Big Ten Football 2026: Easiest to Toughest Schedules Ranked
The Big Ten Conference just dropped its finalized 2026 football schedule, setting the stage for 14 weeks of competition. This comes right after Indiana’s wild national championship run, which really hammered home the Big Ten’s place at the top of college football.
With the SEC and Big Ten always fighting for bragging rights, the 2026 season looks like it’ll be something to see. The College Football Playoff format is sticking with 12 teams, so there’s plenty at stake.
The Big Ten wants to match the SEC’s record five playoff entries, and they’re leaning on strength of schedule to do it. Let’s take a look at the upcoming season, focusing on which teams landed the easiest—and the toughest—paths.
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Big Ten Teams with the Easiest Schedules
Some teams in the conference definitely caught a break this year. They dodged most of the heavy hitters and have a real shot at a standout season.
Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin’s schedule is about as friendly as it gets for 2026. They don’t have to play Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, or Indiana, and their only real conference test is against USC.
The Badgers open with Notre Dame at Lambeau Field. That’s a big one—Wisconsin hasn’t beaten Notre Dame since 1963, if you can believe it. If they pull it off, Coach Luke Fickell might just get his signature win right out of the gate.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State lucked out too, especially with Matt Campbell stepping in as head coach. No Indiana, Ohio State, or Oregon on their conference slate, and they get to host USC at Beaver Stadium.
With Campbell bringing in new talent through the portal, Penn State could sneak up on people. There’s definitely some dark horse energy here.
Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois has a manageable road ahead, facing just two teams from the way-too-early top 25. They’ll host Duke, the reigning ACC champs, and also play Ohio State and Oregon.
If the Illini can knock off Duke, there’s a chance they’ll be unbeaten—and maybe even ranked—when Big Ten play starts. Not a bad place to be.
Mid-Tier Schedules: Teams with Moderate Challenges
Some teams are in the middle—not easy, not impossible. If they can handle the mix, a breakout season isn’t out of the question.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Rutgers faces three top-25 teams—Indiana, Michigan, and USC—and they get all of them at home. They open with UMass, Boston College, and Howard, so there’s a real shot to build momentum before the gauntlet starts.
Maryland Terrapins
Maryland’s got three ranked teams on their schedule, including Virginia Tech. They’ll host James Franklin’s Hokies before jumping into conference play, which includes tough road games at Ohio State, USC, and Nebraska.
If they can take care of business in the winnable games, a bowl trip is totally within reach.
Minnesota Golden Gophers
Minnesota draws Indiana, Washington, and Michigan. That’s a tall order, but most of their defensive front seven are back, which helps a lot.
If they avoid any disasters against nonconference teams like Mississippi State, the Gophers could top last year’s win total. Stranger things have happened.
Washington Huskies
Washington’s road isn’t easy, but if they can protect home field, who knows? They go to Indiana, Oregon, and USC, plus away games at Michigan State, Nebraska, and Purdue.
A couple upsets on the road and things get interesting fast. It’s not impossible.
UCLA Bruins
UCLA’s got a busy schedule, starting with California, San Diego State, and Nevada. That should get them ready for the Big Ten grind.
They travel to Michigan and Oregon, and host USC. It’s a tough slate, but there’s some upside if they catch fire early.
The Toughest Schedules in the Big Ten
Some teams got absolutely hammered by the schedule-makers. Their path is, frankly, brutal.
Ohio State Buckeyes
Ohio State’s schedule is just nasty. Five top-10 teams, including Indiana and Texas on the road, plus trips to USC and Iowa.
They also host Oregon and Michigan. This might be the hardest schedule Ryan Day’s had to deal with. The Buckeyes will have to be sharp every single week.
Indiana Hoosiers
Fresh off their first national title, Indiana doesn’t get a victory lap. They’ll see four top-25 teams: USC, Michigan, Washington, and Ohio State.
USC comes to their place, but they have to travel to Michigan and Washington. Defending a title is never easy, but this feels especially rough.
Oregon Ducks
Oregon’s 2026 slate is way tougher than last year. They face Washington, USC, Ohio State, and Michigan, plus a nonconference trip to Oklahoma State.
The last month is a killer: Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, and Washington. That stretch will make or break their season.
Northwestern Wildcats
Northwestern’s schedule is no joke. They go on the road to face Indiana, Oregon, and Ohio State.
They also have tough games against Illinois, Iowa, and Penn State. It’s a big ask for the Wildcats, but hey, crazier things have happened.
Nebraska Cornhuskers
Nebraska faces four top-25 opponents: Indiana, Ohio State, Washington, and Oregon. They’ll also close out the regular season at Iowa, which is always tricky.
Matt Rhule’s squad will have to step up if they want to make some noise in 2026. It’s a tall order, but never say never in the Big Ten.
Conclusion
The 2026 Big Ten football schedule is shaping up to be a real rollercoaster. Some teams seem to have it a bit easier, while others are staring down a gauntlet.
Every team’s got their own path to figure out. Fans can probably expect a few surprises and plenty of drama this season—maybe even a couple of upsets no one’s calling yet.
If you want to dive into the nitty-gritty of each team’s schedule, head over to the CBS Sports website.
