Big Ten Roundup, Week 11: CFP Expansion, Coaching Chaos and Indiana's QB Dilemma
By Owain Jones
November is becoming decision season across the Big Ten, and some of the biggest developments have happened away from the football field.
Four coordinators have lost their jobs in three days, the College Football Playoff is expanding to 24 teams, and the Big Ten has decided this season will be the last to feature a conference championship game.
Meanwhile, Indiana has a difficult quarterback decision ahead of USC’s visit, Illinois has quietly turned its season around, and Rutgers is giving Greg Schiano another opportunity to rebuild its struggling program.
With Week 11 approaching, there is plenty to unpack.
Why Are So Many Big Ten Football Coordinators Being Fired?
Seven Big Ten coordinators have now departed during the 2026 season, including four in just three days.
Nebraska’s Dana Holgorsen, Michigan’s Jason Beck, Purdue’s Kevin Kane and Ohio State’s Robby Discher are the latest casualties, joining Bobby Hauck, Ted Monachino and Drew Mehringer on the job market.
And in several of those cases, it’s difficult to argue against making changes.
Nebraska began 5-0, scoring at least 31 points in every game, before losing four consecutive contests while averaging just 13.5 points. Yet the Cornhuskers have still gained 362 yards per game during that losing streak, including 426 against Illinois.
Nebraska can move the football. Turning that production into points has become an increasing problem in high-stakes games, with poor situational execution and missed opportunities contributing to its collapse.
Meanwhile, Purdue’s defensive struggles are even more obvious. The Boilermakers have allowed 32.3 points and 415 yards per game, surrendering a Big Ten-high 50 plays of at least 20 yards.
That’s dreadful production, particularly considering Barry Odom rehired Kane despite his previous spell coordinating Purdue’s defense under Ryan Walters.
Furthermore, Michigan presents another interesting question.
Jason Beck arrived with the expectation of transforming the Wolverines’ offense, only to be dismissed after nine games. Reports suggesting his system didn’t suit Michigan’s personnel raise questions about Kyle Whittingham’s decision to appoint him.
Was Beck calling the wrong plays, or had Michigan committed to an offensive philosophy its players couldn’t execute?
Ohio State had legitimate reasons to dismiss Discher, too. Costly special-teams mistakes against Texas, USC and Oregon contributed to a disappointing 6-3 season, with the Buckeyes ranking 102nd nationally in special-teams efficiency.
But Oregon scoring 38 unanswered points after converting a fake punt exposed problems extending well beyond special teams.
But teams who changed coordinator earlier in the season offer some encouragement. Oregon scored 41 against Ohio State after replacing Mehringer, while Illinois has made considerable defensive progress since Hauck departed. Maryland, however, eventually dismissed Mike Locksley despite previously changing defensive coordinators.
There are genuine football reasons behind several of these departures, and changing coordinators can produce immediate improvements.
But head coaches hire their assistants, approve their schemes, and construct the rosters expected to execute them. Finding someone else to take responsibility for a struggling unit doesn’t absolve the person ultimately responsible for the program.
Why Is the Big Ten Scrapping Its Championship Game Amid CFP Expansion?
College football’s postseason is getting even bigger (for better or worse), and Tony Petitti and the Big Ten leadership have been among the biggest advocates of expanding the College Football Playoff. They’ve got what they wanted.
From 2027, the CFP will feature 24 teams, with eight first-round byes and 19 at-large selections. And the Big Ten Championship Game? That’s being scrapped after this season.
For the Big Ten, there are obvious advantages to expansion. Six programs would have finished inside the final CFP top 24 last season, although only three qualified for the playoff. USC and Michigan both finished 9-3, while Iowa ranked 23rd at 8-4.
Under the new format, nine-win Big Ten teams could regularly find themselves competing for national championships, and that should be particularly appealing for the conference’s second tier.
But sacrificing the conference championship is a considerably more questionable decision.
Removing another high-stakes contest makes sense when national championship contenders could be playing as many as 17 games. It reduces injury risks and prevents a conference title-game defeat from damaging playoff prospects for teams on the bubble of the three tiers.
Yet conference championships have always been part of what makes college football special. Winning the Big Ten should mean something beyond improving postseason seeding.
And there are further questions about how the conference decides who wins it.
There are currently 18 Big Ten teams playing nine conference games apiece. Two programs could finish 8-1 without facing each other, having played vastly different schedules. A standings-based champion might satisfy the competition’s rules, but would it carry the same weight as winning in Indianapolis?
The Big Ten hasn’t announced how it intends to settle that situation from 2027, and speculation will continue until there is some level of clarity. A simple coronation will leave a sour taste in many fans’ mouths.
There’s also a commercial argument behind expansion, with more playoff participants creating additional exposure and potentially greater revenue.
