2026 Big Ten Midseason Review: What We've Learned About All 18 Teams

By Owain Jones

Seven weeks into the 2026 college football season, the Big Ten has us reevaluating much of what we expected from the conference in August.

From Oregon’s struggles to the unexpected emergence of UCLA and Northwestern, the conference hierarchy has shifted dramatically. And this is a Big Ten that entered 2026 looking to produce a fourth consecutive national champion.

But has the Big Ten really become weaker? The quality is still there. It’s just coming from some unexpected places.

With the second half of the season approaching, here’s what we’ve learned about all 18 Big Ten programs, why the conference hierarchy has changed, and what it means for the championship race.

The Championship Standard: Ohio State and Indiana

Ohio State Buckeyes

Ohio State and Indiana remain the Big Ten’s benchmark, and their meeting in Bloomington only reinforced how little separates them.

The Buckeyes emerged with a 19-15 victory, holding Indiana to just 73 rushing yards and forcing two fumbles. It was another demonstration of Ohio State’s championship-caliber defense against the reigning national champions, reinforcing why Ryan Day’s team remains among the favorites to win it all.

But Julian Sayin’s shoulder injury has complicated everything.

Ohio State managed only 78 rushing yards of its own against Indiana, and the brief glimpse of Luke Fahey offered little reassurance that the offense can maintain its usual standard without Sayin. Jeremiah Smith might be the best receiver in college football, but even he needs someone capable of delivering catchable passes.

The Buckeyes’ defense will keep them competitive against anybody. The question is whether their backup quarterback can make the decisive plays when it matters and keep them in contention into the postseason, particularly with USC and Oregon on the horizon.

Indiana Hoosiers

Indiana, meanwhile, shouldn’t be judged too harshly for losing a game it came agonizingly close to winning. Nick Marsh was arguably one stride away from winning the game for the Hoosiers, and they remain one of the most complete teams in the country.

There are concerns, though. Indiana needed two explosive Marsh touchdowns to escape Nebraska after running just 44 offensive plays to the Cornhuskers’ 83, and Ohio State exposed its difficulties establishing the running game against an elite defensive front.

Curt Cignetti’s team still belongs in the national championship conversation, but the Hoosiers need to rediscover some offensive sharpness if they’re going to defend their Big Ten and national titles.

ALSO READ: 2026 Big Ten Football Predictions: Projecting Every Team’s Record 

The Challengers With Something to Prove: UCLA, USC, Iowa and Northwestern

UCLA Bruins

Nobody has done more to upset the Big Ten’s expected hierarchy than UCLA.

We anticipated improvement under Bob Chesney, but few could have imagined the Bruins reaching the halfway point unbeaten and ranked inside the top 10. Their transformation has been built on a physical running game averaging 223.8 yards per conference game and a defense that has allowed opponents to convert just eight of 48 third downs in Big Ten play.

The question now is whether they can sustain it without Nico Iamaleava.

Ty Dieffenbach was encouraging in his first FBS start, throwing for 264 yards against Wisconsin, but UCLA managed only 17 points. The Bruins have established themselves as legitimate championship contenders, and with a favorable schedule, they could be waiting to capitalize if Ohio State stumbles without Sayin.

USC Trojans

USC, however, might be the team best equipped to disrupt the championship race, particularly with Ohio State and UCLA still to come.

Lincoln Riley’s offense is averaging 36.4 points and more than 460 yards per game, giving the Trojans the explosiveness to challenge anybody. But Gary Patterson’s defense remains difficult to trust, surrendering approximately 410 yards and 30 points per conference game.

There have been encouraging signs, including holding Washington to just one third-down conversion in 12 attempts. But USC needs to demonstrate that it can consistently stop opponents before third down if it is going to turn offensive firepower into a championship challenge.

Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa has almost the opposite problem.

The Hawkeyes remain a physical, defense-first team, but their offense has improved from approximately 320 yards per game last season to 403 in 2026. Kamari Moulton’s 208 rushing yards against Washington demonstrated the danger of their running game, while Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski have both contributed important passing performances.

Iowa is still distinctly Iowa, only with a little more offensive versatility. The concern is whether that versatility produces enough explosive plays against the conference’s best defenses

Northwestern Wildcats

Then there’s Northwestern, whose offensive transformation under Chip Kelly deserves considerably more attention.

