Indiana, the reigning national champion, sits at the center of the storm. The Hoosiers’ rise under Curt Cignetti from plucky spoiler to full‑fledged powerhouse has already rewritten the conference hierarchy, and the league wasted no time testing their staying power. Their midseason stretch—Ohio State at home, Michigan on the road, USC in Bloomington, and Washington in Seattle—reads like a referendum on whether last year’s magic was a coronation or a prelude. The Oct. 17 rematch with Ohio State, a reprise of the 2025 Big Ten Championship, may be the most anticipated game in the conference this fall. Bloomington has become a fortress, but the Buckeyes arrive with a roster built to reclaim what they believe is rightfully theirs.

Ohio State and Ryan Day, for their part, face a schedule that feels almost punitive. A November showdown with Oregon looms as a potential top‑five clash, the kind of game that can swing a first‑round bye in the expanded playoff. The Ducks and Dan Lanning, who have embraced their Big Ten identity with a mix of swagger and steel, face their own gantlet: at USC, at Ohio State, Michigan, and Washington all in the same season. It’s the kind of lineup that tests not just talent, but depth, conditioning, and the ability to survive the cumulative weight of elite competition.

Michigan, meanwhile, enters a new era under new head coach Kyle Whittingham with a schedule that offers both opportunity and peril. A November trip to Autzen Stadium—where the Wolverines haven’t won in more than half a century—could define their season. And, of course, “THE GAME” remains the league’s gravitational center. No matter how the standings look by late November, Michigan‑Ohio State will once again carry playoff implications, coaching‑staff scrutiny, and the emotional heft of a rivalry that refuses to soften.

Elsewhere, the league’s newcomers continue to shape the landscape. USC and Lincoln Riley, temporarily (at least that is the hope) without the annual Notre Dame anchor, must navigate a cross‑country slate that includes October trips to Happy Valley and Madison. Washington’s late‑season date with Indiana could carry unexpected weight. Illinois and Bret Bielema, quietly building momentum, hosts Oregon, Nebraska, and Iowa in a stretch that could determine whether the Illini are ready to step into the league’s second tier.

And then there’s Penn State, the beneficiary of a favorable rotation that avoids Indiana, Ohio State, and Oregon altogether. In a league where survival often feels like success, the Nittany Lions may find themselves in the enviable position of controlling their own destiny. Even without those 2025 playoff participants, new Penn State head coach Matt Campbell will have his share of challenges in October, when USC visits on October 10th and the Nittany Lions travel to Ann Arbor on October 17th.

What makes the 2026 schedule so compelling is not just the star power, but the stakes. The Big Ten has produced three straight national champions, and the path to a fourth winds through stadiums packed with playoff hopefuls, Heisman candidates, and coaching staffs under pressure to deliver. Every Saturday feels oversized. Every loss feels heavier. Every win feels like a step toward something monumental.

In a conference defined by tradition but reshaped by expansion, the 2026 season promises clarity. By Thanksgiving, we’ll know which programs have adapted to the new order—and which are still clinging to the old one. The schedule offers no hiding places. Only collision points. Only truth.

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The rivalry has seen plenty of twists. This one feels genealogical.

Meyer elevated Day quickly during his Ohio State tenure, trusting him with the offense and, eventually, the program itself. Day modernized the Buckeyes without abandoning the core tenets he absorbed under Meyer: tempo, precision, and relentless roster building. His teams have remained national contenders, and his lone meeting with Whittingham — the 2022 Rose Bowl — produced a 48–45 thriller.

Whittingham’s path is longer and more surprising. He spent two seasons as Meyer’s defensive coordinator at Utah, helping build the undefeated 2004 team that launched Meyer into national prominence. When Meyer left for Florida, he recommended Whittingham as his successor — a decision that shaped Utah football for two decades. Whittingham delivered championships, top‑25 finishes, and a reputation for toughness that Meyer himself repeatedly praised.

Now he arrives at Michigan, charged with stabilizing a program in transition. And he’ll do it using many of the same principles that once powered Meyer’s 7–0 run against the Wolverines.

That’s the irony: Michigan, long tormented by Meyer’s Ohio State teams, is now turning to one of Meyer’s protégés to rebuild. Ohio State, meanwhile, continues under another branch of the same tree.

