Big Ten Football: Breaking Down the Conference Ahead of the 2026 Season

Consisting of the reigning champions in college football, the Big Ten has a lot of expectations entering the 2026 season. There’s questions whether Indiana can repeat or not under Curt Cignetti. Meanwhile, the blue bloods of the conference will look to take back the role as top dog within the Big Ten. With that said, we’re going into a deep dive on each team within the conference entering the 2026 season.

Sources Used:

Indiana Hoosiers (16-0 2025), 15.2 – .75 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 4 Offense, 6 Defense
Portal: Incoming 17 (12 P4, 4 G6, 1 FCS), 14 Outgoing
Returning Production: 54-percent OFF (#69), 58-percent DEF (#39), (#54) OFF Snaps, (#31) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: None

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
–	–	–	=	=	=	+	=

Notes

Offense

Fernando Mendoza obviously went as the number one overall pick. In comes Josh Hoover from TCU. There are questions here, specifically decision making and turnovers.
Both 1000-yard running backs are gone. The team’s RB3 returns, with a transfer from BC, Turbo Richard, coming in as well.
The top two wideouts were drafted, both over 800 yards and combined for 28 touchdowns. Michigan State and Tulane transfers, Nick Marsh and Shazz Preston come in. The third-leading receiver missed spring ball with a hamstring issue.
Two starters are gone from the OL, bringing in a Wisconsin starter in the portal.

Defense

Five defensive linemen depart, but only take 12 total sacks with them. Two DL starters return with 13 sacks between them. Two Kansas State transfers come in, along with a Notre Dame transfer. Stephen Daley will also return for a fifth year (5.5 sacks).
All American linebacker exits through the draft, plus another starter. However, they return their top tackling LB from 2025.
The top safety is gone and top cornerback got drafted. Yet, Indiana brings back two starters from last season and add in transfers from Wisconsin and Penn State.

Final Thoughts

Indiana is undoubtedly going to be a top-10 team entering 2026. Yet, there are still questions, especially after a monster season in 2025.

Fernando Mendoza is gone, and the question can be asked at this point if IU is simply hitting on the right QBs or if they are succeeding because of the system they are put in? Hoover comes in this season and has had turnover and decision-making trouble in the past. Will Cignetti be able to help with this, especially considering there is no longer the safety blanket of multiple 1000-yard rushers in the backfield?

The wide receiver group should still be good this season. However, losing 28 touchdowns from that group is a tough challenge to overcome immediately. The OL should be excellent once again, pending a couple of spring injuries to guard and tackle spots, so that should provide some relief to the offense.

The defensive line still looks fine and the linebacker group should continue to excel, bringing back both of their top pass rushers from the group. The defensive back unit also looks very good, even though they lose their best corner to the NFL. Most of the transfers coming in have significant playing time and should be able to fill spots well. Yet it’s worth questioning if they stack up to the caliber of player Indiana was running onto the field from last season? There are more questions than answers on the offensive side of the ball heading into this season, but IU could still be top of the football class in the Big Ten.

Oregon Ducks (13-2 2025), 12.7 – 2.2 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 6 Offense, 8 Defense
Portal: Incoming 13 (8 P4, 4 G6, 1 FCS), 31 Outgoing
Returning Production: 65-percent OFF (#26), 66-percent DEF (#11), (#48) OFF Snaps, (#41) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: OC, DC

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
+	=	=	–	+	–	=	–

Notes

Offense

Dante Moore returns as the starting quarterback. He had a 72-percent completion rate and a 3-to-1 touchdown to interception ratio.
Top running back Noah Whittington is gone, but the program brings back their RB2 and RB3, who each had over 600 rushing yards. The Ducks also bring in a top-10 recruit at the position.
Top receiving talent departs, but they get back Evan Stewart from injury. Meanwhile, the other three top wideouts with 500+ yards also return.
Three starters from last year’s offensive line are gone.

Defense

All defensive line starters return. The group has also added in two P4 and two G6 transfers for depth. Only lose six out of 30 sacks from last season.
Top two linebackers from last year left for the NFL.
DB unit loses Dillon Thieneman in the first round of the draft. Yet, everyone else in the unit is back, and they’ve added some transfers to boot.

Final Thoughts

The offense looks electric. Moore will continue to make progress, as he is a likely choice to be a first rounder in the 2027 NFL draft. The wideouts do lose some talent, but get Stewart back from injury and return several other contributors. This group was banged up during parts of last season, as well, which is worth mentioning.

The running back position shouldn’t drop off, even after losing their top rusher. However, the offensive line may need to figure some things out early if the entire unit wants success.

The defensive line will be top notch, bringing back all starters. However, the linebacker group will be the question of this defense. The DB group will be rock solid, even with losing Thieneman.

Kicker Atticus Sappington is gone; he was serviceable, but questionable. A new kicker from Nevada comes in, but didn’t record any kicking stats last season. The punter is also gone as well.

That goes without mentioning that both coordinators Will Stein (OC) and Tosh Lupoi (DC) are also gone. Klein is the head coach at Kentucky, while Lupoi is at California. So how much different will these units be, if at all? The new OC was hired from within, but was co-OC at Oregon the last few years.

Oregon has Boise State and Oklahoma State the first two weeks, so they will likely need to hit the ground running, as the non-conference slate isn’t a cakewalk before a Week 4 trip to USC.