The Wildcats have increased their scoring average from 23.4 to 33.5 points per game, with Aidan Chiles completing more than 70% of his passes without throwing an interception.

But Northwestern’s toughest tests are still ahead, with Oregon, Iowa, and Ohio State remaining on the schedule. The Wildcats have already proved they’re better than we expected, but the schedule the rest of the way will tell us how good they really are.

The Disappointments: Oregon, Penn State, Michigan, Illinois, Washington and Rutgers

Oregon Ducks

Oregon is the biggest disappointment of the 2026 season. Something has gone seriously wrong in Eugene, and time is running out to put it right.

We entered 2026 believing the Ducks were genuine national championship contenders, with Dante Moore returning and a roster loaded with NFL talent. Instead, Dan Lanning’s team is 4-2 and unranked, having already lost to Oklahoma State and UCLA while narrowly escaping against Boise State.

Moore’s concussion has undoubtedly complicated matters, but Oregon’s problems were evident before his injury. The Ducks were outgained 554-281 in their 39-31 defeat to Oklahoma State with Moore under center, exposing an offense that has struggled to establish the physical authority and explosive consistency we expected.

As we examined in our earlier analysis, the departures of Will Stein and Tosh Lupoi have also proved more significant than anticipated. Oregon has the individual talent to recover, but its performances have raised serious questions about how effectively that talent is being coached and deployed. With Ohio State still to come, the Ducks have little to no room for error.

Penn State Nittany Lions

Penn State’s collapse, though, has been even more dramatic in the standings, even if we entered the season with more modest expectations.

We predicted a 9-3 season largely because Matt Campbell inherited a favorable schedule and brought considerable familiarity with his approach. Instead, the Nittany Lions are 3-4 and winless in four Big Ten games.

Perhaps we placed too much faith in what Campbell was bringing from Iowa State, because Penn State has looked remarkably like his former team and produced the sort of results we hoped he would leave behind.

The problems are even most apparent at the line of scrimmage. Penn State is averaging just 75 rushing yards per conference game while allowing approximately 218, including an extraordinary 413 against Northwestern. For a coach expected to establish a physical identity, those numbers are damning.

Michigan Wolverines

Michigan’s disappointment is different again.

Kyle Whittingham has delivered much of what we anticipated defensively, with the Wolverines allowing approximately 257 yards per game. But an offense averaging only 18 points in Big Ten play has left Michigan without a clear direction.

Bryce Underwood has regressed, although the lack of dependable receiving weapons and offensive cohesion has hardly helped him. His halftime benching against Penn State was a significant decision, even if it had been on the cards for some time. Whittingham’s staff now faces the challenge of reestablishing an offensive identity

Illinois Fighting Illini

Illinois, meanwhile, is discovering just how difficult it can be to maintain success through substantial transition.

After consecutive nine-win seasons, we expected Bret Bielema’s team to remain competitive. But the departure of Luke Altmyer, quarterback injuries, and Bobby Hauck’s exit after just four games have contributed to a difficult start.

The defensive problems are particularly concerning. Illinois is allowing 34.3 points per conference game, with opponents converting 19 of 33 third downs. Hauck’s departure wasn’t an admission that the 3-3-5 couldn’t work, but the breakdown in communication and execution was far more damaging than the scheme itself.

Washinton Huskies

Washington has also struggled to translate its talent into consistent performances against stronger opposition.

The Huskies are averaging fewer than 85 rushing yards per conference game, and Iowa exposed their problems up front by recording six sacks and holding them to negative rushing yardage. Demond Williams’ injury has added another complication, although Elijah Brown’s 302 passing yards and three touchdowns against Purdue offered some encouragement despite three interceptions. But have no doubt this is a bad year for Jedd Fisch.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Finally, Rutgers has failed to produce the progression we expected under Greg Schiano. No one expected the Scarlet Knights to win the Big Ten, but the coaching hires and last year’s offensive firepower gave us reason to expect improvement in Piscataway.

There are positives offensively, particularly with KJ Duff, but a defense conceding approximately 477 yards and 39.7 points per conference game has undermined almost everything else.

