The summer has flown by, and one positive of that, it means the College Football season is almost here! Next month already, Week 0 kicks things off on Saturday, August 29th. As we continue to prepare for College Football 2026, our team-by-team and conference-by-conference previews keep rolling along. Up next, the Big Ten preview, a look at the odds to win the best College Football Conference in the country, and a few best bets to place ahead of the season.
The Indiana Hoosiers, as everyone had on their bingo cards, completed the dream season in 2025. They ran the table in the regular season, through the Big Ten gauntlet, and the College Football Playoff to go 16-0. They won their first Big Ten title since 1967, and their first National Championship. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza won the game’s MVP, the Heisman Trophy, and then was selected #1 overall in the NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders.
Ohio State was a team not to be messed with all season, with their only losses coming in the postseason. The Oregon Ducks joined both the Hoosiers and Buckeyes in the College Football Playoff. Six Big Ten teams ended the year in the final AP Top 25 Poll. Penn State was the biggest disappointment; entering the season with National Title aspirations, they went just 7-6 overall, 3-6 in Big Ten play and fired James Franklin midseason. Iowa State’s Matt Campbell has been hired to replace Franklin for 2026.
While the AP Poll isn’t out yet, ESPN’s early look at their top 25 has eight Big Ten teams in it. Including three of them in the top six. Ohio State tops the poll, Oregon trails them, and Indiana checks in sixth. Further down the poll, the Michigan Wolverines check in at #14, Penn State at #15, Washington at #17, Iowa at #19, and USC rounds out the Big Ten participants at #20. The Big Ten once again appears to be the best and deepest conference in College Football ahead of 2026.
Odds to Win Big Ten Championship
Ohio State +185
Indiana +260
Oregon +275
Michigan +1500
USC +1500
Penn State +2000
Washington +3000
Iowa +4000
Illinois +10000
Wisconsin +10000
Nebraska +15000
UCLA +15000
Michigan State +30000
Minnesota +30000
Maryland +50000
Northwestern +50000
Purdue +50000
Rutgers +50000
| ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI | INDIANA HOOSIERS |
| IOWA HAWKEYES | MARYLAND TERRIPINS |
| MICHIGAN WOLVERINES | MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS |
| MINNESOTA GOPHERS | NEBRASKA HUSKERS |
| NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS | OHIO STATE BUCKEYES |
| PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS | PURDUE BOILERMAKERS |
| RUTGERS SCARLET KNIGHTS | USC TROJANS |
| WISCONSIN BADGERS | UCLA BRUINS |
| OREGON DUCKS | WASHINGTON HUSKIES |
2026 Big Ten Best Bets
Iowa Over 7.5 Wins (-142)
As a Nebraska Huskers fan, it pains me to make this bet. It is, however, the best bet on the board, and I’m here to cash bets. Iowa has great coaching; Kirk Ferentz is never going to take them to a National Championship game, but he’ll win games for them each year. Their defense is elite, and that’s how Iowa football wins games. They lost some absolute studs to the NFL, but they always reload. Phil Parker’s squad has been a top 20 unit in the country the last five years in a row, even ranking second in 2022. They were one of the best in the country stopping teams on third down last year, and were #1 in fourth down stops. Who might their quarterback be when they get to Week 1? Does it really matter? It’s Iowa football: run the ball down your throats, make the game slow down, and win at least eight games.
Indiana Under 10.5 Wins (-125)
Last year’s Indiana Hoosiers team was one of the most special stories in College Football history. A doormat team for years, they bring in a fiery coach who brings his guys with him, and they put together one of the best underdog stories we’ve ever seen. But it’s not 2025 anymore. Fernando Mendoza is gone, Omar Cooper Jr, D’Angelo Ponds, Kaelon Black, Elijah Saratt, Riley Nowakowski, Pat Coogan, and Aiden Fisher. And that is just the players who left via the NFL Draft. How can a program like this and a coach that hasn’t been in this situation reload back to the same level? 11 wins is a massive expectation. We see year after year when teams reach amazing heights and can’t replicate it. 10 wins would be another impressive season, but 11? It’s nothing against the Hoosiers, but in a conference this tough, 11 wins is too tall of an order; give me the under.
USC to Win the Big Ten (+1500)
Full disclosure, I think the Big Ten is Ohio State’s conference to lose. At +185, if you want to toss into a parlay, I love it. But on its own at this point, I’ll wait. Last year we had a longer shot to win the title, so looking down the board, who could be that surprising team this year? USC stands out to me. We know they have a good coach in Lincoln Riley. This might be the most balanced team Riley has had at USC. The team focused on defense big time in their recruiting and has made big improvements. Jayden Maiava returns as the starter at quarterback, giving the team stability and a stud they know they can trust. They aren’t the favorite, but the ceiling is high for this Trojans team in 2026.