Ohio State Buckeyes (12-2 2025), 13.3 – .64 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 8 Offense, 4 Defense
Portal: Incoming 16 (12 P4, 4 G6, 1 FCS), 13 Outgoing
Returning Production: 60-percent OFF (#48), 50-percent DEF (#78), (#14) OFF Snaps, (#89) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: OC

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
+	=	=	+	–	–	=	=

Notes

Offense

Julian Sayin returns for 2026. He had a 77.0 completion percentage with 32 touchdowns to eight interceptions last year. He played good football in the regular season, but struggled in the Big Ten Championship and playoff.
1000-yard running back Bo Jackson returns as well. However, the Buckeyes lost their RB2 and RB3. Both Jackson and Isiah West both missed the spring because of shoulder surgery.
Carnell Tate and Max Klare are gone, but Jeremiah Smith returns with No. 1 wide receiver recruit Chris Henry Jr. A three-year UTSA transfer also comes in.
Four starters return on an offensive line that only allowed 16 sacks last season. Interestingly, 10 of those sacks came in Big Ten Championship and the playoff game.

Defense

The defensive line lost two starters to the NFL draft, three in total (14 total sacks). Two Alabama transfers come in with several other depth players arrive via the portal.
All three starting linebackers went to the draft, with two being selected in the first round. Both first rounders led the team in tackles. However, an All-ACC transfer from Florida State comes in.
Two players from the secondary were drafted in the first two rounds. Transfers from Alabama, Georgia, and Duke come in.

Final Thoughts

Ohio State’s offense should be among the best this season. The wide receiver unit, despite the losses, looks good to go. And, Chris Henry Jr. could make an immediate impact. Meanwhile, the running back group looks strong pending medical evals heading into the fall.

The OL looks solid, but did get bullied in the trenches in big games last season. Sayin should have continued growth, but needs to make progress in reads when pressured. With that said, if Ohio State likes what they have at QB, they will need to throw the ball downfield more.

The defense loses quite a bit to the draft, but that’s typical for the Buckeyes, especially from the line and at linebacker. Yet, those units are probably the biggest questions on the defensive side of the ball. Transfers come in from P4 schools with experience and that will help earlier on.

The secondary should be in good shape, even with losing Caleb Downs. He didn’t always play the traditional safety role, having the ability and trust from staff to roam some and play on instinct. There’s questions whether anything similar happens in that mold this year.

Ohio State looks ready to go in 2026, but there are unknowns. They chose to not open the offense up very much during Big Ten play and paid the price down the stretch. Will there be much of the same this season or will they open it up more to try to prevent the collapses later in the season? Will losing half of their defense to the draft be too much to overcome, especially with Texas on deck in Week 2? The OC hire of former NFL HC Arthur Smith also raises more questions offensively.

USC Trojans (9-4 2025), 9.6 – 3.3 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 8 Offense, 5 Defense
Portal: Incoming 10 (7 P4, 2 G6, 1 FCS), 22 Outgoing
Returning Production: 67-percent OFF (#22), 64-percent DEF (#16), (#85) OFF Snaps, (#90) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: OC, DC

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
=	+	–	+	+	–	=	=

Notes

Offense

Jayden Maiava is back for the 2026 season. Last year he had 3500+ yards with a 24-to-10 ratio.
The top two rushers return with 1500 yards and 13 touchdowns between them. That’s a massive boost for the offense.
The top two receivers Makai Lemon and Ja’Kobi Lane went to the NFL draft, with the Trojans losing 1800 yards and 15 touchdowns combined. An NC State transfer comes in who played in all games last season.
Two OL starters depart, yet five with starting experience return. There’s a lot of young depth here as well.

Defense

Defensive line loses three starters, but only seven sacks between them. The top two pressure-makers on the unit return and are adding in transfers from Penn State and Michigan State.
Two starters left from the linebacker group, with one being drafted. USC added in transfers who started from Washington and Georgetown.
DB group lost two starters and added in transfers from Oklahoma State and Iowa State.

Final Thoughts

USC’s offense looks good with the return of Maiava and their two rushers from last season. The OL should also be just as good as last season, too. The real question on the offense is the pass catchers.

Losing two draft picks, one with over 1000 yards and 10+ touchdowns, is going to hurt some. Outside of the part-time starter they brought in from NC State, only one wideout returns with over 200 yards receiving.

On defense, the line should still be in good shape. They return their two best pressure creators and add solid transfers, with some young depth as well. The linebacker group looks like the biggest question on the defense. The DBs are in the same position as the DL, with lots of young talent for depth. The DB group also had three players on the spring injury report as well, so something to keep an eye on early. The defense is the biggest question on the team outside of wide receiver, but coordinator Gary Patterson comes in and gets the benefit of the doubt, as of right now.

The first four games for USC should be well in hand. However, the schedule toughens up significantly past that point. USC should have a great opportunity to get things figured out early, as the football schedule gets significantly more challenging in the Big Ten past Week 5.

Michigan Wolverines (9-4 2025), 8.7 – 4.2 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 6 Offense, 4 Defense
Portal: Incoming 18 (12 P4, 5 G6, 1 FCS), 26 Outgoing
Returning Production: 72-percent OFF (#6), 55-percent DEF (#55), (#74) OFF Snaps, (#22) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: HC, OC, OC

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
=	=	–	+	+	–	=	+

Notes

Offense

Bryce Underwood returns at quarterback for 2026. He was not a polished passer last season and struggled mightily at times throwing the ball downfield. However, hoes have the ability to run.
The top running back returns, but RB2 Justice Haynes transfers out to Georgia Tech. Michigan added in one of the top RB recruits in Savion Hiter.
WR1 Andrew Marsh returns, but the other top three wideouts are out. They did however add transfers from Texas and Utah in the portal.
Two OL starters gone, but they bring back six with experience and a transfer from Nebraska. The OL coach from Utah followed Whittingham to Michigan.

