The difficult slate starts in non-conference with Michigan and Ohio State facing tough matchups.
2026 Big Ten football schedule: Week-by-week matchups, must-see games and early reactions originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The 2026 Big Ten football schedule delivered both big-time matchups and logistical nightmares. The conference released the full slate for all 18 teams on Tuesday. The headline game features national champion Indiana hosting Ohio State on Oct. 17. This sets an early bar for a conference seeking a fourth consecutive playoff title.
The depth of the league was on full display. Traditional powers like Michigan and Ohio State face early non-conference tests. Michigan against Oklahoma and Ohio State at Texas before settling into a grueling nine-game Big Ten slate.
For Indiana, the October rematch with Ohio State figures to be the season’s defining moment and a litmus test for Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers’ title defense. Their schedule also includes a mix of rotating challengers like Michigan, USC and Washington, showing the footprint of the Big Ten in an expanded conference era.
Ohio State’s journey after the Week 0 trip to Ball State and a major road test at Texas shifts quickly into league play with match-ups at Iowa and Maryland, and a late November home game against Nebraska before closing at Michigan. The Buckeyes’ slate rewards neither early slip-ups nor late fades, with national implications hanging in the balance throughout.
More: Ohio State's Ryan Day faces backlash after Cotton Bowl
Michigan’s schedule tests against a mix of non-conference foes and Big Ten contenders. Kyle Whittingham's Wolverines host Indiana and Penn State in October but must wait until the end of November to renew “The Game” against Ohio State, which could carry playoff or conference championship implications depending on how the midseason unfolds.
Oregon, in its third Big Ten season, travels to USC and hosts UCLA while mixing in trips to Nebraska and Ohio State. The Ducks close the regular season at Washington, a matchup that could help determine divisional pecking order in the West and potentially shape College Football Playoff resumes.
Fans across the Big Ten now have a full roadmap to what figures to be a thrilling, unpredictable season. With every team set to play at least 12 games — and many facing top-25 competition — the 2026 Big Ten race may well go down to the final week before the conference championship game on Dec. 5.
2026 Big Ten Football — Week-by-Week Schedule
Week 1 — Thurs. Sept. 3- Sun, Sept. 6
Sept. 3
Minnesota vs Eastern Illinois
Rutgers vs UMass
Sept. 5
Illinois vs UAB
Indiana vs North Texas
Iowa vs Northern Illinois
Maryland vs Howard
Michigan vs Western Michigan
Michigan State vs Toledo
Nebraska vs Ohio
Northwestern vs South Dakota State
Ohio State vs Ball State
Oregon vs. Boise State
Penn State vs Marshall
Purdue vs Indiana State
USC vs Fresno State
UCLA at California
Washington vs. Washington State
Sept. 6
Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame (Green Bay, Wisc)
Week 2 — Fri, Sept 11- Sat, Sept. 12
Sept. 11
Rutgers at Boston College
Sept. 12
Illinois vs Duke
Indiana vs Howard
Iowa vs Iowa State
Maryland at UConn
Michigan vs Oklahoma
Michigan State vs Eastern Michigan
Minnesota vs. Mississippi State
Nebraska vs Bowling Green
Ohio State at Texas
Oregon at Oklahoma State
Penn State at Temple
Purdue vs. Wake Forest
UCLA vs San Diego State
USC vs Louisiana
Washington vs. Utah State
Wisconsin vs. Western Illinois
Northwestern- Bye Week
Week 3 — Sat, Sept. 19
Illinois vs Southern Illinois
Indiana vs Western Kentucky
Iowa vs Northern Iowa
Maryland vs Virginia Tech
Michigan vs UTEP
Michigan State at Notre Dame
Minnesota vs. Arkon
Nebraska vs North Dakota
Northwestern vs Colorado
Ohio State vs Kent State
Oregon vs. Portland State
Penn State vs Buffalo
Purdue vs Wake Forest
Rutgers vs USC
UCLA vs Purdue
Washington vs. Eastern Washington
Wisconsin vs. Eastern Michigan
Week 4 — Sat, Sept. 26- Conference openers begin
Illinois at Ohio State
Indiana at Northwestern
Iowa at Michigan
Maryland at UCLA
Michigan State vs Nebraska
Minnesota at Washington
Penn State at Wisconsin
Rutgers vs Howard
USC at Oregon
Week 5 — Sat, Oct. 3
Illinois vs Purdue
Indiana at Rutgers
Iowa vs Ohio State
Maryland at Nebraska
Michigan State at Wisconsin
Minnesota vs Michigan
Northwestern vs Penn State
USC vs Washington
Oregon, UCLA- Bye Week
Week 6 — Sat, Oct. 10
Illinois at Michigan State
Indiana at Nebraska
Iowa at Washington
Maryland at Ohio State
Minnesota at Purdue
Northwestern vs Ball State
Penn State vs USC
UCLA at Oregon
Michigan, Rutgers- Bye Week
Week 7 — Sat, Oct. 17
Indiana vs Ohio State
Maryland vs Rutgers
Michigan at Penn State
Michigan State vs Northwestern
Nebraska at Oregon
Purdue vs Washington
UCLA vs Wisconsin
Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, USC- Bye Week
Week 8 — Sat, Oct. 24
Illinois vs Oregon
Indiana at Michigan
Iowa at Minnesota
Michigan State at UCLA
Northwestern at Rutgers
USC at Wisconsin
Maryland, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, Washington- Bye Week
Week 9 — Sat, Oct. 31
Illinois at Maryland
Indiana at Minnesota
Iowa vs Wisconsin
Nebraska vs. Washington
Northwestern at Oregon
Ohio State at USC
Penn State at Purdue
Rutgers at Michigan
UCLA vs Nevada (non-conference)
Michigan State- Bye Week
Week 10 — Sat, Nov. 7
Illinois vs Nebraska
Iowa at Northwestern
Maryland at Purdue
Michigan vs Michigan State
Minnesota vs UCLA
Ohio State vs Oregon
Penn State at Washington
Rutgers vs Wisconsin
Indiana, USC- Bye Week
Week 11 — Sat, Nov. 14
Illinois at UCLA
Indiana vs USC
Iowa at Purdue
Maryland vs Wisconsin
Michigan at Oregon
Michigan State vs Washington
Minnesota at Penn State
Nebraska at Rutgers
Northwestern at Ohio State
Week 12 — Sat, Nov. 21
Illinois vs Iowa
Indiana at Washington
Maryland at USC
Michigan vs UCLA
Michigan State at Oregon
Minnesota vs Northwestern
Nebraska vs Ohio State
Penn State vs Rutgers
Purdue vs Wisconsin
Week 13 — Fri, Nov. 27-Sat, Nov. 28 Rivalry & Final Week
Nov. 27
Iowa at Nebraska
Nov. 28
Illinois at Northwestern
Indiana at Purdue
Maryland at Penn State
Michigan at Ohio State
Michigan State at Rutgers
Minnesota at Wisconsin
Oregon vs. Washington
USC at UCLA
Postseason
Dec. 5 — Big Ten Football Championship Game
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