like Ohio State was out of gas. That being said, if the governor comes off, Ohio State is one of the heavy favorites to win the national championship.
Key Storylines
I don’t know about Arthur Smith, but the rest of the offense oozes with potential once again. After routinely living inside the top 10 in scoring offense (save the ‘23 season), the Buckeyes regressed slightly. A large part of that was the tempo with which the offense played, which was the slowest in the country per Bill Connelly. For those unfamiliar with Smith’s game, his NFL tenure was largely defined by run-first offenses that love to use the TE in both the blocking and passing game. Unfortunately, the results haven’t been great and they give this outsider a lot of pause when it comes to automatically believing in QB development and an increase in the vertical passing game. Buckeye fans will be hopeful there’s still a downfield element because…
It’s Jeremiah Smith’s last ride in Columbus. Smith is already being touted as the best WR in next year’s NFL Draft, and for good reason. The 6’3 Miami native has already amassed over 2,700 yards and 17 touchdowns in two seasons. Smith is the center piece, but the Buckeyes also have immense talent elsewhere. Sophomore RB Bo Jackson appears ready to take over the mantle as RB1, while Devin McCuin (UTSA) and Kyle Parker (LSU) transfer in to join Smith and former five-star, Brandon Iniss. I mentioned the TEs earlier – Mason Williams (Ohio) and Hunter Welcing (Northwestern) rebuild that room via the portal. The line has two all-conference returners leading the way.
Patricia experiences the first real turnover of his tenure. Matt Patricia has been excellent as DC for Ohio State, hand up there. I truly doubted his ability to come down to the college level. But this year will be a new challenge – he’s replacing nearly every starter from a season ago. The Buckeyes turned to the portal and an extremely talented group of youngsters to build out their two-deep. Alabama donated two transfers along the DL in Qua Russaw and big James Smith, while the ACC provided secondary help in Terry Moore (Duke) and Earl Little Jr (FSU). Add in key blue chippers from the Lone Star State like CB Devin Sanchez and LB Riley Pettijohn, and it’s not hard to see the vision. How long will it take for that group to solidify championship aspirations? We’ll see.
A Glance at the Schedule
The Buckeyes return the favor and travel to Austin in Week Two – sandwiched in between MAC warm up games –, while the Illini and Hawkeyes kick off conference play. The Buckeyes travel to Indiana before their bye week, and then are immediately greeted with games at USC and home versus Oregon. As if that schedule wasn’t daunting enough, they of course finish the season against Michigan.
One Prediction for 2026
I won’t join the hot take artists on Twitter/X and say Ohio State is going 8-4, but this schedule – coupled with my doubt in Arthur Smith and questions about the defense – could easily take it’s toll on the Buckeyes. If Ohio State can beat Michigan, I’ll put them at 10-2.
2. Indiana Hoosiers
2025 in Review
Perfection. When you talk about the 2025 Indiana Hoosiers, that superlative has to lead the pack. Indiana won just nine games in the three seasons following covid, but preceding Cignetti. The Hoosiers achieved the historical mark of becoming the losingest program in CFB history. So naturally, it would follow that the modern day mad hatter would entirely transform the program in just two seasons, leading the Hoosiers to a 27-2 record, their first Big Ten title since the Lyndon B. Johnson administration, and the sport’s first ever 16-0 national championship season. Perfection, indeed.
Key Storylines
So now what? If winning one title is hard, defending it is even harder. Indiana is truly in unprecedented territory, so you wouldn’t be faulted for feeling like the air is a little thin up here. But if the Hoosiers are to avoid the Icarus comparisons and avoid melting their wings, they’ll need to lean on a whole new cast of characters. The Hoosiers lost eight key cogs in their championship machine to the NFL draft, an unprecedented number at Indiana. The biggest question might revolve around how Indiana carries those championship expectations going forward. Will their be a natty hangover, or will Cignetti and the boys get right back to business of mowing teams down in Week One?
There are two key things I look for when evaluating teams: The first is strength in the trenches, and Indiana has that. Along the offensive line, the Hoosiers have three veterans returning including All-American Carter Smith (LT). Joe Brunner (Wisc) was a force on a terrible Wisconsin team last year, and will be a big addition to the Hoosiers’ great wall. On the defensive side, Indiana took Kansas State’s two best pass rushers – Chiddi Obiazor and Tobi Osunsanmi – and added a mountain of a human in Joe Hjelle (Tulsa) to the interior. Daniel Ndukwe is back off the edge, as are a couple of key defensive tackles.