Defense

Five defensive linemen are gone, two were drafted. They bring over a First Team player from Utah with 11.5 sacks and two other Utah transfers.
The linebacker group lost four out of their top five tacklers. Utah and North Dakota State transfers come in to mitigate the losses.
Three defensive back starters depart. The Wolverines added two transfers from Utah and one from Memphis.

Final Thoughts

Much of this Michigan team is going to be an infusion from Utah The head coach position certainly upgraded and this should be a classic Kyle Whittingham run-first team, especially with the running backs and OL unit they have. However, the quarterback is still a question. Tommy Carr comes in and might win the backup job early. And, he also may find some playing time depending on Underwood’s performance and how transfer-quarterback Brayden Fowler Nicolosi works out. Whittingham’s top priority is not turning the ball over, something that Underwood struggled with last season.

The other question on the offense is how much will Underwood be allowed to use his legs? Several Utah QBs in the past were given the green light to run (Cam Rising, Devon Dampier). That could be a game-changing dynamic for the program if that happens.

Meanwhile, the defense looks fine. The line should be in good shape with some Utah transfers coming in. The linebacker unit looks to be weaker and inexperienced as well, with no starts heading into the season. The DB group also has questions to answer, but do get Rod Moore back, who had a season-ending injury in the beginning of last season.

Michigan was still able to go 9-4 despite the head coach mess, so the ship should run more smoothly with Whittingham as HC. However, he brings over a new DC from BYU. He no longer has DC Scalley, who was his DC for the last decade at Utah.

Penn State Nittany Lions (7-6 2025), 9.4 – 3.5 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 2 Offense, 3 Defense
Portal: Incoming 40 (35 P4, 2 G6, 3 FCS), 47 Outgoing
Returning Production: 50-percent OFF (#78), 53-percent DEF (#67), (#60) OFF Snaps, (#35) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: HC, OC, OC

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
+	–	=	–	–	+	=	=

Notes

Offense

Rocco Becht transfers over from Iowa State under new head coach Matt Campbell.
The dynamic duo running back duo of Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton are gone, along with their 1800 rushing yards and 28 touchdowns. In their place, Penn State brought over Carson Hansen from Iowa State and James Peoples.
The five top wideouts are gone from last season. However, none totaled over 600 yards last season. Several Iowa State players come in at the receiving positions to try and strengthen the room.
Four starting OL and six total are gone, with two being drafted. Four ISU transfers come in through the portal.

Defense

All four DL starters are also gone, two being drafted. Penn State brought in a bunch of Iowa State and other Big 12 transfers. The unit returns four out of 32 total sacks from last season between the front seven.
The top tackler and another linebacker starter are gone. And, the defensive back unit is in the same place. Both position groups see three Iowa State starters transfer over to make an impact.

Final Thoughts

Head coach Matt Campbell brought over a whopping 25 players from Iowa State with him to Penn State. The quarterback should have better numbers here than last season, with Drew Allar being hurt and the backup having to step in for the rest of the season.

The RB group brings in some nice additions with Hansen and Peoples. However, the Nittany Lions likely won’t have the same one-two punch as in previous years here. Meanwhile, the wide receiver unit needs a standout player, while there’s questions as to how utilized the tight end room will be. After all, Penn State and Iowa State traditionally have excellent TE units.

Along the line, the OL could be shaky, but there will be some familiarity, with several ISU players coming over. Yet on defense, the line is the biggest concern.

As for the back end, and linebacker group, those units look strong despite seeing losses. Most of that is due to Iowa State players coming over to fill these roles.

The offense wasn’t terrible last season, but did hit quite the lull in the middle of the year. This season, the offense should be more consistent. If the DL can generate pressure, it could be a surprisingly fun season for Penn State, as they draw a very manageable schedule.

Washington Huskies (9-4 2025), 10.4 – 2.5 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 7 Offense, 5 Defense
Portal: Incoming 13 (6 P4, 8 G6, 0 FCS), 22 Outgoing
Returning Production: 69-percent OFF (#13), 61-percent DEF (#27), (#57) OFF Snaps, (#88) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: OC (Also HC)

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
+	–	–	=	=	+	=	=

Notes

Offense

Quarterback Demond Williams returns for 2026. Last year he had 3000 yards, 25 touchdowns to just eight interceptions. Meanwhile on the ground, Williams had 600 rushing yards and six touchdowns last season.
Top running back Jonah Colman went to the draft. Williams was the second-leading rusher from last year, and RB2 Adam Mohammed is also gone. The running back room is very young and inexperienced this season.
Denzel Boston also left for the NFL. The WR2 and WR3 return with 900 combined yards and nine touchdowns.
Four OL starters return with one lost to the draft this past year.

Defense

Two DL starters return, eight others depart (only 11 total sacks).
One LB starter is gone, but everyone else returns. It’s an experienced and deep group entering 2026,
38 total starts leave the DB unit. Top team’s top safety returns along with a UVA starter from last season. Other partial starters return as well.

Final Thoughts

All eyes are going to be on Demond Williams this season, especially after the weird things that transpired with him in the spring. It was reported that he wanted to hit the portal but was locked in by a contract. He was supposedly promised more money from other schools, yet lost his agent in the process. However, he is a true do-it-all quarterback – and he’s going to need to be this season.

