The Big Ten has won the last three National Championships with three different programs. That success has led to the Big Ten cementing iteself as the premier college football conference, as the SEC has struggled on the national stage in recent years.
Heading into the 2026 season, the Big Ten was once again expected to thrive. Teams like Indiana, Oregon, and Ohio State, were all among the preseason favorites to win it all. Thus, the Big Ten was often labeled as "top-heavy" throughout the course of the offseason. But four weeks in to the new campaign, it's clear that there is much more parity than originally anticipated.
The Big Ten title race is wide open through 4 weeks
Indiana, Ohio State, and Oregon are still serious national title contenders, and are still the favorites to win the Big Ten. But they have all shown some weaknesses in the early going. Ohio State saw a 20-point 4th-quarter lead evaporate in a colossal collapse at Texas in Week 2. Oregon struggled mightily against Boise State in Week 1 before losing to Oklahoma State as 23.5-point favorites in Week 2.
The Indiana Hoosiers have carried over the momentum from last year's National Championship-winning season into a 4-0 start to the season. However, that doesn't mean they haven't shown any chinks in the armor. The Hoosiers got all they could handle from Northwestern in Week 4, escaping with a 29-23 win after being favored by as much as 22.5 points.
Week 5 Big Ten Power Rankings: Iowa, Wisconsin rise after stunning road upsets
Meanwhile, other under-the-radar Big Ten teams have already put forth eye-popping performances this season. Most notably, the Iowa Hawkeyes are 4-0 after beating Michigan on the road in Week 4. Kirk Ferentz's team is for real, and has a must-watch matchup against Ohio State looming this weekend.
UCLA is also off to a roaring start. The Bruins are scoring at will in Year 1 of the Bob Chesney era, as they are averaging a whopping 44.8 points per game through four contests. That is good for 7th nationally. Look out for the Bruins.
Wisconsin also looks vastly-improved, and picked up a huge road win at Penn State in Week 4. Nebraska is 4-0, Michigan still has an elite defense, and Minnesota's road win at Washington this past weekend could be the spark PJ Fleck and company needed.
The Big Ten appears to have more depth than previous years
For years, the Big Ten has had a depth problem. The league has been rather top-heavy in recent seasons, with big-name programs dominating the top of the standings.
Entering the 2026 season, the Big Ten was once again expected to be a conference dominated by a familiar group of national contenders. But the first few weeks of the season have painted a much different picture. With unexpected losses, emerging contenders and several teams poised to take steps forward, the Big Ten appears far more wide open than originally thought.
In Bloomington, Hoosier fans have plenty of faith in Curt Cignetti's ability to continue leading the IU football program to new heights. Cignetti has still lost just a single Big Ten game in his 2+ seasons at Indiana, and has the Hoosiers well-positioned for another CFP run this season. Indiana's next game comes this Saturday night at Rutgers.
Add us as a preferred source on Google