The second key is offensive explosiveness, and Indiana might have that in spades. The Hoosiers have to replace a ton of production, including Heisman QB Fernando Mendoza. In comes Josh Hoover, a gunslinging QB from TCU to take over the job. Hoover has shown the ability to make some incredible throws, put up video game like numbers, and be a gamechanger on the field. He also throws a lot of INTs. Turbo Richard (BC) will be key to replacing the dynamic duo the Hoosiers enjoyed last season, and Nick Marsh (Mich State) has NFL evaluators salivating about what he can do out wide in this offense. Throw in an electric deep threat in Shazz Preston (Tulane) and the Hoosiers could be cooking with gas once again.
A Glance at the Schedule
As far as on-ramps go, the Hoosiers should get to enjoy a comfy start to the season. They’ll breeze through nonconference play, and they won’t face a real challenge until October 10th when they travel to Nebraska. They then host Ohio State, travel to Michigan, and welcome Minnesota for homecoming before the bye week. USC and Washington loom after the break.
One Prediction for 2026
The Hoosiers won’t go 12-0 (unless…), but I still like this team enough to feel comfortable at 11-1. Even a 10-2 Hoosiers team should still make the playoff. It would take a true championship hangover, or an FSU-like portal disaster for this team to not be there at the top of the conference.
1. Oregon Ducks
2025 in Review
It’s hard to fault Oregon for their exit in the CFP semifinals last year, even if it was a bit of a beatdown. Indiana was the road grater of destiny, and Oregon – at least for one game – was the last slab of concrete in their path. The Ducks fell shy of playing for a Big Ten title, but they did vanquish their CFP demons after hosting JMU and shutting out Texas Tech. 2025 really might have been the appetizer to the main course that is the ‘26 season.
Key Storylines
Talent, depth, and experience make Oregon a championship favorite. The Ducks ran out of gas thanks to injuries, especially on the ground. This season, they are reloaded, healthy, and ready for another deep run. Dante Moore stunned draft experts by forgoing the first round of the NFL draft to come back for one more year. If Moore were to somehow be ineffective or get hurt, Dylan Raiola (Neb) is riding the pine right behind him. At running back, Jordan Davison returns after injuries cut his 15-TD campaign short, and the offensive line has proven skill and depth. The fireworks, however, will come from…
This wide receiving corps is downright scary. Evan Stewart, former five-star transfer from Texas A&M is expected to be back and fully healthy. Dakorien Moore broke out as a true freshman last year (Duncanville hive, represent) as WR2, and the lightning quick Jeremiah McClellan will play inside. Anyone remember Iverson Hooks from UAB? He’s in Eugene now too! Jarami Johnson rounds out the pass catchers at tight end, meaning that secondaries are going to have an absolutely miserable time trying to defend on the back end. Oregon promoted Drew Mehringer to take over as OC after Will Stein left for Kentucky, but the talent screams out loud that this offense will be just fine.
Will the defense feel the absence of Tosh Lupoi? The Ducks gave up far fewer than 20 points per game last season, in large part thanks to the schemes of Lupoi, who has since become the head coach at Cal. Chris Hampton now takes over a unit that, quite frankly, should be even better than last season. The pass rush is the stuff of nightmares with Matayo Uiagalelei off one edge, and Teitum Tuioti off the other. Bear Alexander and A’Mauri Washington will anchor the interior, while key returners at LB (Devon Jackson and Jerry Mixon) replace Bryce Boettcher. Pause for breath. Finally, the secondary will lean on breakout CB Brandon Finney (3 INTs in the CFP) and Minnesota transfer safety Koi Perch. Perch isn’t the same in-the-box player that Dillon Thienemann was, but he’ll play center field with the very best of them. He’ll have Aaron Flowers for company at the other safety position.
A Glance at the Schedule
As talented as Oregon is, it’s not an automatic start to their schedule. They’ll play Boise State to open before heading on the road to face a completely rebuilt Oklahoma State squad. A road trip to USC and a home date against UCLA are how they open Big Ten play, while the back half includes games at Ohio State, versus Michigan, and a season finale against Washington.
One Prediction for 2026
Oregon could go 10-2 and I’d still probably like their chances to play for a title game. I’ll lock in 11-1 as their record.