The RB and WR rooms look weak in comparison to last year. Meanwhile, the OL should provide some relief to figure the offense out with the new skill position players.

Overall, the defense looks pretty good. There are some pieces that are gone (four draft picks), but they have a great defensive coordinator The DL should be able to generate more pressure and sacks this season, especially with an experienced linebacker group behind them. Which, speaking of, is a unit that is definitely the strength of the defense coming into this season. There are questions about the defensive backs with only one full-time starter returning, and the other starter being a transfer from UVA. However, it shouldn’t be a massive downgrade in the secondary.

Kicker Grady Gross is gone with only 13 field goal attempts, but he was somewhat unreliable. And, Jedd Fisch was an aggressive play-caller. It will be interesting to see how aggressive he will be this season with the offensive pieces in place.

Washington will play the Apple Cup at home to begin the season, followed by three more home games. After that, it’s a smiliar back and forth east coast to west coast schedule that gave UW some problems last season.

Iowa Hawkeyes (9-4 2025), 10.4 – 2.5 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 5 Offense, 3 Defense
Portal: Incoming 15 (2 P4, 4 G6, 7 FCS), 9 Outgoing
Returning Production: 48-percent OFF (#84), 40-percent DEF (#105), (#90) OFF Snaps, (#63) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: None

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
–	+	+	–	–	–	–	–

Notes

Offense

Quarterback Hank Brown will get the starting role with Mark Gronowski gone. Brown attempted 21 passes here last season.
RB1 Kamari Moulton returns for another season. Gronowski was the second-leading rusher on the team last year, and RB2 is gone as well. South Dakota transfer LJ Phillips comes in, who had 1900 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns last season. Other two depth RBs also return.
The team’s top wideout returns, but the WR2 and WR3 are gone. A couple of depth pieces back, but no one with significant stats. Two pretty productive FCS transfers from Furman and UT Rio Grande Valley come in along with an SMU transfer.
Only two returning starters on the OL, as the other three were NFL draft picks. A JMU transfer also comes in.

Defense

The DL loses all four starters, and gets three transfers in from the FCS level.
The top tackler is gone from the linebacker unit to the draft. Just one starting linebacker returns from last season.
The defensive back unit lost three starters, with one being drafted. Transfers come from JMU, Villanova, and Robert Morris come in.

Final Thoughts

The offense doesn’t look too bad entering 2026. Losing the run threat with Gronowski is a big loss. However, he wasn’t a super effective as a passer. Hank Brown does return, but is fighting off Jeremy Hecklinski for the starting job.

The RB unit looks like it has a solid duo. It should be exciting to see what the South Dakota transfer can do at this level. The pass-catching group leaves some to be desired, but have proven FCS level receivers coming in. Iowa usually has a solid OL, but the group this year has some questions. Losing three starters and replacing them with inexperienced or FCS level players will be interesting to watch play out. However, they could fill in well with the Iowa’s track record of producing offensive linemen.

On defense, only one sack returns from a defensive unit with 26 last season. Phil Parker is a great defensive coordinator, but there are some real questions on this year’s unit. The linebackers should be fine, but replacing all of the defensive starters on the DL and DB with FCS players seems risky. There is no doubt they can be coached up, but this is a defense that has given up less than 20 points per game for the last seven seasons. On top of that, only three defensive starters from last year’s team return.

Special teams lost their starting kicker and punter from last year, too.

Iowa deserves the benefit of the doubt going into 2026. However, the defense is going to have to answer some of these questions when going up against Michigan and Ohio State in Week 4 and Week 5.

Nebraska Cornhuskers (7-6 2025), 7.6 – 5.3 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 5 Offense, 6 Defense
Portal: Incoming 16 (10 P4, 5 G6, 1 FCS), 17 Outgoing
Returning Production: 69-percent OFF (#14), 69-percent DEF (#7), (#29) OFF Snaps, (#9) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: OC, DC

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
=	–	+	+	=	+	+	+

Notes

Offense

Dylan Raiola transfers out to Oregon. Meanwhile, Anthony Colandrea comes in from UNLV.
Do-it-all running back, Emmett Johnson, is gone to the NFL. He had almost 1500 rushing yards and 300 receiving yards last year. Nebraska’s other top four rushers return, but none had over 200 yards. The team’s RB2 is also facing an arrest in the summer.
The top two wideouts return, along with a UCLA transfer with decent production. The WR3 is the only loss from the unit.
Four starting OL are gone this season. Transfers and a bunch of starts come in from Iowa State, South Carolina, and LSU.

Defense

Three defensive line starters depart, while transfers from UCLA, Pitt, and Boston College come in. The unit only had 22 sacks total last season.
The team’s top linebacker and another starter gone. However, they bring in starter-level transfers from Oregon State and San Diego State.
The DB unit loses a couple of starters, too. However, they brought back a part-time starter, both starting cornerbacks and a starter from San Diego State.

Final Thoughts

Mountain West Player of the Year, Anthony Colandrea, comes in. However, it seems like an odd fit. He is somewhat of a gunslinger, yet ran the ball quite a bit with the Rebels. It seemed like Matt Rhule kept a tight leash on Raiola last season, so it will be important to note how much freedom he gives his Colandrea this season.

The RB group is going to have a sharp decline without Johnson in the backfield. The receiving group is experienced, but lacks a standout playmaker at the position. Meanwhile, the OL is portal heavy, but has quite a bit of experience. Their center is also returning, so the line seems to be in good shape on paper.

The offense can work well if offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen can open the playbook. However, it will depend on what level of risk Rhule will tolerate, especially with no proven skill position players.

