The 2026 Big Ten College Football Playoff Picture: Week 7
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Another week down, another showing of the depth of the Big Ten. Heading into the week, we had an unranked, undefeated team. That unranked, undefeated team nearly upset the reigning national champions. A West Coast rivalry was renewed, but there have been a few key injuries around the league. Looking ahead to the back half of the season, can the Big Ten get a handful of teams into the CFP? Or will it be as it has been the last two years, where the conference only got a couple, but still had a champion crowned when it was all said and done?
The 2026 Big Ten College Football Playoff Picture: Week 7
Locks
N/A
Our contenders are betting favorites to make it, but nobody has clinched anything to this point. Maybe next week? (Maybe not)
Contenders
#4 Ohio State (5-1, 3-0)
Ohio State runs it back as the highest-ranked team from the Big Ten. Its only loss of the year decided to fall to a vastly inferior opponent (on paper) last week, but that’s the Red River Shootout for you! We are sure that one-point loss isn’t going to come back to haunt, right?
The Buckeyes were sloppy in their win over Maryland, but still got the job done. Jeremiah Smith scored another two touchdowns, the rushing defense showed up again, and Ohio State is looking better each week. It still hasn’t played its best game to this point, but this weekend wouldn’t be a bad time for it.
#5 Indiana (6-0, 3-0)
Right behind the Buckeyes is Indiana. We are still in the realm of “you’re the man until further notice,” and Indiana has only won every game to this point. Sure, the games against Northwestern and Nebraska were closer than expected, but maybe those two teams are better than we expected. After all, the Wildcats and Huskers only have one loss each…to Indiana.
Remember all the concern about Josh Hoover and his turnovers? Through six games, he’s thrown the ball 129 times and hasn’t been intercepted yet. The passing attack is nice and balanced, with Charlie Becker and Nick Marsh posting nearly identical stat lines to this point.
The Big Ten’s leading rusher, Turbo Richard, and his running mate Lee Beebe will have a tougher test this weekend.
#12 UCLA (5-0, 3-0)
The UCLA Bruins are undefeated and just outside the top 10…IN FOOTBALL.
UCLA’s toughest test this year was last weekend at Oregon, and it passed. However, there is a caveat: What did it cost?
Nico Iamaleava is done for the year after a knee injury sustained in the win. Ty Dieffenbach stepped in, completed three of his six passes for 43 yards, and what ended up as the game-winning touchdown. He’s going to be the man moving forward.
Defensively, the Bruins forced Oregon to bench Dylan Raiola and only allowed 272 yards. The unit is going to have to step up again. Thankfully, at least on paper, the schedule looks light.
#17 Iowa (5-1, 2-1)
Well, that was one way to respond after losing to Ohio State! The Hawkeyes traveled to the Greatest Setting in College Football and dominated Washington, 41-24. Of course, 21 of those points came in the second half, so that’ll be something Kirk Ferentz looks at.
Iowa did that without its starting quarterback. Jeremy Hecklinski stepped in for Hank Brown and threw for 202 yards and three touchdowns while completing nearly 74% of his passes.
On the ground, keep an eye on Kamari Moulton. He set a career-high with 208 yards and two touchdowns on the day after being held to six against Ohio State.
Talk to your kids about Iowa, the College Football Playoff team.
#19 USC (6-1, 3-1)
We still have concerns about the USC defense, but the offense can seemingly score with anyone. However, going into Beaver Stadium, with the famed White Out, and getting the program’s first win at Penn State was impressive.
Jayden Maiava continued his impressive campaign with 301 yards and three touchdown passes. He leads the Big Ten in completions, attempts, yards, and touchdowns, and has three pass-catchers with over 20 receptions.
USC controls its destiny, but it’s not going to be easy. It is at Wisconsin this week, then gets Ohio State and Indiana (with a bye in between), and closes out with UCLA. If USC finishes 11-1, it would have an argument for number one, but that loss wasn’t a #QualityLoss, so it likely won’t happen.
Of course, that’s a lot of IF with so much football left to play.
Okay, We Are Intrigued
#25 Northwestern
So, the Northwestern Wildcats are 4-1 and ranked for the first time since 2020. Now what?
David Braun’s team could be legit. The best win on the schedule thus far is likely a toss-up between beating Penn State or narrowly losing at Indiana, because that’s a #QualityLoss if you’re in another conference.
Aidan Chiles leads the Big Ten in completion percentage, and the rushing attack as a whole averages 203 yards per game and 5.2 yards per carry. Chip Kelly might just be a magician. He revolutionized Ohio State’s rushing attack in 2024, and now, he has Northwestern’s offense humming.