Day and Whittingham share a mentor, but not a style. Day is an offensive technician; Whittingham is a defensive craftsman. Their philosophies diverge, but their roots intertwine — and that shared lineage adds a new layer to a rivalry already rich with history.

When they meet as head coaches of Ohio State and Michigan, it won’t just be another edition of The Game. It will be a collision of two branches of Urban Meyer’s legacy, shaping the rivalry he once dominated.

In a sport defined by tradition, this is a twist even Meyer might not have scripted.

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Blowouts Were Still A Theme: Indiana 73, Indiana State 0; Maryland 44, Towson 17; Nebraska 59, HCU 7; Michigan 63, Central Michigan 3; Penn State 52, Villanova 6; Illinois 38, Western Michigan 0; Iowa 47, UMass 7; Rutgers 60, Norfolk State 10. Congratulations to Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, as he earned his 206th victory to become The Big Ten’s winningest football coach in history.

Costly Win For Sparty?: Michigan State defeated Youngstown State, 41-24. The Spartans had offensive linemen Luka Vincic and Conner Moore, running back Makhi Frazier, and wide receiver Nick Marsh all leave the game due to injuries. Michigan State begins Big Ten conference play next week with a game at USC that will kick off at 11pm ET/8pm PT on September 20th.

First Conference Wins Of 2025 For Ducks & Trojans: Oregon 34, Northwestern 14; USC 33, Purdue 17. The Ducks will have a non-conference game against their longtime rivals in the Oregon State Beavers on September 20th, while USC will be welcoming in Michigan State, as written up above.

Sluggish Yet Still Victorious: Ohio State defeated Ohio University 37-9, after only leading the Bobcats 13-3 at the half. Give credit to Ohio University for playing tough against the Buckeyes, but I believe Ohio State head coach Ryan Day will have plenty to work on in the upcoming bye week, especially as the Buckeyes struggled in the red zone repeatedly Saturday evening.

The First Cut Is The Deepest: Alabama 38, Wisconsin 14; California 27, Minnesota 14. Both the Badgers and Golden Gophers fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, as both were defeated in non-conference play.

DeShaun Foster Is The First Coaching Casualty In The Big Ten: UCLA was dominated by New Mexico 35-10, leaving the Bruins at 0-3 on the season. UCLA decided to pull the plug on Foster’s coaching tenure, appointing Tim Skipper as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2025 season. “I want to extend my sincere appreciation to DeShaun for his contributions to UCLA Football over the course of many years, first as a Hall of Fame student-athlete, then as an assistant coach and finally as head coach,” said UCLA AD Martin Jarmond. Speculation on who the Bruins may target for their next head coach has already begun in earnest, but UCLA will want to take their time and make sure they have the right man in place to rebuild the UCLA program.

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1. Whew, That Was Close: Rutgers defeated Ohio University 34-31 and Nebraska defeated Cincinnati 20-17, in closer than expected games. In the words of Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule, “There’s going to be a lot of good. There’s going to be a lot of things we want to correct…We’ll be in there tomorrow and start getting better for next week.”.
2. Pitching A Shutout: Wisconsin defeated Miami University 17-0, while Purdue defeated Ball State 31-0. Both Wisconsin and Purdue are coming off disappointing 2024 seasons, so winning their respective first games via shutouts probably provided a boost of confidence. Both Wisconsin and Purdue will need it, with both teams having among the most challenging 2025 schedules within The Big Ten.
3. Slugfest: Ohio State defeated Texas 14-7 in a game dominated by strong defensive performances by both teams. Reflecting on the first game of the 2025 season, Ohio State head coach Ryan Day said, “When you start a season, you want to set the tone…There’s a lot of guys who are stepping into roles for the first time ever. And for these guys to step in and really have great energy about them, I thought they were poised. I thought the moment was not too big for them.”.
4. Happy With The Win, But There’s Room For Improvement: Minnesota defeated Buffalo 23-10, Michigan State defeated Western Michigan 23-6, Indiana defeated Old Dominion 27-14, Michigan defeated New Mexico 34-17, and Washington defeated Colorado State 38-21. While all of those teams won their games, each had their respective moments that their respective coaching staffs will be able to identify as areas to improve upon between week one and week two.
5. No Debate About The Dominance: Illinois throttled Western Illinois 52-3, Penn State overpowered Nevada 46-11, Oregon smashed Montana State 59-13, Maryland walloped Florida Atlantic 39-7, Iowa clobbered UAlbany 34-7, and USC crushed Missouri State 73-13. No matter how many words I could search instead of “defeated”, it was a perfect springboard of confidence for each of these teams to start off 2025 in a dominant fashion. Congratulations to Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz, as he tied legendary Ohio State head coach Woody Hayes with his 205th victory. One more win for Ferentz and he will have the record to himself.
6. Back To The Drawing Board: As written up above, two of The Big Ten’s teams lost in week one. Tulane handled Northwestern 23-3, while Utah came into The Rose Bowl and never were threatened by UCLA, winning 43-10. Both the Wildcats and Bruins need to figure things out in a hurry to keep their respective 2025 seasons from spiraling downward.