On defense, the linebackers and defensive backs look good, and should continue to progress entering this year. The real question is on the defensive line. They didn’t produce sacks or stop the run well last season. If they can’t generate pressure this season, there might be too much pressure put on the back seven. On top of that, the defense will also have to learn a new system this season. We’ll find out quickly if this team’s the real deal.

Illinois Fighting Illini (9-4 2025), 8.1 – 4.8 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 4 Offense, 4 Defense
Portal: Incoming 20 (3 P4,11 G6, 6 FCS), 26 Outgoing
Returning Production: 52-percent OFF (#74), 47-percent DEF (#83), (#43) OFF Snaps, (#72) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: DC

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
–	+	+	–	–	+	–	–

Notes

Offense

East Carolina transfer quarterback Katin Houser comes in to replace Luke Altmyer.
The top three running backs from last year return, who had 1500 combined yards in 2025.
The top wideout departs, but WR2 and WR3 return with around 1000 combined yards. However, they only had the same amount of catches as WR1. Transfers from FIU, FAU, Ball State, and Illinois State come in.
Four OL starters are gone, with one being drafted. Transfers from Wisconsin and Colorado State come in.

Defense

The defensive line lost all of their starters from last year, and not one player returning has a start under their belt. Transfers from the G6 and FCS levels come in.
The top tackler on the linebacker unit returns, but four others are gone.
Two defensive back starters are gone, but three with starting experience return. A mixed bag of transfers comes in.

Final Thoughts

Katin Houser coming in helps to steady the Altmyer loss, but will the jump in competition be noticeable? The running back room looks really solid and there are plenty of respectable wideouts to throw to on this team. If they can find a skill guy from both of those groups to step up and be RB1 and WR1, the offense will have the tools to make noise. However, the OL may potentially hold the offense back. With that being said, they still have time early on to figure things out.

The defensive back group is probably the best unit on the defense, but that isn’t saying a lot. Three DBs are already working back from pre-spring injuries. The front seven of this team might be in trouble, too. Only three and a half sacks return from this group, and there is a huge influx of transfers from all different levels. That’s not to say the transfers can’t step up, but the varying level of play and experience returning makes it seem questionable. The 2026 version of this team might find themselves in quite a few shootouts throughout the course of the season.

Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-5 2025), 6.5 – 6.4 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 7 Offense, 6 Defense
Portal: Incoming 21 (9 P4, 8 G6, 4 FCS), 21 Outgoing
Returning Production: 71-percent OFF (#10), 65-percent DEF (#12), (#62) OFF Snaps, (#49) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: None

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
+	+	=	=	+	=	–	=

Notes

Offense

Quarterback Drake Lindsey returns. Last season he had 2300 passing yards, a 63.0 completion percentage, and a 3:1 touchdown to interception rate.
Running back Darius Taylor is back as well. He wasn’t healthy last season, and should expect to see a big boost of production this year. However, the RB2 is gone and the team finished last in the Big Ten in rushing last season. They’ve brought in transfers from Purdue and Elon.
The top wideout is gone, but they brought back the WR2 and WR3 with no other players returning. All three were pretty similar in stats. Transfers come in from Auburn, Cincinnati, Tulsa, and the TE comes in from Oklahoma.
Two starters on the OL are gone, as a Tennessee transfer comes in with three returning starters.

Defense

Two DL starters gone; two transferred in from Marshall, and one from Eastern Michigan. 30 out of 39 sacks from last season returned, which is a positive.
One starter is out from the LB unit. The top tackler returns and an Eastern Michigan transfer comes in.
Two DB starters are gone, including the top safety. Two Michigan State players transfer in, along with an FCS transfer.

Final Thoughts

There is a lot of NFL talk coming in about Drake Lindsey, but not sure that he is there quite yet. He had a great freshman season and can build upon the numbers from last year. However, we must wait and see how this season plays out.

A healthy Darius Taylor could do wonders for this backfield. Meanwhile, the wide receiver group looks serviceable. Yet, there isn’t really a top player quite yet. The offensive line seems pretty solid, as well. Overall, the offense should improve on the 23 points per game from last season, especially with Lindsey in his second full year and (hopefully) a healthy Taylor.

The defense seems like it should be just as good as last season, if not better. The DL and LB groups return a lot of tackles and sacks, including Anthony Smith, who had 12.5 last year. The LB group returns its top tackler and has experience. The DB group needs to fill some holes, but mostly looks the part and returns experience, as well.

Another issue that needs to be addressed heading into 2026 is the 0-5 record on the road last season. Road losses at Cal, Northwestern, and Iowa ruined this team’s potential. Tough road games at Washington, Indiana, Penn State, and Wisconsin will likely decide how far this team can go this year.

Wisconsin Badgers (4-8 2025), 2.7 – 9.2 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 3 Offense, 3 Defense
Portal: Incoming 33 (21 P4, 7 G6, 5 FCS), 24 Outgoing
Returning Production: 61-percent OFF (#45), 57-percent DEF (#46), (#64) OFF Snaps, (#79) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: None

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
+	+	=	–	–	+	–	=

Notes

Offense

Old Dominion transfer QB Colton Joseph comes in to try his hand at what has been a two year mess at the position.
RB1 and RB3 return, but neither have stats to write home about. Iowa State RB Abu Sama comes in along with the number one JUCO RB and transfers from TCU and USC.
Not a lot returns at wideout. Seven transfers come in from the FCS, P4, and G6 levels to try and boost some production.
Five total OL are out, and just two with starting experience return. Meanwhile, another lineman returns from injury. Transfers from FSU, Arkansas, Ole Miss, and Oklahoma State come in.

