Big Ten, at a glance.
Top 10 by power rating — 2026 season, through the latest games.
Team
Power
Record
RR50
Home Conferences FBS 2026 season
VERDICT BEGINS · 2026
Big Ten
The Coast-to-Coast Era
The 2026 Big Ten season is underway — Ohio State holds the early power lead, but the picture is still open.
Big Ten carries real selection-room weight with 6 teams inside the top 25 and Ohio State driving a legitimate national ceiling.
#2overall
#2in FBS
+21.8RR50
+26.4upper strength
18teams
6top-25 teams
Power snapshot
Projected 2026 standing
The Coast-to-Coast Era
Indiana's 16-0 run in 2025 ended an eleven-year conference championship drought and gave the Big Ten its first national title since 2002. The coast-to-coast expansion delivered both the talent depth and the schedule credibility to put Indiana on a pedestal nobody predicted. Now the question is whether that ceiling is repeatable.
6 top-25 teams.
The depth argument for this conference rests on how many credible opponents are clustered behind the leader. A wide talent spread separates the haves from the have-nots.
Where things stand right now.
The 2026 Big Ten season is underway — Ohio State holds the early power lead, but the picture is still open.
The National ChampionsIndiana Enters 2026 With a Target on Its Back
Indiana went 16-0 in 2025 — regular season, conference title, and national championship. They return as the highest-rated program in the conference and the CFP's defending champion. Every schedule-maker circled their name. The question is whether Indiana can meet a higher standard of opponent preparation in Year 2.
Why it matters →The FrontrunnerOregon Is Built for a Deep CFP Run
Oregon holds the conference's second-highest power rating entering 2026 and carries the clearest path to a first-round bye among non-Indiana programs. Dan Lanning's program is the Big Ten's argument that West Coast expansion raised the conference ceiling — and the most likely challenger to Indiana's title defense.
Why it matters →The Storied ProgramOhio State's Title Window Is Still Open
Ohio State has reached the CFP in three of the last four seasons and still hasn't won it all since 2014. Ryan Day's roster is talented enough to compete — the question is whether they can close the gap against elite competition when it matters most.
Why it matters →Active arcs our read
Hot3mo ago
NFL denies supplemental draft for Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby
Will Brendan Sorsby be allowed to play for Texas Tech?
Oregon
Hot3mo ago
Virginia and Vanderbilt set future football matchups
How will Vanderbilt's depth and Virginia's edge talent shape their upcoming matchups?
Maryland
Active3mo ago
Tennessee lands David Gabriel-Georges, believed to be first $2M-a-year RB recrui
How will David Gabriel-Georges impact Tennessee's future?
Ohio State
Active2wk ago
Ohio State faces hard decisions after loss to Texas
What changes will Ohio State make following their defeat?
Ohio State
Active8wk ago
Iowa and Iowa State Extend Cy-Hawk Football Series Through 2031
What impact will the extended rivalry have on both programs' future schedules and competitive dynamics?
Iowa
Fan pulse
18% positive
44% neutral
38% negative
Michigan
8,517
↓ negative
Ohio State
7,411
↓ negative
Nebraska
5,296
→ neutral
Oregon
4,540
↓ negative
Penn State
2,844
↓ negative
Washington
1,451
↓ negative
Fan confidence — FBS percentile
Where each Big Ten program stands nationally in fan sentiment (100th = most positive in FBS, 0 = least). Conference median: 41st percentile.
Most volatile: Maryland
Fan confidence has swung 66 percentile points in the last 8 weeks — currently at the 20th percentile nationally.
Rivalry face-offs
The coaching premium
Recruiting class rank vs. SP+ performance — where coaches add or subtract value
Above line = coaching premium
Below line = underperforming
Gap = recruiting rank minus SP+ rank
Positive gap means the coaching staff won more than the recruiting class predicted. Data: Big Ten teams, 18 programs.
