Week 1 Big Ten football staff picks

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After getting a small appetizer with one Big Ten team in action in Week 0, the first weekend of the college football season is serving up a full course of Big Ten football. Week 1 of the 2026 season is upon us, and Penn State and the rest of the Big Ten teams will be in action to get the season started.

Going into the new season, there seems to be a trio of teams considered the favorites in the Big Ten. Unsurprisingly, they are Ohio State, Oregon, and defending national champion Indiana. All three will be in action in Week 1 with home games against non-power conference opponents. Oregon faces the toughest matchup of the three Big Ten heavyweights with a home game against Boise State, but all three are expected to prevail without too much trouble.

Only one Big Ten team will be on the road for a true road game this week when UCLA visits former conference in-state rival California. And the Big Ten weekend will wrap with Wisconsin taking on national title contender Notre Dame in Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin. We will all be tuning in Sunday night for that matchup, but our staff feels confident in suggesting the Badgers may come out on the losing end of things.

Here are our staff picks for Week 1 around the Big Ten. We will share our full Penn State game picks with final score and player of the game predictions later.

Kevin on Oregon vs. Boise State: This is one of those games that carries the most intrigue to me, simply because the Ducks have a history of not looking particularly sharp in the first game of the year at times. And Boise State is not typically the program you want to come out disjointed in the opener. But I still fully expect Dan Lanning to have the Ducks ready to set the tone for what should be another championship-contending season. Boise State hangs with the Ducks for a bit, but I think Oregon pulls away late for a more decisive-looking final score than reality.

Paul on Indiana vs. North Texas: It’s almost guaranteed that Indiana will win this game, but I’m interested to see what they look like without Fernando Mendoza. Let’s see if Curt Cignetti can pull off another unprecedented quarterback development.

Chris on UCLA vs. Cal: The first college football weekend of the season offers up a fiery West Coast affair between two intriguing quarterbacks. Nico Iamaleava is a former five-star recruit and stunned Penn State last year, but has struggled with consistency. Meanwhile, Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele had an incredible freshman season and could be a breakout star this season. In a mini upset, give me the Golden Bears to start the season with a bang.

Paul on Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame: What a tough draw for Wisconsin in the first game of the season. Most teams in the conference have a layup while they have to go against one of the best teams in the nation. I’m not complaining, though.

Chris on Wisconsin vs. Notre Dame:My national championship pick gets a very interesting test from a Wisconsin team that seems to be flying under the radar. Gone is Billy Edwards Jr., and in to replace him is Old Dominion transfer Colton Joseph, who was the best rushing quarterback in the FBS this season. He could give one of their best defenses in college football a unique problem. Notre Dame should prevail, but Wisconsin could surprise a lot of people.

Kevin on Washington vs. Washington State: Another game I am keeping an eye on is the rivalry matchup between Washington and Washington State. The Huskies should be the pick here, but the Apple Cup is never to be taken for granted. Washington dominated this matchup last year in Pullman and they should once again be a lopsided winner at home. Penn State visits Washington in early November, so this is more about looking down the line than anything else for me.

This article originally appeared on Nittany Lions Wire: Week 1 Big Ten football staff picks

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