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26 for 2026: 26 Key Questions for the Big Ten Football Season
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- 26 for 2026: 26 Key Questions for the Big Ten Football Season
The Big Ten is the big, bad conference in the room, and it's only getting bigger and badder as the transfer portal arms race has cranked up.
The conference has won three straight college football national championships - with the momentum carried by Michigan and UCLA in men's and women's basketball, respectively - and it has the elite teams to make it four in a row.
From the call on who the best teams are, to the coaches on the hottest seat, to the biggest questions for every team, the CFN 26 for 2026 series rolls on with the 26 questions for the Big Ten season.
Indiana's Josh Hoover (10) during spring practice at Memorial Stadium on Tuesday, March 31, 2026.© Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
26 Key Questions Shaping the 2026 Big Ten Football Season
26: Winningest Programs Yet To Make the CFP
25: ACC Key Questions
24: Big 12 Key Questions
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26 Just how strong is the Big Ten heading into 2026?
It's devastating.
The Big Ten has ruled major college sports over the last 18 months, and there's no reason to think it can't produce a fourth College Football Playoff national champion in four years.
The SEC might have improved, and the top ACC and Big 12 teams can hold their own, but it's the Big Ten's world right now, and we're all living in it.
25 Can Illinois keep the winning stretch going?
Last year's team went 9-4 and came up with a nice bowl win, but it was supposed to do even more.
The program is finding good replacements on a regular basis now, and this year it starts with East Carolina transfer Katin Houser needing to be the new quarterback star. The starting 22 will be fine, but the depth on the lines needs to emerge.
The Big Ten opener is at Ohio State, but outside of that, and a home game against Oregon, there's a chance to build big on the 19 wins over the last two seasons.
- 2026 Illinois Schedule Analysis
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24 How will Iowa replace quarterback Mark Gronowski ?
Let's just go there. Iowa had a star in Gronowski, and it didn't turn him loose enough. But that's because it's Iowa, and that's how things work.
And the team won nine games.
There's too much pass-catching talent not to start pushing the ball downfield more, but someone has to get them the ball.
There's no real pressure on Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski, though. Make the passes that are there, rely on the defense and running game, and, you know ... be Iowa.
- 2026 Iowa Schedule Analysis
23 Why will Maryland be so dangerous this season?
No one will want to deal with this offense.
The defense will be the biggest issue, especially against the run, but the transfer portal will help the cause. That side of the ball just has to hold serve.
With dangerous star quarterback Malik Washington
back, along with a great group of receivers and new offensive coordinator Clint Trickett in, every Terp game will be a track meet.
- 2026 Maryland Schedule Analysis
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22 What does Pat Fitzgerald have to do to make Michigan State relevant?
Basketball takes up most of the oxygen in the Michigan State room - and hockey this year, too - but this is supposed to be a monster football program. One problem with that - there's been just one winning season in the last six years.
New head coach Pat Fitzgerald needs to start on the lines. The Spartans got pushed around, didn't do enough pushing, and it needs to build back up by getting the infrastructure in place first.
Run the ball, stop the run, don't make mistakes. The transfers will help, starting with what should be an improved offensive line.
- 2026 Michigan State Schedule Analysis
21 Will Minnesota be all about quarterback Drake Lindsey again?
For the most part, yeah. The Gophers lived off the running game for years under PJ Fleck, and then they got a guy under center.
The staff pumped up Drake Lindsey as a quarterback to build around for the next few years, and he came up with a decent first year.
This year's team will have a stronger defense, and the running game won't be ignored, but Lindsey will be as important a player to his team as any in the Big Ten.
- 2026 Minnesota Schedule Analysis
Dec 31, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule gestures against the Utah Utes in the first half during the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium. © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
20 Will Nebraska ever turn the corner under Matt Rhule?
Nebraska has been better in the last three years under Matt Rhule, but it still appears to be 100 miles behind the Big Ten elite, and nowhere near the national championship level the program should be at.