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With nearly 6 months before the game on November 1st, the highly anticipated match up between Penn State and Ohio State was ratcheted up after the publication of a story by Heather Dinich of ESPN.com on May 6th. Dinich’s story gave college football fans, most notably Ohio State and Penn State fans, insight into the reasons why Jim Knowles left his position as Ohio State’s defensive coordinator to join Jim Franklin’s staff at Penn State for this upcoming season.

In the article, Knowles explained to Dinich his reasoning for leaving Ohio State, despite the Buckeyes’ recent national championship success. Essentially, Knowles wanted a contract extension/adjustment prior to Ohio State’s national championship game versus Notre Dame, and when the adjustment did not happen, Knowles felt that it was in his best interests to look elsewhere.

In the article, Jim Knowles stated, “I did not want to put anyone, including myself, in a position to have to deal with it immediately following the national championship game…And that’s the way it happened…Season’s over, everything coming to a head again quickly…Ohio State hasn’t come forward with a deal, and it’s like, OK, if I’m going to act on this or at least explore it, I have got to make the call.“.

Adding to the awkwardness of the situation was how this all played out in the backdrop of a national championship celebration at Ohio Stadium, minus Jim Knowles. Negotiations with Knowles were ongoing, and Knowles was asked not to attend the celebration. In the article, Knowles stated, “I was asked not to go to the parade, and I respect that…I’m not trying to be a secretive guy. Here’s this offer, there were a couple others that were every bit as much money, and then there was Ohio State’s offer, which was still great money, but not as much, so then you have to sit with it.”.

Both Penn State and Ohio State have moved on, with Knowles taking over as Penn State’s defensive coordinator, while Ohio State head coach Ryan Day elected to hire Matt Patricia as defensive coordinator, while also promoting Tim Walton to co-defensive coordinator. Needless to say, the backstory and drama surrounding the departure of Jim Knowles from Ohio State to a rival Big Ten program in Penn State has only fueled the anticipation for one of college football’s biggest games of the 2025 season.

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Michigan announced Wednesday that Ohio State running backs coach Tony Alford was hired to fill the same role.

READ: Texas A&M names Nebraska’s Trev Alberts next athletics director

“Tony is an elite running backs coach who is an outstanding mentor and example for young men in all aspects of football and life,” Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore stated in a release. “I know that he will have a profound impact on our running back room and football program. We are excited to have Tony and his wife, Trina, and their boys join the Michigan Football Family.”

Alford spent the past nine seasons with the Buckeyes. He’d been part of teams that went 5-3 against Michigan since he arrived at Ohio State in 2015.

It isn’t the first time a coach has switched sides in the rivalry culminating in “The Game” at the end of each regular season. Ohio State hired Greg Mattison and Al Washington to be part of its defensive staff when Ryan Day took over as head coach prior to the 2019 season.

READ: Sen. Ted Cruz says ‘clock is running’ for Congress to pass college athletics legislation at NIL roundtable

Alford will replace Mike Hart as Wolverines running backs coach after the team announced Hart wouldn’t be retained.

Alford’s hiring is the latest move in Moore’s tenure as Michigan head coach. Moore took over for Jim Harbaugh upon the Wolverines’ College Football Playoff National Championship victory over Washington, and he’s made sweeping changes to the program’s coaching staff.

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Chambers arrived as a Buckeye first as a running back. Two seasons later, Chambers jumped across the line of scrimmage and became a linebacker where he’d earn All-Big Ten honors in his career.