But in an era of NIL and revenue sharing, shouldn’t players reasonably expect their compensation to reflect the additional demands of an expanded postseason? Any financial upside for programs could bring further roster management costs.
And that raises a bigger question about the direction of college football.
The Big Ten has improved its members’ opportunities to compete nationally. That’s undoubtedly valuable, and leadership will claim that is their responsibility.
But if conference championships become little more than ceremonial titles, what exactly are conferences competing for? Or, more strongly, what’s the point of belonging to one beyond collective negotiation?
Perhaps that’s where college football is heading. But how much of what makes the sport special is worth sacrificing along the way?
Indiana Football: Should Josh Hoover or Grant Wilson Start Against USC?
For a team with genuine national championship ambitions, Indiana is making winning football games a lot harder than it needs to be.
The Hoosiers are 8-1, but haven’t scored more than 20 points in regulation in four consecutive games, and Curt Cignetti now faces a difficult quarterback decision ahead of their season-defining matchup with USC.
Josh Hoover has thrown for 1,860 yards, 19 touchdowns and just two interceptions this season. But since injuring his right arm against Ohio State, his play has declined.
Against Michigan and Minnesota, Hoover completed just 16 of 37 passes, throwing two interceptions.
Grant Wilson came in against Minnesota and certainly gave Cignetti something to think about. So much so that who will be the starter on Saturday is up in the air.
Wilson threw for 156 yards after replacing Hoover, adding 26 rushing yards and connecting with Charlie Becker for the 25-yard overtime winner.
That mobility could be particularly valuable for an Indiana offense struggling to sustain drives, having converted just two of 13 third downs against Minnesota.
Of course, Wilson has attempted only 22 passes all season, which is not ideal as we head towards the postseason. Especially as USC is fresh from beating Ohio State 30-18 and their bye week and won’t make life easy for an inexperienced quarterback.
But Indiana cannot afford another afternoon of offensive frustration that has been witnessed previously, not against a team that can play at the level of USC. Particularly after falling to ninth in the latest CFP rankings.
Hoover remains the obvious choice if he’s physically capable of reproducing his early-season performances. If he’s still limited, Cignetti should have no hesitation turning to Wilson.
Indiana’s defense has been exceptional all season. It’s about time the offense started holding up its end of the bargain.
How Has Illinois Football Turned Its Season Around After Bobby Hauck's Departure?
Remember when Illinois looked like it was heading for a disastrous season? Four consecutive wins later, the Fighting Illini are back in the Big Ten conversation, with even a slim chance of reaching the conference championship game.
The biggest improvement has come defensively, and what Roger Cooper and the coaching staff have done since Bobby Hauck’s departure is pretty much what was needed. They’ve made life easier for their players.
Illinois hasn’t abandoned the 3-3-5. Instead, the bye week provided an opportunity to simplify defensive responsibilities, reduce the number of calls, and incorporate elements of the previous system players were comfortable executing.
It’s hardly revolutionary coaching, but it’s worked. Plays need clarity, and they need to understand the basics.
The Illini allowed approximately 31 points per game through their first six contests under Hauck. Since the bye, Oregon has scored 10, Maryland 17, and Nebraska 13.
However, there’s some important context.
Oregon and Nebraska both gained 426 yards against Illinois, while missed field goals helped keep their scores down. The Illini have become considerably better at making important stops, but they’re hardly dominating opponents.
Still, players appear more comfortable with their assignments, and the defense is functioning far more effectively.
Unbeaten UCLA visits Champaign this weekend, providing a fascinating examination of how far Illinois has progressed.
Rutgers Football: Is Greg Schiano Running Out of Chances?
Greg Schiano will be back at Rutgers in 2027, it has been announced. Whether he deserves to be is another question entirely.
The Scarlet Knights are 2-7, have lost 12 of their last 15 Big Ten games, and athletic director Keli Zinn has described their results as unacceptable.
Schiano deserves enormous credit for rebuilding Rutgers during his first spell, while consecutive 7-6 seasons in 2023 and 2024 proved his second tenure was beginning to produce results.
But the program has gone backwards since.
Schiano’s second stint now stands at 33-48, including a miserable 16-44 record in Big Ten play. His reported $18.5 million buyout undoubtedly complicates any decision to move on, although Rutgers insists meaningful changes are planned.
The head coach has acknowledged the need to improve roster investment, player evaluation, and recruiting. Those are sensible priorities in modern college football, but Rutgers also needs to rediscover its defensive identity.
But his reputation has been built on producing tough, physical, disciplined teams capable of making life uncomfortable for more talented opponents. But the Scarlet Knights have lost much of that identity.
There are legitimate reasons to give him another opportunity. But previous achievements and an expensive contract cannot excuse continued regression.
Nobody should expect Rutgers to compete with Ohio State every Saturday. Becoming consistently competitive against the Big Ten’s middle tier, however, is a reasonable expectation.
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.