The negative - the high-end talent still isn't there. It should be a good team, but that's not enough in the new world of the Big Ten.
Here's the positive - the schedule. A 5-0 start - Ohio, Bowling Green, North Dakota, at Michigan State, Maryland - is possible to at least get off the ground before a big bag of uh-oh comes to breakfast in the second half.
- 2026 Nebraska Schedule Analysis
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19 Can Northwestern really be a sleeper this season?
Yeah, because the only thing anyone will talk about with this team is the unbelievably snazzy new-look stadium opening up in early October.
The team itself will be stronger, starting with Chip Kelly taking over as the offensive coordinator and Aidan Chiles (Michigan State), a big-time talent who should be far better with his Big Ten time logged in. The defense will quietly be nasty.
The schedule is manageable, with eight wins a reasonable goal, and nine not totally out of the question.
- 2026 Northwestern Schedule Analysis
18 Can Matt Campbell take Penn State up that one extra level?
If he is, this is the year to do it - Campbell will never get a more favorable schedule with no Indiana, Ohio State, or Oregon.
It's been totally lost that Penn State got to the College Football Playoff semifinals two years ago under James Franklin. Is the hiring of Campbell treading water, or a move to make the Nittany Lions better against the elite of the elite teams - the main criticism of the Franklin era?
Everyone says all of the right things about the new guy getting a little time, but ... no.
There's a good base in place, and all the Iowa State transfers coming along with Campbell should solidify an already good situation. And again, with this schedule, nothing less than getting to the CFP will do.
- 2026 Penn State Schedule Analysis
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17 Is it even possible for Purdue to win?
That's not to be snarky or mean, but the Big Ten is so loaded that it might seem almost impossible for the Boilermakers to break through.
Non-conference games against Notre Dame and Wake Forest don't help, but not having to play Ohio State, Oregon, and Michigan is a break.
Indiana State, Wake Forest, Minnesota, Maryland, and Wisconsin. Win those five home games, and it'll be the most wins Purdue has enjoyed in seven of the last eight years.
Barry Odom is a fantastic coach, and the talent level is improving. At the very least, Purdue won't be an automatic win on the schedule.
- 2026 Purdue Schedule Analysis
16 Can Rutgers be good on both sides of the ball?
The Rutgers offense was terrific last season, finishing 44th in the nation. The defense was a disaster, finishing 127th. Two years earlier, in 2023, the defense was 16th in the nation and 123rd in offense.
The offense has the parts back to be strong again - the transfers are good to fill in the holes - and South Dakota head coach Travis Johansen should boost the defense a little bit.
There's zero break in the Big Ten, though, with the easiest games on the road until the season finale against Michigan State.
- 2026 Rutgers Schedule Analysis
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15 Can UCLA become an immediate factor under Bob Chesney?
As long as everyone can blow off the idea that another former James Madison head coach can do what Curt Cignetti did at Indiana, yeah.
Bob Chesney isn't bringing in the amazingly undervalued talents from JMU that Cignetti did at IU, but there are enough to boost up the lines, and the offensive help should get even more out of talented quarterback Nico Iamaleava.
The CFP is asking for too much, but getting to eight wins - as many as the Bruins won over the last two seasons - is possible.
- 2026 UCLA Schedule Analysis
14 What's missing at USC to be in the Big Ten Championship race?
Take the offense to a whole other level.
USC hasn't hit 500 points in either of its two Big Ten seasons. Lincoln Riley's offense blew past the 500-point mark in two years of Pac-12 play and in his five years - shortened 2020 season aside - at OU.
USC was No. 1 in the Big Ten in total offense last season, but the team was 3-3 when it failed to get 400 total yards, and 6-1 when it cranked up more - the lone loss to Illinois was a late collapse.
Lincoln Riley has the quarterbacks - Jayden Maiava and superstar recruit Jonas Williams are special - the running game will be fine, and the scheme is locked in. Time to be more dynamic.