Defense

All four DL starters are gone. A ton of transfers from varying levels are coming in from the portal.
The top two linebackers on this unit return, and they add in a transfer from OSU.
Three DB unit starters are gone, bringing back a couple of starting level safeties. Three P4 players transfer in.

Final Thoughts

Seems like this is an all-in year for both Wisconsin and the Luke Fickell. Forward progress has to happen this season or there might be another rebuild incoming. This team is very transfer portal heavy. A lot of P4 players come in, but there are a lot of transfers from other various levels, too.

The offense simply can’t get any worse than last season. Colton Joseph has dual threat ability and proved he could play up based on his performance at IU in game one of last season. However, can he play at that level consistently with more gameplay on film and without the surprise element? The RB room actually looks pretty good, assuming the transfers are ready to go. Meanwhile, the WR group looks questionable, until proven otherwise. The OL could be shaky, especially to start. Yet, that unit was a working patch job last season, anyways.

Wisconsin will have a rock solid LB unit, but the DL and DB groups have major questions and are super portal reliant. A stunning 12 of the team’s top tacklers from last season are gone. Only about a third of the sacks are returning, and most of those come from the linebackers. The DB unit will improve from the 70-percent completion rate they gave up last season, but the question is by how much?

Last year was a disaster, but Wisconsin did play hard down the stretch. Will the infusion of transfers be enough to pull the Badgers back up from football purgatory in the Big Ten? Or, is this a last ditch effort from a head coach looking to save his job? The offense will have a couple of tune up games early on, but they come in the middle of a neutral site game versus Notre Dame in Week 1 and a road trip to Penn State in Week 4.

Northwestern Wildcats (7-6 2025), 7.7 – 5.2 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 5 Offense, 6 Defense
Portal: Incoming 17 (8 P4, 5 G6, 4 FCS), 8 Outgoing
Returning Production: 57-percent OFF (#59), 58-percent DEF (#43), (#68) OFF Snaps, (#77) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: OC

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
+	+	+	–	–	=	–	=

Notes

Offense

Aidan Chiles comes in from Michigan State to take the place of Preston Stone. West Virginia transfer Nicco Marchiol also comes in.
Their near-1000-yard RB1 returns, along with the team’s RB2. They also have transfers coming in from FSU and Bowling Green.
The team’s WR1 and WR2 also return, while four of the top five wideouts are back as well. Two TE transfers come in, one who finished second in D2 receiving yards as a freshman.
Four starting offensive linemen gone, with two being drafted. However, their veteran center returns to the program. Transfers from Alabama and Oklahoma State come in.

Defense

The defensive line loses three starters and 13 of 23 total sacks. Transfers from UCF and OSU portal in.
Two linebacker starters return, along with transfers from Oklahoma and OSU.
Meanwhile, the defensive back unit sees two starters go, and two return. FCS and G6 transfers come in to boost the unit.

Final Thoughts

The offense looks like it could be exciting. At least, much more exciting than the 20 points per game from last season. Chiles comes in along with Marchiol, both being dual threat players at quarterback. Chiles has had decent production at his previous stops in Oregon State and Michigan State. However, he has had some lapses in judgement, taking untimely sacks and turning the ball over.

Chip Kelly comes in as the team’s new offensive coordinator, and is probably the biggest question on the offense. It is clear they want the QB to run the football. And, the team’s current skill position players look solid. Yet, what will the offensive system look like? It would be surprising if it wasn’t an up-tempo offense, which would be quite a change from a team that was 130th in offensive tempo last year. How will the offense run with an OL that looks like a downgrade from last season? Offensive three and outs or untimely turnovers would be a killer for a defense that looks far weaker up front.

The offense has the skill position pieces to put it all together, but the OL’s success will be the key. The defense will likely take a few steps back from the 20 points per game allowed last season and may be on the field a lot more if the offense sputters at all.

UCLA Bruins (3-9 2025), 2.2 – 9.7 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 4 Offense, 3 Defense
Portal: Incoming 41 (21 P4, 16 G6, 4 FCS), 24 Outgoing
Returning Production: 73-percent OFF (#5), 61-percent DEF (#29), (#2) OFF Snaps, (#13) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: HC, OC, DC

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
+	+	+	+	+	–	+	=

Notes

Offense

Nico Iamaleava returns at quarterback for 2026. He was also the top rusher from last year, too.
The RB1 departs, but the other two leading rushers return. Wayne Knight also transfers in from JMU and another RB transfers in from Iowa State.
The team’s WR2 returns with 350 yards receiving and pretty much everyone else is gone. Transfers come in from Michigan, Washington, JMU, San Jose State, South Carolina, and Florida. Tight end transfers are from JMU, Wake Forest, Kansas State, and Boston College.
Three OL starters are gone, but the Bruins bring in two transfers from JMU that started on the line in 2025. Several other players came from the G6 and FCS ranks.

Defense

The defensive line loses three starters, from last year. However, two starters come in from JMU, along with transfers from multiple high-level programs. Only 10 total sacks were created by the defense last season.
The top two linebackers and tacklers are gone from this unit. Transfers include players from JMU, Notre Dame, and Oklahoma.
Two defensive back starters are gone. Eight total transfers come in, in hopes of revitalizing the unit.

