2026 Big Ten football schedule: Week-by-week matchups, must-see games and early reactions

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