- 2026 USC Schedule Analysis
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13 How close is Washington to being a Big Ten player?
It was lost last season that Washington was deep in the hunt for a 10-2 regular season and a CFP spot going into November, and then came the clunker at Wisconsin to end it all.
This year's team has the schedule to flirt with ten wins - no Ohio State or Michigan - if it wins all the games it'll likely be favored in before closing against Indiana and at Oregon.
The offensive backfield should be a problem for the Big Ten, and the defense will be a killer. No one will want to face this bunch in Seattle.
- 2026 Washington Schedule Analysis
12 What is Wisconsin seeing in Luke Fickell?
It was one of the biggest surprises of last season when Wisconsin retained the services of head coach Luke Fickell after an ugly 17-21 start. So why is he still around?
The defense was good last year, but he hasn't had a lick of luck at quarterback with a horrendous run of injuries, and partly because of that, the offensive scheme ideas haven't worked. And that's the general thought - he's still a good coach, but he could use a break. He'll get one more season to show what he can do.
The Badgers did more in the transfer portal, but the results were mixed - the Badgers lost a few great players, but brought in bulk talent to revamp both sides of the ball.
- 2026 Wisconsin Schedule Analysis
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11 Does Oregon have that one extra gear?
Oregon has lost five games over the last three seasons. Two losses came to the Washington team that played for the 2023 national title, one game to the Ohio State team that won the 2024 CFP National Championship, and two came to Indiana last year.
This Oregon program under Dan Lanning is well past due to win a national title, but that requires beating the championship-level teams.
It might have the most talented quarterback in America in Dante Moore
, the backfield is deep, and the defense brought in even more star power. There's a trip to Ohio State, but other than that, this needs to be when the Ducks flex more muscle.
- 2026 Oregon Schedule Analysis
10 Can Kyle Whittingham make Michigan a national title contender again?
Yeah, but he has to get the offense grinding - and it might not kick in until next year, if Whittingham can pull in a monster transfer haul.
The schedule is a bear with trips to Oregon and Ohio State, but Indiana, Oklahoma, Penn State, and Iowa all come to Ann Arbor. Michigan needs to get back to being the team that can dominate no matter who it plays.
The talent is there, but Michigan held serve in the transfer portal, and that's being kind. It doesn't have the pieces of Ohio State, Indiana, or Oregon, so for this to work, it has to go all Utah on the lines, beat teams up, and hope quarterback Bryce Underwood and the skill parts can blow up.
- 2026 Michigan Schedule Analysis
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9 How sustainable is the Indiana success?
More than anyone seemingly wants to believe.
The massive alumni base is helping put all the money and parts in place for Curt Cignetti to succeed. It still sounds insane, but yes, Indiana can absolutely compete with Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and everyone else for any prospect in the transfer portal.
But to keep it going, new quarterback Josh Hoover (TCU) has to be close to as good as Fernando Mendoza, the right injury luck has to be there, and ...
It's not like Ohio State, Georgia, Alabama, Texas, and everyone else win championships every year - it's really
hard to do this. However, Indiana is in a position to be in the mix to win the Big Ten and the national title again, because here's the scary part.
Talent-wise - after what came through the portal - Indiana should be even better than last year. The question is whether or not the same mesh and magic are still there.
- 2026 Indiana Schedule Analysis
8 What tweak does Ohio State have to make to get back to the national title?
Anger.
Ohio State is always better when it has an existential chip on its shoulder, like when it desperately needed to beat Michigan, or when it felt like it was one flag or one missed kick away from winning a national title.
Last year's team had more talent than everyone else, but it didn't have that final five-minute focus and big playmaking next gear the 2024 version had. That comes with experience, and again, desperation.
There are some whopping losses on defense, but it's Ohio State. It'll be fine, especially with an offense that's almost unfairly talented.
It got lost in the national narrative, but last year's team was toying with everyone until a missed field goal probably cost it the Big Ten Championship. The motivation and fire should be back this year.
