The College Football season kicks off on Saturday with the Week 0 games, and it should be another great season for the Big Ten. The past three seasons have seen three different Big Ten teams bring home National Championships, planting the conference's flag as the best league in the Country. The USC Trojans will be the first team to start the push for the Big Ten's 4th straight championship when they open the season against San Jose State on Saturday.
All signs point toward the Big Ten making a strong run toward another National Championship as the league is loaded with elite rosters. Ohio State and Oregon have been No. 1 and 2 in the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll, while it's impossible to count out Indiana. As the season kicks off, there's a clear hierarchy in the conference with a few teams standing out as National Championship favorites.
Power Ranking the Big Ten as the 2026 season kicks off
18. Purdue Boilermakers
Their in-state rival Indiana once seemed like the hardest rebuild in the Power 4, but in this era it now feels as if Purdue isn't going to be able to compete at a high level. Ryan Browne returns for another season under center, and he'll need to take a major leap if the Boilermakers are going to win league games. The majority of the starting defense is made up of transfers, which could be a home run or an absolute disaster, as we've seen with other teams.
17. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Greg Schiano is heading into his 7th season back at Rutgers, and while the team showed promise last season, it's hard to see how they don't regress. Dylan Lonergan takes over at quarterback, and his struggles at Boston College are concerning; paired with Ian Strong leaving for Cal, the offense will regress. The defense lost some of its best pieces, but if the transfers Schiano brought in can play to the levels they did outside the Power 4, the unit could end up being solid.
16. Maryland Terrapins
Mike Locksley heads into the season on the hot seat after back to back 4-8 seasons, but he's built a promising young core that could prove good enough to keep him around. Malik Washington flashed as a true freshman starting quarterback, and with experience under his belt, he could be good enough to lift the rest of the roster. The defense has a promising young star in former top recruit Zion Elee, but Zahir Mathis' injury is a major setback.
15. Michigan State Spartans
Pat Fitzgerald is back in college football and back in the Big Ten as he takes over the Michigan State Spartans. This offseason, Pat Fitzgerald attacked the Transfer Portal to help reshape the roster, which could end up giving this team a chance to compete in Year 1. The real magic from Pat Fitzgerald will come when he's able to stack recruiting classes, but for now it'll be a tall task to put together a winning season in the Big Ten.
14. Northwestern Wildcats
This is going to be an exciting season for Northwestern as they open their new stadium, but the team will need to also give the fans a reason for excitement. Chip Kelly returns to college football as the Wildcats' new offensive coordinator, and he's going to be tasked with getting Aidan Chiles to play efficient football. On defense, the Wildcats return 5 starters, including Michael Filbane, who led the team in sacks last season.
13. Wisconsin Badgers
Luke Fickell enters the season on the hot seat, as his time in Madison has been disappointing. The hope is that the Badgers won't lose their quarterback early once again, as Old Dominion transfer Colton Joseph could be the dual threat weapon this offense needs to succeed. The defense has been overhauled by transfers, and if they can pair well enough with the young pieces that flashed last season, it could save Fickell's job.
12. UCLA Bruins
After taking James Madison to the College Football Playoff, Bob Chesney will look to revive the UCLA Bruins. Rather than bringing Alonza Barnett with him, Chesney opted to build around Nico Iamaleava, as only 3 returning players are projected to start on offense. The defense will look similar to the offense with a ton of fresh faces, but the Bruins brought in a ton of high impact transfers to instantly turn the unit around.
11. Minnesota Golden Gophers
P.J. Fleck is coming off back-to-back 8-5 seasons, and the time for this group to take a leap is this season. NFL Scouts are high on quarterback Drake Lindsey's upside this season, and superstar running back Darius Taylor is back for another season. The defense ranked 50th last season, and if the group can slightly improve and the offense can stay healthy, the Gophers could surprise many.
10. Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois missing out on the College Football Playoff the past two seasons feels like a missed opportunity for Bret Bielema as Luke Altmyer departs. Katin Houser transfers in from East Carolina, and if he can become a more efficient passer, the offense will be in fine shape with their new quarterback. If the veteran-heavy defense can take a step forward while the offense may regress, the Illini should be right in the mix again in the Big Ten.
9. Nebraska Cornhuskers
Matt Rhule and Nebraska broke up with Dylan Raiola this offseason, which may lower their ceiling, but it should be better for the overall team. Anthony Colandrea put his career back on track last season at UNLV, but losing Emmett Johnson to the NFL is a major blow. New defensive coordinator Rob Aurich should bring a ton of excitement from his time with San Diego State, and Owen Chambliss' time in the system could make him one of the best linebackers in the Big Ten.
8. Iowa Hawkeyes
Every season, Iowa is constantly in and out of the top 25, as everyone knows the defense and special teams will be solid, but the offense will underwhelm. The Hawkeyes' quarterback battle rages on, which could set the offense back even further as the reps continue to be split. If Iowa is going to remain the pesky team in the Big Ten, it's going to be up to the defense to keep them in games.
7. Washington Huskies
The Washington Huskies could end up competing for a College Football Playoff bid, or they could fall apart early in the season. Demond Williams Jr tried to leave the Huskies for the Transfer Portal before being stuck due to his contract, which feels like it could lead to a blowup down the line. Jedd Fisch has built a talented roster, and if the Huskies are all able to put the past behind them, they have a QB capable of taking them on a magical run.
6. Penn State Nittany Lions
After Penn State's championship hopes crumbled early in the season, the Nittany Lions moved on from James Franklin, hiring long-time Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell. The entire roster looks different, as Matt Campbell brought a ton of players with him from Iowa State to build his new program. The big question will be if the group can continue to develop to the point that they're good enough to compete with the top teams in the Big Ten, as the roster is certainly solid.
5. Michigan Wolverines
Michigan was forced to fire Sherrone Moore out of nowhere and was lucky enough that Kyle Whittingham was available to take the job. Whittingham and OC Jason Beck will be tasked with getting Bryce Underwood to live up to his potential, as it'll determine the Wolverines' ceiling. The defense has a ton of exciting talent, including Utah transfer John Henry Daley, which should make it the strength of this team.
4. USC Trojans
The pressure is on for Lincoln Riley to finally make the College Football Playoff heading into his 5th season leading the Trojans. Jayden Maiava is back at quarterback, and he'll have some fresh faces in the receiving room with Terrell Anderson and a trio of freshman pass catchers named as starters. The big question for the Trojans will be how the defense performs going from D'Anton Lynn to Gary Patterson as coordinator, but the unit is filled with talent.
3. Indiana Hoosiers
Coming off a magical season, Curt Cignetti is tasked with replacing a ton while trying to defend their championship. Josh Hoover has big shoes to fill following Fernando Mendoza, but with Nick Marsh and Charlie Becker as targets, the offense should remain explosive. The defense should remain an elite unit with a ton of veterans returning while adding high-upside veterans like AJ Harris at cornerback.
2. Oregon Ducks
Dan Lanning has made back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances, and it truly feels like a now-or-never year for the Ducks. The only question on offense is how the offensive line will come together, as Dante Moore has a loaded group of skill players. The Ducks' defense has a chance to be the best unit in the Country with 4 elite defensive linemen and a pair of All-American caliber DBs in Koi Perich and Brandon Finney Jr.
1. Ohio State Buckeyes
The Ohio State Buckeyes looked to be the perfect team last season until it all came crashing down in the final two games of the season. The Buckeyes' offense remains as explosive as ever, led by the returns of Jeremiah Smith, Julian Sayin, and Bo Jackson, while the offensive line returns with a ton of experience. The defense has some major holes to fill with Caleb Downs, Arvell Reese, and Sonny Styles all off to the NFL, but Matt Patricia has the talent in place to keep this group one of the best in the country.
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