Final Thoughts

There are obviously a lot of questions that need answered in year one under Bob Chesney. However, the coaching change and structure was sorely needed. And, this team should be far better than last year right out of the gate. Iamaleava returns, and Chesney has had a ton of success with quarterbacks like him (Matthew Sluka, Alonza Barnett III). Iamaleava showed the ability to run and get out of trouble last season, but needs to work on polishing the passing game.

Wayne Knight coming in makes the running back room better right away. With the transfers and depth pieces already in place, this group should be fun. Meanwhile, the wideouts have players who surpassed receiving totals from last year’s team coming in. Yet, in general, it will take time to see what they really have. The unit should be far better than last season as far as talent is concerned. Finally, the offensive line has some returners from UCLA last season. However, the infusion of JMU players should help early on, especially with the familiarity of the scheme.

On defense, the line should be improved. However, they will still need to focus on stopping the run and getting far more pressure on the quarterback. UCLA was gashed for 190 yards per game on the ground last season. Yet, the bigger questions on defense probably sit with the linebacker unit. The top two tacklers from last season are gone, but they do return one starter and an infusion of JMU players and others from P4 schools. The DB unit will also benefit from the portal, as the secondary for UCLA last season was dead last in the Big Ten.

It is clear Chesney is bringing the culture he established at JMU to UCLA. There are a ton of starters with significant playing time coming in, too. It is difficult to pinpoint exactly where this team might land considering the step up in competition for some of the JMU transfers and inexperience of others. Yet overall, this should be an exciting offense paired with an improved defense.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights (12-2 2025), 5.2 – 6.7 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 5 Offense, 4 Defense
Portal: Incoming 15 (7 P4, 7 G6, 1 FCS), 15 Outgoing
Returning Production: 49-percent OFF (#82), 46-percent DEF (#88), (#70) OFF Snaps, (#55) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: DC

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
=	+	–	=	–	–	–	=

Notes

Offense

Athan Kaliakmanis is gone, and Boston College quarterback Dylan Lonergan comes in.
The top two running backs return with 1500 combined yards and 15 rushing touchdowns from last season.
The team’s top 1000-yard wideout in KJ Duff returns. However, they lost their three best receivers behind him, who accounted for 1500 yards and 10 touchdowns. They received a tight end transfer in from Ball State, but no other WR transfers come in.
The offensive line lost three starters (OL gave up 38 sacks last season). Redshirt players from last season are expected to come in and contribute.

Defense

Four DL exit, while four transfer in from App State, Maine, Tulsa, and Toledo.
Two starting linebackers are gone while two return (with another returning from injury). Transfers from Rice and Drake come in to help the unit.
Three DB starters are out. One was the top tackler on the defense; plus transfers from Villanova, South Dakota, Maryland, and The Citadel come in.

Final Thoughts

The offense looks passable on paper. Dylan Lonergan played well the first few games at Boston College last season before dealing with changes and injury. With that in mind, he should fit in fine at Rutgers. The running back group looks good, especially with RB Antwan Raymond returning. It’s wide receiver that’s a bigger question on this unit.

The top wideout, KJ Duff, is back. However, there really isn’t a lot around him returning and no transfers came in. The Scarlet Knights are going to need a WR2 and WR3 to step up to help him out, as he will likely see more double coverage this season.

Is it possible that the OL will improve this season? Run blocking was average last year, but the pass protection was poor, at best. Several redshirts from last season will be tasked with stepping into a starting role in 2026.

The defense doesn’t look like it is going to make much progress this season. The defensive front gave up 210 rushing yards per game to opponents. The DL transfers coming in were all starters, but at lower G6 and FCS levels. With that in mind, the trenches surely can’t be worse.

It is much of the same story with the linebackers and secondary. Some returning experience and several FCS and G6 players will be asked to step in and show progress right away. A new defensive coordinator does come in from the FCS ranks, so it will be interesting to see how much a new face can help this defense. Rutgers will likely need to rely on the offense and hope the defense can muster together a bend, but don’t break philosophy. This team will definitely be in some shootouts this season.

Maryland Terrapins (4-8 2025), 5.1 – 6.8 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 6 Offense, 8 Defense
Portal: Incoming 14 (6 P4, 7 G6, 1 FCS), 15 Outgoing
Returning Production: 68-percent OFF (#17), 74-percent DEF (#4), (#39) OFF Snaps, (#44) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: OC

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
+	=	–	=	+	+	+	+

Notes

Offense

Malik Washington returns at quarterback. He had nearly 3000 yards passing, in his freshman season with 17 touchdowns to nine interceptions. However, he only had a 57-percent completion rate.
The Terps’ top running back returns, while the aforementioned Washington was the second-leading rusher. Unfortunately for Maryland, the RB3 gone. USC and Temple transfers come in.
The top wideouts are also out, with four transfers coming in to spark life into the unit.
The team’s top center returns, but two other starting OL are out. A starter from Texas State comes in.

Defense

Two defensive starters are gone (only 2.5 sacks combined and only sacks that leave from last season’s total). They added in transfers from UCF, Texas, Washington (2), and a five-star freshman that should see time early. However, they did lose Zahir Mathis, an elite playmaker, due to injury in summer camp.
The team’s top two linebackers return, with two part-time starters gone. A VMI transfer comes in.
Only one starter in the secondary left, returning seven with experience. A Boston College transfer also comes in.