The schedule will toughen up starting on Halloween, but if the Wildcats go 2-1 against Oregon, Indiana, and Ohio State while winning the other four matchups, we could be looking at a Northwestern CFP slot.
Nebraska
Just like with Indiana, Nebraska’s best win to this point is a narrow loss to Indiana. Of course, if Nebraska were in another conference, it’d still be ranked at 5-1 (it should be ranked, regardless, but we digress.
The Huskers look solid. That defense is legit, and the Anthony Colandrea experience is as wild and exciting as can be, for better or for worse.
This is an interesting team. If it can take care of business this weekend, there’s a great possibility that Nebraska will be in position to make the Big Ten Championship with Ohio State and Iowa at the end of the schedule.
Wisconsin
Things are about to get interesting for Luke Fickell’s Badgers. Wisconsin responded well after getting shellacked by Notre Dame. Now, its on a four-game win streak, but the next three weeks will define what kind of team this is.
A three-game run of at UCLA, vs. USC, and at Iowa is tough, but Wisconsin is fresh off its bye and is ready to make some noise.
If Wisconsin can go 2-1 over the next three weeks, we may be putting it into the contenders category…
Gotta Win Out
Oregon (3-2, 1-1)
What is going on in Eugene? Losing Dante Moore hurts, yes, but this Oregon roster is supposed to be one of the deepest and most talented that a team can have. Now, at 3-2 (with only one loss WITHOUT Moore), Oregon’s CFP hopes may be hinging on winning out. If the Ducks lose to anyone, it would need to be a competitive loss at Ohio State, but a three-loss Big Ten team would need a marquee win. If that happens, what win would Oregon be able to hang its hat on? Boise State? USC? Northwestern? Nebraska?
There’s a lot of football to be played, but we are really close to eliminating the Ducks. Considering Oregon was this author’s pick to extend the Big Ten dominance at the top (at least, among non-Ohio State Big Ten teams), things aren’t looking great.
Minnesota (4-2, 2-1)
If the Golden Gophers win out, they are a playoff team. Why? Well, the final six games on the schedule are vs. Iowa, at Indiana, vs. UCLA, at Penn State, vs. Northwestern, and at Wisconsin. There is a chance for four or even five ranked opponents in there (depending on what the Badgers do).
Minnesota doesn’t have the cache to lose another game, even if it manages to run through that gauntlet. It would need to destroy every ranked foe, and lose a competitive game at Indiana to stay close. Unfortunately, Minny has two beatdowns on the record to Mississippi State (who is pretty good with a Heisman-worthy freshman quarterback) and Purdue (who is not good).
Eliminated
Joining the ranks of the eliminated after last week are Penn State and Washington. Both programs fell at home in disappointing fashion. The Nittany Lions came into this year with an easy schedule on paper. The question was going to be whether or not the exodus after James Franklin was going to be too much for Matt Campbell and his Iowa State transfers to overcome. Turns out, it was.
Washington gave up 41 to Iowa…at home. The Hawkeyes rebounded well after their loss to Ohio State, but you’d like to think Jedd Fisch’s club would have had more success than allowing a 200-yard rusher.
- Michigan (3-2, 0-2)
- Purdue (3-3, 2-1)
- Illinois (3-3, 1-2)
- Penn State (3-3, 0-3)
- Washington (3-3, 0-3)
- Maryland (2-4, 0-3)
- Michigan State (2-4, 0-3)
- Rutgers (1-4, 0-2)
Week 7 Big Ten Schedule
- Washington at Purdue (Friday, 8:00 p.m. ET, FOX)
- #4 Ohio State at #5 Indiana (12:00 p.m. ET, FOX)
- #25 Northwestern at Michigan State (12:00 p.m. ET, Peacock)
- Rutgers at Maryland (12:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network)
- Penn State at Michigan (3:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
- Wisconsin at #12 UCLA (7:30 p.m. ET, NBC)
- Nebraska at Oregon (11:00 p.m. ET, FOX)
- #17 Iowa: Idle
- #19 USC: Idle
- Minnesota: Idle
- Illinois: Idle
More Big Ten Content
- Jedd Fisch Provides Update on Demond Williams
- Penn State Offense Shows Signs of Life in USC Loss
- What We’ve Learned From Penn State’s First Five Games
- Penn State White Out Loss Leaves More Questions than Answers
- College Football Sunday Summary; We Knew It All Along
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