The Best Matchups In The Big Ten Each Week: Weeks 7-13
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The second half of the Big Ten season is where things really start to get fun. Contenders begin to separate themselves, narratives are formed, and a handful of teams can begin to see a path to the College Football Playoff. This is where Michigan, Ohio State, and Indiana got hot, allowing each to run through the CFP and claim the conference’s first threepeat in modern history.
If you’re wondering where the first seven weeks of the season are, fret not. We took care of that already. Here, we will focus on the final seven weeks of the Big Ten slate, featuring plenty of action between CFP contenders.
The Best Matchups In The Big Ten: Weeks 7-13
Week 7: Ohio State at Indiana
All-time: Ohio State 80-15-5
Last Meeting: Indiana won, 13-10, in the 2025 Big Ten Championship
Indiana’s 2026 season was about as improbable as it was magical. Imagine telling someone when Curt Cignetti made his proclamation on December 1, 2023, that he would lead the Hoosiers to:
1. a win over Ohio State
2. that win would come in the Big Ten Championship
3. Indiana would go undefeated, and
4. win it all.
Indiana was the team the rest of the Big Ten scheduled for homecoming; now there are no Power 4 programs willing to schedule it. In Week 7, Ohio State gets to travel to Bloomington to try and get revenge. The path to Indianapolis goes through Indiana (literally). The Buckeyes have to be better in this matchup.
Maybe the new Ohio State kicker won’t miss two chip-shot field goals this time. Plus, if the season goes as expected, this could be round one of a multi-round fight.
Week 8: Indiana at Michigan
All-time: Michigan 62-11 Indiana
Last Meeting: Indiana won, 20-15, in 2024
No rest for the wicked as Indiana gets to travel to Michigan the week after drawing Ohio State. There aren’t many exciting matchups on the Big Ten schedule for Week 8, so this one easily takes the cake.
Michigan was another program that has historically owned Indiana. The Hoosiers’ win in 2024 was the program’s first over Michigan since 2020, and just the second since 1987.
Michigan faces the three top Big Ten programs in its final seven games. If the Wolverines are going to get back to where they believe they belong, it will have to win at least two against Indiana (at home), at Oregon, and at Ohio State.
Week 9: Ohio State at USC
All-time: USC 13-10-1 Ohio State
Last Meeting: Ohio State won, 24-7, in the 2017 Cotton Bowl
The Week 9 slate doesn’t have much to look forward to except Ohio State’s first trip to the Coliseum since 2008.
We’ve covered both of these programs extensively because both have CFP aspirations and both have a handful of intriguing matchups. Two of the most storied college football programs have only faced off 24 times heading into 2026. Of those 24, seven were in the Rose Bowl as both teams were perennially atop their respective conferences over the years. USC owns a 13-10-1 advantage over Ohio State overall; the Trojans own a 9-6-1 mark in the regular season.
The Buckeyes snapped a seven-game losing streak with the win in the 2017 Cotton Bowl.
Week 10: Oregon at Ohio State
All-time: Ohio State 10-2 Oregon
Last Meeting: Ohio State won, 42-21, in the 2025 CFP Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl
Another Ohio State matchup makes the best matchup list, this time against Oregon. Depending on how the season develops to this point, Michigan State vs. Michigan and Penn State vs. Washington could be exciting. However, a matchup of the top two preseason teams at the beginning of November is about as good as it gets.
Ohio State won the first nine matchups over Oregon, but then the Ducks punched back with wins in 2021 and 2024. However, Ohio State completely blew by Oregon in the Rose Bowl in the 2024-25 CFP en route to a national championship.
Oregon beat Ohio State convincingly the last time it came to Columbus. Ideally, the Buckeyes’ defense will be a tad better than it was on that day.
Week 11: Michigan at Oregon
All-time: Michigan 3-3 Oregon
Last Meeting: Oregon won, 38-17, in 2024
Just like Indiana, Oregon has to face Michigan right after Ohio State. Michigan also dominated the series against Oregon by winning the first three matchups. Since then, the Ducks have evened the series at three apiece.
Another matchup on the Big Ten schedule this week is USC at Indiana, but if Michigan is better in Kyle Whittingham’s first season, this should be a good one.
Will Bryce Underwood play as his alleged price tag would suggest? Could Dante Moore begin to solidify his Heisman Trophy campaign? Oddly enough, Michigan has never won in Eugene.
Week 12: Indiana at Washington
All-time: Indiana 3-1 Washington
Last Meeting: Indiana won, 31-17, in 2024
In the penultimate week of the Big Ten regular season, there aren’t many matchups expected to be as exciting as Indiana at Washington. The Hoosiers are the reigning champions, while Washington is a program on the rise looking to make a statement en route to a CFP bid.
By the time this matchup comes around, we will have a good idea of what these two programs will be. Will Josh Hoover be the next Fernando Mendoza? Can Demond Williams finally lead the Huskies to glory? At the same time, while Indiana doesn’t have as high-profile a matchup waiting, will Washington be looking ahead to the annual matchup with Oregon?
One way or another, this is going to be the best matchup heading into the final weekend.
Week 13: Michigan at Ohio State
All-time: 62-52-6
Last Meeting: Ohio State won, 27-9, in 2025
Finally, it’s rivalry week. Nebraska at Iowa. Minnesota at Wisconsin. Washington at Oregon. Purdue at Indiana. USC at UCLA. Penn State at Maryland. Illinois at Northwestern. Michigan State at Rutgers.
All of these matchups are fun, but nothing tops The Game.
Ohio State vs. Michigan, round 122. If you need motivation to get hyped for this one, nothing can help you. The Buckeyes got back into the win column after an embattled, controversial four-game losing streak.
This game is what makes college football great.
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Main Image: Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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