Final Thoughts

Maryland brings back a ton of production from last season. Malik Washington will continue to improve, but the other skill positions will need to show up. Running back returns some experience, but without explosiveness or consistency, finishing with less than 100 rushing yards in seven of 12 games last season. The wideout room also returns decent players that should make strides with increased roles, but also lost 1700 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns from last season. That unit did lead the nation in dropped passes last season, however. Maryland will need someone to step up into the WR1 and WR2 roles this year. The OL still needs to prove their merit, even though three starters return and a full-time starter transfers over. The lack of success by the RB group was pinned on the OL’s performance, so they will need to shape up.

The defense might surprise this season. Maryland had respectable stats last season, return quite a few sacks and interceptions, and return a lot of continuity from last year’s team. All three levels should be improved from last season, they are just going to have to execute. The special teams unit also returns intact, as well.

Michigan State Spartans (4-8 2025), 4.6 – 7.3 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 1 Offense, 4 Defense
Portal: Incoming 29 (12 P4, 9 G6, 8 FCS), 42 Outgoing
Returning Production: 48-percent OFF (#88), 45-percent DEF (#91), (#71) OFF Snaps, (#58) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: HC, OC

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
+	=	–	=	–	+	=	=

Notes

Offense

Alessio Milivojevic returns at quarterback. Cam Fancher also transfers in from UCF for his fourth school in four years.
The top two running backs are gone, and just one with 300 yards returns. Experienced transfers come in from UConn, Iowa, and WKU.
The top three wideouts are gone as well. Transfers come in from Notre Dame and Michigan.
Seven OL do not return. Five transfers come in with a combined 72 starts. Transfers come from UConn, North Dakota State, Georgia Southern, and South Carolina.

Defense

Five DL are gone from last year’s unit, only one returns.
Three starters at linebacker and one part-time starter leave the unit. Starters come in from Auburn, Buffalo, NC State, and Louisiana Tech.
All four DB starters also depart. Iowa State, Miami (FL), Louisiana Tech, Albany, and Maine transfers come in.

Final Thoughts

A new head coach, a new offensive system. Milivojevic returns at quarterback and gained a lot of respect with how he finished last season. After all, he did throw for 1200 yards and 10 touchdowns in just four starts (though he did play some other games). The running back room looks pretty well put together through the portal. The wideouts will be a huge question, as no one really returns and the experience coming in is minimal. Meanwhile, the offensive line gave up 37 sacks last season, so the portal-made OL shouldn’t be much worse than that, depending on how they gel early on.

The defense returned their top tackler and best linebacker from last season – which is massive. Michigan State also added several starters from the portal, helping make that unit the best on this defense. However, the inexperienced defensive line is a huge question coming into the 2026. The secondary added a familiar face and has more experience than the trenches, but is likely still susceptible to giving up yards.

The firing of former HC Smith still seems odd, but that is likely due to the new president and AD hiring. Pat Fitzgerald being hired makes sense with his Big Ten football experience. However, “modernizing” the offense seems like a stretch, as some of his Northwestern offenses were a challenge to watch during his tenure.

Michigan State was extremely portal heavy, but did bring experience at certain position levels. The Spartans will need to have everything figured out early, as there are no real “gimme” games to find their footing.

Purdue Boilermakers (2-10 2025), 2.6 – 9.3 PYTHAG

Returning Starters: 3 Offense, 4 Defense
Portal: Incoming 29 (20 P4, 5 G6, 4 FCS), 23 Outgoing
Returning Production: 61-percent OFF (#40), 55-percent DEF (#58), (#61) OFF Snaps, (#57) DEF Snaps
HC/DC/OC Changes: DC

2026 Position Group Outlook

QB	RB	WR	OL	DL	LB	DB	ST
–	+	–	=	+	+	=	–

Notes

Offense

Ryan Browne returns at quarterback. Last year, he threw for 2100 yards and nine touchdowns to 10 interceptions with a 59-percent completion rate.
The team’s RB2 is the only returner in the unit. However, there wasn’t a ton of production lost from this group. They’ve brought in multiple transfers with varying experience.
The team’s top three wideouts are gone. Transfers come in from Syracuse, Iowa State, FAU, and Pennsylvania come in.
Four offensive linemen are out, two starters return, and seven transfers come in. Three incoming transfers were starters at South Carolina, Oklahoma State, and USC. One injured lineman is hoping to be back by Week 4.

Defense

Six starters on the DL return, with transfers from Georgia, Illinois, and UCF in.
The top linebacker, sack-getter, and tackler depart from the unit. Several transfers came in from the ranks of Toledo, PSU, Illinois, and FIU.
Three starters are gone from the secondary and more transfers come in.

Final Thoughts

Head coach Barry Odom really trusts Browne and expects him to improve at quarterback. He may, but last season was an up and down experience. If he doesn’t show a more consistent level of play (albeit now paired now with less-experienced receivers), it might be another wasted year at the position. The running back unit should be better than last season, simply because of the wear and tear on Devin Mockobee. The wideout room is likely not going to be as good as last season’s unit. The OL looks better on paper, but they only gave up 20 sacks last season and most were picked up in the portal.

On defense, the front seven has some starting experience returning and add in some starters from the portal. There should be an uptick in performance from these units. The secondary looks to be in the same area as last season, but should find better success. That unit got torched last season against any team who could moderately pass. They need to perform better this year.

Coach Odom brought back Purdue’s defensive coordinator from 2024 for the same role, after coaching linebackers at Minnesota last season. That hire, to be honest seems a bit strange. Overall, the defense should take some steps forward, but the offense might struggle again. The OL will need to create rushing opportunities, as the RB room is probably the best unit on the offense. The Week 2 home game versus Wake Forest is a must-win if Purdue wants to gain any traction for the 2026 season.

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