The Imperfect Middle: Nebraska, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Purdue

Nebraska Cornhuskers

Nebraska can’t catch a break and might be the most frustrating team in the Big Ten over the past fortnight.

The Cornhuskers are 5-2 and have demonstrated they can compete with some of the conference’s best teams, but their inability to beat ranked opponents continues to haunt the program. They led Indiana 17-6 in the fourth quarter and held a 14-6 advantage over Oregon late in the game, only to lose both.

Matt Rhule has built a defense capable of troubling almost anybody, with opponents converting just 19.1% of their third downs, but Nebraska remains remarkably unpredictable offensively, particularly when games are on the line.

The Cornhuskers have now lost 31 consecutive games against opponents ranked in the AP Poll at kickoff. Their performance against Indiana suggests they’re closer to ending that streak, but until they can execute consistently in decisive moments, it’s difficult to trust them against superior opposition.

Wisconsin Badgers

Wisconsin, meanwhile, is showing signs of progress under Luke Fickell, even if its 4-2 record is roughly what we expected.

The Badgers are allowing just 13.3 points per conference game and demonstrated their resilience by overcoming a 17-0 deficit to beat Penn State. But the offense remains limited, particularly through the air. Colton Joseph managed only 66 passing yards in the 17-7 defeat to UCLA, leaving Wisconsin’s defense to do the heavy lifting.

Minnesota Golden Gophers

Minnesota has been similarly difficult to assess.

The Gophers have beaten Michigan and Washington, although neither victory looks quite as impressive given how both teams have performed this season. Their 41-13 defeat to Purdue also exposed just how quickly things can unravel when they lose control of the line of scrimmage. Minnesota was outrushed 305-27, a remarkable disparity for a team that wants to establish its identity through physical football.

Purdue Boilermakers

Then there’s Purdue, which deserves considerably more credit than its 3-4 record suggests.

We predicted the Boilermakers would win just one game all season after going winless in the Big Ten last year. Instead, Barry Odom has already delivered conference victories over Illinois and Minnesota, while an offense that averaged 18.8 points per game in 2025 is now producing 31.3.

We were looking for tangible progress on the field rather than necessarily expecting it to translate into victories. Purdue has delivered both, and that’s more than we could reasonably have asked for at this stage.

Purdue still has defensive problems, but this is a far more competitive football team than it was a year ago. And for a program that entered the season facing another potentially miserable campaign, that represents meaningful progress.

The Rebuilds Still Searching for Answers: Maryland and Michigan State

Maryland Terrapins

Maryland and Michigan State entered 2026 facing difficult rebuilding jobs, and seven weeks later, neither has managed to establish much momentum.

The Terrapins have lost all four conference games, with Malik Washington receiving little help from an offense averaging just 94 rushing yards and 18 points per Big Ten game. The defense has been even more concerning, surrendering approximately 46 points per conference contest.

Their 37-30 defeat to Rutgers, having led 23-13 at halftime, summed up many of Maryland’s problems. Washington has shown promise, but the Terps lack the offensive balance and defensive reliability to turn competitive stretches into victories.

Michigan State Spartans

Michigan State’s 2-5 record is similarly disappointing, although Pat Fitzgerald’s first season has offered occasional glimpses of what he’s trying to build.

The Spartans pushed Illinois to overtime and lost by just three points to Northwestern, suggesting they’re capable of making life difficult for better opposition. But an offense averaging only 18.5 points and 95.5 rushing yards per conference game is struggling to establish the physical identity Fitzgerald wants.

There are signs of progress in East Lansing, even if they haven’t translated into victories. Maryland, meanwhile, is still searching for something equally convincing.

OWAIN JONES

COLLEGE FOOTBALL & NFL DRAFT ANALYST

OWAIN jones COVERS EVERYTHING college football & NFL DRAFT. COMING WITH PLENTY OF EXPERIENCE, OWAIN was PREVIOUSLY a writer for pfsn, and WAS THE NFL DRAFT EDITOR AT NINETY-NINE YARDS, WHERE HE CREATED DRAFT TALK. YOU CAN FOLLOW HIM ON TWITTER @OwainJonesCFB.

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