Odds courtesy of TonyBet.
Big Ten Conference - Outright Winner
Ohio State is the favorite at +179 odds at football betting sites. Indiana, the reigning Big Ten champions, sits at +254. Oregon isn’t far behind at +264, but there’s a significant drop-off after the Ducks.
Ohio State
Ohio State enters the season as the team to beat, bringing back a loaded core on both sides of the ball and landing among the top two or three teams in most preseason projections. The schedule is where things get difficult, with road trips to Indiana, Iowa, USC, and Texas, plus home dates against Michigan and Oregon, leaving little margin for a letdown. Regardless, until someone knocks the Buckeyes off, they're the team everyone else in the conference is looking to beat.
Indiana
Indiana's climb from irrelevance to national champion in two years remains one of the most unlikely runs in the sport, and Curt Cignetti's group shows no signs of slowing down. A 27-2 record over the last two seasons has erased doubts that last year was a fluke, and the Hoosiers again get a favorable path, with Ohio State and USC both visiting Bloomington. There's some intrigue at quarterback after a transfer addition with turnover issues, but the defense and program infrastructure Cignetti has built give Indiana a real shot at winning the Big Ten again, and making the CFP.
Oregon
Oregon looks like the trendy pick to finally break through, and it's easy to see why. Dan Lanning has built one of the deepest rosters in the country, and several major outlets view the Ducks as the team most likely to push Ohio State for the top spot in the Big Ten. A road trip to Columbus looms as one of their toughest games, but Oregon's mix of explosive playmaking and a well-rounded defense should be enough to handle the rest of the schedule.
USC
USC enters the year with talent, but real pressure on Lincoln Riley. The Trojans are viewed as capable of making the 12-team field, and home dates against Oregon and Washington give them a chance to make an early statement. Consistency has been the issue, and a loaded Big Ten leaves little room for stumbles against the conference's middle tier. If USC finds stability at the game's most important positions, a playoff berth is realistic. If not, it could be the end of Riley’s tenure in LA.
Michigan
Michigan enters 2026 under new head coach Kyle Whittingham, who brings staff continuity issues of his own after a coaching change from Utah. The big storyline is quarterback Bryce Underwood, the highest-touted recruit in program history, looking to bounce back after a rough freshman year. New offensive coordinator Jason Beck wants to unlock him in a more spread attack, while defensive coordinator Jay Hill takes over a unit that's been Michigan's backbone for years. The schedule is brutal, with the Wolverines facing the Big Ten's top three teams plus Oklahoma out of conference. This looks more like a program in transition than a proven title contender, unless Underwood can take a massive step.
Big Ten Futures Picks
A 27-2 run over two seasons under Cignetti isn't a fluke, and a favorable schedule with Ohio State and USC both visiting Bloomington sets up another deep run. Indiana is in for another stellar Big Ten campaign. I also like Oregon, which has an incredibly deep roster, and if they can beat Ohio State on the road, it presents a potential path to the Big Ten Championship.
Picks: Indiana (+254), Oregon (+264)/TonyBet