Now at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Chambers said his focus on the NFL Draft couldn’t be sharper if it weren’t for his time at Ohio State.

“It’s prepared me for everything,” Chambers told the media on Wednesday afternoon. “It’s just prepared me for life. I mean, what coach (Ryan) Day, coach (Jim) Knowles, coach Mick (Marotti), everything they do, they just, they work to make you a better man, a better person on and off the field. So I’ve got so much gratitude for that place I can’t really explain it.”

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The Buckeyes moved quickly after Bill O’Brien’s brief tenure at Ohio State ended once he took the head coaching spot at Boston College.

READ: Tennessee lands in-state wide receiver Joakim Dodson

“I want to sincerely thank Chip for his service to UCLA Football and our student-athletes across the past six seasons and wish the best to him and his wife Jill moving forward,” UCLA athletics director Martin Jarmond stated in a release.

Now, UCLA has started “a national search” for its next head coach, according to a release.

“It is imperative that we support our student-athletes and put them in the best position to succeed,” Jarmond stated. “UCLA is a special place, and we are confident we will find a leader for our football program who develops young men on and off the field and embodies our True Bruin Values.”

READ: Alabama Offensive Coordinator Ryan Grubb Leaving for the NFL

Kelly arrives at Ohio State with a long history alongside Ohio State head coach Ryan Day. The two spent time together when Day was quarterback at New Hampshire and Kelly was offensive coordinator, then the duo coached together in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2015 and San Francisco 49ers in 2016.

Day stated the Buckeyes are “extremely excited” for Kelly’s arrival, according to Tony Gerdeman of Buckeye Huddle.

“We are extremely excited to have Chip and his wife, Jill, joining our program,” Day stated via Gerdeman. “His experience as a head coach at Oregon, UCLA and in the NFL will bring immediate value to our entire team. I am really looking forward to reconnecting with Chip, introducing him to our staff and team and chasing a championship together. I would also like to wish coach Bill O’Brien and his family well as he takes over at Boston College.”

Now, Day and Kelly will coach together at Ohio State where the former has been head coach for the past five seasons.

Kelly will bring to the Buckeyes a wealth of football knowledge he’s accumulated from over 30 years of coaching. He has been head coach at both the college and NFL levels.

Kelly’s first head coaching job came at Oregon from 2009-12. There, he earned the first of back-to-back Pac-12 Conference Coach of the Year honors in his first season after leading the Ducks to a 10-3 record and Rose Bowl appearance in 2009.

READ: Reports: Michigan to hire Wink Martindale as DC

Before Kelly got to Oregon, he spent the previous 13 years at New Hampshire which is his alma mater.

After four seasons with the Ducks, Kelly made the jump to head coach of the Eagles in 2013. He’d spend three years there before becoming head coach of the 49ers where he and Day coaching quarterbacks.

Kelly was named Maxwell Club NFL Coach of the Year upon leading the Eagles to an NFC East Division championship in 2013, becoming the second head coach in league history to win a division title in his first NFL season.

Kelly first started his coaching career at Columbia University in 1990 when he coached defensive backs and special teams. Among his additional stops early in his career came at New Hampshire as running backs coach in 1992 and as defensive coordinator at Johns Hopkins in 1993.

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According to Pete Thamel of ESPN, former Alabama quarterback Julian Sayin will transfer to Ohio State.

READ: Buffalo names Pete Lembo next head coach

Sayin is a true freshman who early enrolled and joined the Crimson Tide this month. He was a five-star recruit and largely heralded as the top quarterback as part of the class of 2024.

Sayin was the No. 2 quarterback in his recruiting class according to Rivals. He was the No. 4 overall player in the class of 2024 and No. 1 player from California.

“Incredibly excited to join the team here at Ohio State,” Sayin told ESPN. “I held this program in high regard throughout my entire recruiting process and am looking forward to learning from some of the most talented players and coaches in college football and contributing to our team’s success.”

READ: Reports: Caleb Downs to transfer to Ohio State

Ryan Day and the Buckeyes have done some retooling since falling to No. 9 Missouri in the Cotton Bowl and entering the offseason.