Standings
2026 season, in progress — sorted by power rating. Stature tag = interim Zeitgeist calibration (medium confidence).
| # | Team | Record | RR50 | Resume |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Ohio StateBlue Blood#2
|
2-1 | +32.7 | +63.7 |
| 2 |
OregonPower Program I#6
|
2-1 | +30.1 | +9.9 |
| 3 |
IndianaPower Program II#18
|
3-0 | +29.1 | +94.0 |
| 4 |
NorthwesternNational Program III#61
|
2-0 | +26.0 | +78.4 |
| 5 |
IowaPower Program III#23
|
3-0 | +25.4 | +81.7 |
| 6 |
MichiganBlue Blood#5
|
3-0 | +24.9 | +99.7 |
| 7 |
USCPower Program I#13
|
4-0 | +23.9 | +99.3 |
| 8 |
Penn StatePower Program I#11
|
3-0 | +23.6 | +98.5 |
| 9 |
WashingtonPower Program II#15
|
3-0 | +23.5 | +97.0 |
| 10 |
NebraskaNational Program II#41
|
3-0 | +23.4 | +95.8 |
| 11 |
UCLANational Program I#38
|
3-0 | +21.4 | +98.7 |
| 12 |
MinnesotaNational Program I#40
|
2-1 | +21.3 | +51.7 |
| 13 |
MarylandNational Program III#71
|
2-1 | +19.7 | +75.7 |
| 14 |
IllinoisNational Program II#44
|
2-1 | +18.2 | +80.7 |
| 15 |
WisconsinPower Program III#31
|
2-1 | +17.6 | +91.5 |
| 16 |
RutgersRegional Program II#89
|
0-3 | +16.7 | +12.9 |
| 17 |
PurdueRegional Program III#97
|
1-2 | +14.0 | +69.1 |
| 18 |
Michigan StateNational Program II#59
|
2-1 | +13.6 | +97.2 |
Projected Standings · Big Ten · 2026
Win Projection
Odds of winning at least N conference games from current power ratings — full slate played out, not locked to results. AVG = expected wins; W–L = most-likely record.
| # | Team | W–L | PWR | AVG | ≥9 | ≥8 | ≥7 | ≥6 | ≥5 | ≥4 | ≥3 | ≥2 | ≥1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Favorites | |||||||||||||
| 1 | Ohio State | 6–3 | +10.2 | 6.1 | 3 | 16 | 41 | 69 | 88 | 97 | 99 | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2 | Oregon | 6–3 | +7.6 | 6.0 | 2 | 13 | 36 | 64 | 85 | 96 | 99 | ✓ | ✓ |
| 3 | Indiana | 6–3 | +6.6 | 5.8 | 2 | 10 | 31 | 58 | 82 | 94 | 99 | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4 | Northwestern | 5–4 | +3.5 | 5.0 | 3 | 13 | 35 | 63 | 85 | 96 | 99 | ✓ | |
| Challengers | |||||||||||||
| 5 | Penn State | 5–4 | +1.1 | 5.1 | 4 | 16 | 40 | 67 | 87 | 97 | 99 | ✓ | |
| 6 | Iowa | 5–4 | +2.9 | 5.0 | 4 | 15 | 37 | 64 | 86 | 96 | 99 | ✓ | |
| 7 | Michigan | 5–4 | +2.4 | 4.8 | 2 | 11 | 31 | 58 | 82 | 95 | 99 | ✓ | |
| 8 | Washington | 5–4 | +1.0 | 4.6 | 2 | 10 | 27 | 53 | 78 | 93 | 99 | ✓ | |
| 9 | USC | 4–5 | +1.4 | 4.5 | 2 | 8 | 24 | 49 | 75 | 91 | 98 | ✓ | |
| The Field | |||||||||||||
| 10 | UCLA | 5–4 | -1.1 | 4.8 | 2 | 11 | 30 | 58 | 81 | 95 | 99 | ✓ | |
| 11 | Nebraska | 4–5 | +0.9 | 4.5 | 2 | 8 | 24 | 50 | 75 | 92 | 98 | ✓ | |
| 12 | Maryland | 4–5 | -2.8 | 4.3 | 1 | 6 | 19 | 43 | 70 | 89 | 98 | ✓ | |
| 13 | Minnesota | 4–5 | -1.2 | 4.1 | 1 | 5 | 18 | 40 | 66 | 87 | 97 | ✓ | |
| 14 | Illinois | 3–6 | -4.3 | 3.5 | 2 | 8 | 24 | 50 | 76 | 93 | 99 | ||
| Rebuilding | |||||||||||||
| 15 | Wisconsin | 4–5 | -4.9 | 4.0 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 36 | 62 | 85 | 96 | ✓ | |
| 16 | Rutgers | 3–6 | -5.8 | 3.4 | 2 | 7 | 22 | 46 | 73 | 92 | 99 | ||
| 17 | Purdue | 3–6 | -8.5 | 2.9 | 3 | 12 | 31 | 59 | 84 | 97 | |||
| 18 | Michigan State | 3–6 | -8.9 | 2.8 | 3 | 11 | 29 | 57 | 83 | 97 | |||
How they play
Six advanced-stat dimensions per team, ranked against all 134 FBS programs, 2026 season. Every column reads higher-is-better. Click a column to sort.