- 2026 Ohio State Schedule Analysis
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7 Which Big Ten team will look better than it really is because of the schedule?
Penn State.Get ready for the hype to crank up for the USC game on October 10th, because with Marshall, at Temple, Buffalo, Wisconsin and - don't sleep on this, because it's the reopening of the new shiny stadium - at Northwestern to start.
There's no Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon, Illinois, or Iowa, so let's put it this way. Anything less than 10-2 with this schedule won't be okay
.
6 Which Big Ten team will look worse than it really is because of the schedule?
Purdue.Everyone will dismiss the Boilermakers after the last few years of blah, but this really will be the type of team that can rise up and shock a team or three in the Big Ten. However, Wake Forest, at UCLA, Notre Dame, at Illinois, all in September, won't do the record any favors.
Jan 31, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; UCLA Bruins head football coach Bob Chesney is introduced during the basketball game against the Indiana Hoosiers at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom Financial. © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
5 Who is the best new Big Ten coaching hire?
Bob Chesney, UCLA.If we're diving into coordinators, Northwestern getting Chip Kelly as the OC was massive.
When it comes to the head men, Pat Fitzgerald was a home run idea for Michigan State, but Chesney should be the "why didn't we
think of that?" hire after doing the impossible. He took James Madison to another level after replacing Curt Cignetti.
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4 Which Big Ten coach is on the hottest seat?
Matt Rhule, Nebraska.The popular answer is Luke Fickell at Wisconsin, but the situation is so obvious that there might be less pressure now - if that makes any sense whatsoever.
Greg Schiano at Rutgers, USC's Lincoln Riley, and Maryland's Mike Locksley all need great seasons - at different expectation levels - but Nebraska needs to look like it's moving forward in Rhule's fourth season.
So far, he's only 19-19. He'll be fine with a third-straight seven-win season, or better, but if it's a losing campaign, uh oh.
3 How many Big Ten teams will be in the College Football Playoff?
Four.Here's the deal, and it's not fair.
The College Football Playoff committee is notorious for record ranking. 9-3 won't get it done if there are available 10-2 Power Four options.
Who do we see going 10-2 or better? Indiana, Ohio State, Oregon, and thanks to its schedule ... Penn State. Michigan and USC will be knocking on the door.
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2 What are we missing when it comes to the upcoming Big Ten season?
The College Football Playoff chase might be defined by Week Three.The Big Ten vs Big Ten showdowns will be massive, but the rest of college football needs the Big Ten to lose the massive early non-conference games to free up more CFP space.
Had Texas beaten Ohio State in Week 1 last year, it would've been in, and Miami would've been out. And, remember, Illinois picked off Duke early on - that probably kept the eventual ACC Champion out.
Oklahoma goes to Michigan on September 12th, Michigan State goes to Notre Dame on September 19th, the Irish play Wisconsin in Green Bay on September 5th, and in the big one, Ohio State goes to Texas on September 12th.
And again, in an Illinois-Duke last year sort of way, Oregon going to Oklahoma State, Colorado at Northwestern, Mississippi State at Minnesota, Iowa State at Iowa, Virginia Tech at Maryland, and, again, Duke vs Illinois will define the Big Ten's narrative.
1 Who are the three best teams in the Big Ten?
1. Ohio State.It's the most talented team in America, but outside of the Big Ten, Georgia and (yeah, sorry) LSU are going to be close. It's only a question of whether or not the Buckeyes can put it all together.
2. Oregon.Everything is in place to win a second Big Ten title in three seasons, but do the Ducks have the minerals to finally take that one extra national championship-level step?
3. Indiana.Seriously, would you be surprised if Coach Cig fired up another 16-0 run?
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26: Winningest Programs Yet To Make the CFP
25: ACC Key Questions
24: Big 12 Key Questions
Related: Big Ten Football Win Totals 2026: Spring Predictions for All 18 Teams
This story was originally published by College Football News on Apr 13, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add College Football News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