Day has added Kansas State quarterback Will Howard, Alabama defensive back Caleb Downs and center Seth McLaughlin as well as Ole Miss running back Quinshon Judkins among others through the transfer portal.

READ: Ohio State hires Bill O’Brien as next offensive coordinator

Ohio State also named Bill O’Brien its next offensive coordinator. He’ll split duties with co-coordinator and wide receivers coach Brian Hartline.

Sayin will bring another arm into Ohio State’s quarterback competition going into the 2024 season. He’ll compete alongside Howard, third-year Devin Brown and fellow freshman Air Noland.

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O’Brien brings over 34 years of coaching experience to Ohio State, notably among the college and professional football ranks.

READ: South Alabama names Major Applewhite next head coach

“I am extremely pleased to be able to add Bill O’Brien to our coaching staff,” Day stated in a release. “He brings with him a wealth of knowledge – and a tremendous amount of success – at both the NFL and collegiate levels. He is an excellent and experienced offensive coach who has run NFL and Power 5 programs and developed some truly elite players throughout his career. He’ll be an excellent teacher and recruiter for us, and he absolutely strengthens our staff.”

O’Brien was the offensive coordinator under Bill Belichick at the New England Patriots this season.

Before coaching in New England, O’Brien was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach under Nick Saban at Alabama from 2021-22.

He’s also had a stint in the NFL with the Houston Texans, who he served as head coach from 2014-20.

READ: Reports: ACC files lawsuit against Florida State alleging breach of contract

Prior to his time with the Texans, O’Brien was a head coach in the Big Ten Conference. He led Penn State in 2012-13 when he was named 2012 Paul “Bear” Bryant National Coach of the Year.

O’Brien also has coaching stops at Duke, Maryland, Georgia Tech and Brown.

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The announcements come at a critical time for the Buckeyes. Rival Michigan just captured the College Football Playoff National Championship. 

READ: Jacksonville State hires Rhode Island’s Brandon Napoleon as safeties coach 

Head coach Ryan Day has already announced the departures of staff members and safeties coach Perry Eliano and special teams coordinator Parker Fleming. 

Burke and Hancock’s returns will bolster a secondary that showed much improvement last season. Ohio State allowed 145.9 passing yards per game, best in college football. 

READ: No. 1 Michigan ‘couldn’t be in a better spot’ after winning College Football Playoff National Championship

Burke was a semifinalist for the Jim Thorpe Award in 2023, given to the most outstanding defensive back. He had nine passes defended, a forced fumble and an interception during his junior campaign. 

Hancock was thrust into a starting role in 2023, manning the nickelback position at slot corner. He recorded a career-high 41 tackles, six passes defended, two forced fumbles and two sacks. 

READ: Former Ole Miss RB Quinshon Judkins commits to Ohio State

Along the Buckeyes offensive line will remain Jackson, who started at left guard each of the past two years. 

Jackson was heralded as a five-star recruit from Bellaire, Texas, as part of the class of 2021. He earned a starting role as a sophomore in 2022, and it has blossomed into a full-time role for Jackson. 

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According to Pete Thamel, former Kansas State quarterback Will Howard told ESPN that he intends to transfer to Ohio State.

READ: Reports: Ole Miss RB Quinshon Judkins enters transfer portal

Howard posted on X on Thursday evening his commitment to Ohio State.

The Buckeyes coaching staff “evaluated all of the top portal quarterbacks and arrived with conviction that Howard was the best among them, as they valued his arm strength, experience and dual-threat ability,” according to Thamel.

Howard transfers to Ohio State after four seasons with the Wildcats. He led them to a Big 12 Championship over national runner-up TCU during the 2022 season.

Howard’s passing and running combination reportedly won over the Ohio State coaching staff. In four seasons, Howard has 5,786 passing yards and 921 rushing yards.

READ: Georgia TE Brock Bowers declares for 2024 NFL Draft

This season, Howard had a career-high 2,643 passing yards and 24 touchdowns. He had 10 interceptions, but he also finished with a 61% completion.

Howard will be the second transfer quarterback at Ohio State under head coach Ryan Day. Day and the Buckeyes brought in Justin Fields during the 2019-20 seasons, and Fields led them to a College Football Playoff National Championship appearance.

Howard will arrive at Ohio State after former Buckeyes quarterback Kyle McCord transferred to Syracuse in December 2023.

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