ScoringConvertsBig playsDefensePacePass rate
| Team | Scoring | Converts | Defense | Identity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State | +0.36 | 50.2% | +0.21 | Lockdown defense |
| Oregon | +0.27 | 46.2% | +0.16 | Lockdown defense |
| Indiana | +0.50 | 51.8% | +0.22 | Lockdown defense |
| Northwestern | +0.35 | 49.5% | +0.01 | Balanced |
| Iowa | +0.23 | 47.5% | +0.21 | Lockdown defense |
| Michigan | +0.20 | 42.1% | +0.14 | Lockdown defense |
| USC | +0.36 | 55.9% | -0.09 | Efficient offense |
| Penn State | +0.34 | 47.2% | +0.07 | Balanced |
| Washington | +0.20 | 46.7% | +0.16 | Lockdown defense |
| Nebraska | +0.49 | 51.7% | -0.05 | Big-play offense |
| UCLA | +0.35 | 52.2% | -0.10 | Efficient offense |
| Minnesota | +0.15 | 49.1% | +0.02 | No explosive plays |
| Maryland | +0.35 | 52.6% | -0.02 | Efficient offense |
| Illinois | +0.35 | 54.9% | -0.10 | Grind-it-out |
| Wisconsin | +0.21 | 44.2% | +0.01 | Balanced |
| Rutgers | +0.10 | 44.1% | -0.22 | Defense is the problem |
| Purdue | +0.35 | 49.1% | -0.30 | Defense is the problem |
| Michigan State | +0.07 | 43.3% | -0.17 | Balanced |
Identity is the single dimension where a team is most above or below the FBS average (pace, defense, big plays, or converting drives) — "Balanced" means nothing stands out either way. CFBD 2026 advanced stats, excludes garbage time.
Top players
Big Ten's highest CFB Index Scores, 2025 season.
| # | Player | Team | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | John NestorCB | Minnesota | #2 of 364 |
| 2 | Jeremiah SmithWR | Ohio State | #1 of 485 |
| 3 | Teitum TuiotiLB | Oregon | #4 of 583 |
| 4 | Rolijah HardyLB | Indiana | #6 of 583 |
| 5 | Anthony SmithEDGE | Minnesota | #9 of 420 |
| 6 | Isaiah JonesLB | Indiana | #13 of 583 |
| 7 | Jayden MaiavaQB | USC | #4 of 146 |
| 8 | Tyrique TuckerEDGE | Indiana | #18 of 420 |
| 9 | Bishop FitzgeraldS | USC | #14 of 544 |
| 10 | Julian SayinQB | Ohio State | #5 of 146 |
Where Big Ten stands nationally
Conference strength by RR50 (round-robin adjusted power).
1
SEC
SEC
+23.0
2
B10
Big Ten
+21.8
3
IND
FBS Independents
+20.5
4
P12
Pac-12
+20.0
5
B12
Big 12
+20.0
6
ACC
ACC
+19.4
7
AAC
American Athletic
+17.6
8
SB
Sun Belt
+17.2
9
CUSA
Conference USA
+16.7
10
MAC
Mid-American
+16.2
Big Ten title odds
Best available American odds · sportsbook consensus.
| # | Team | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Ohio State
|
+130 |
| 2 |
Indiana
|
+230 |
| 3 |
Oregon
|
+280 |
| 4 |
USC
|
+900 |
| 5 |
Penn State
|
+1000 |
| 6 |
Washington
|
+2800 |
| 7 |
Michigan
|
+3000 |
| 8 |
Iowa
|
+3300 |
| 9 |
Wisconsin
|
+10000 |
| 10 |
UCLA
|
+5500 |