Big Ten Championship Predictions 2026: Odds, Best Bets & Expert Picks

It’s been a long and eventful offseason, and the 2026 college football season is nearly upon us. The battle for a spot in the newly revamped 12-team College Football Playoff begins on August 29 and won’t stop until we crown a champion in January. Last season’s National Championship game saw Indiana complete a perfect season with a win over Miami to claim a third straight National Championship for the Big Ten. Will another team from this conference reach the pinnacle of the sport this season? It’s almost time to find out.

With the offseason chaos in the rearview mirror, it’s time to delve into the futures market for each conference, and here we’re taking a look at the Big Ten. This is a league with a clear trio of contenders at the top, but without an overwhelming favorite heading into the season. Let’s look at the latest college football odds for the Big Ten, along with our NCAAF picks to win the Big Ten Conference before the 2026 season starts.

Be on the lookout for all of our college football futures coverage leading up to Week 0, including previews for every conference

2026 Big Ten Conference Odds

Odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook and available at time of publishing.

• Ohio State +180
• Indiana +260
• Oregon +260
• USC +1600
• Michigan +1700
• Penn State +2200
• Washington +2400
• Iowa +4500
• Wisconsin +13500
• Nebraska +15000
• Illinois +16000
• UCLA +17000
• Minnesota +20000
• Northwestern +50000
• Maryland +50000
• Rutgers +60000
• Michigan State +60000
• Purdue +100000

See our 2026 Heisman Trophy winner predictions, with our expert picking a longshot at 40/1 odds!

2026 Big Ten favorites

Ohio State Buckeyes (+180)

Following a torrid run to a national title in 2024, Ohio State was able to ride a deep, talented and experienced roster to an undefeated regular season a year ago. However, the Buckeyes were outclassed by Miami in the College Football Playoff, and it's back to the drawing board for Ryan Day after another Big Ten foe took home the sport's top prize. While the Buckeyes have routinely churned out excellent offenses over the last decade, I have some concerns with how this unit is going to look under new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith following an unsuccessful stint as an OC with the Steelers. Julian Sayin has a very high floor as an extremely accurate pocket passer, but he will need to take another step forward this season and play like one of the best quarterbacks in the nation if Ohio State is going to thrive against the toughest opponents on this schedule.

There are still plenty of reasons to be optimistic about Ohio State. After all, there is a ton of high-end talent on this roster, led by Jeremiah Smith, who is easily the best offensive player in college football. However, it's hard to overstate the impact of losing 11 players to the NFL Draft, including a whopping seven players in the first two rounds. Gone are the likes of Arvell Reese, Sonny Styles and Caleb Downs, and it's obviously going to be difficult for Matt Patricia's defense to replicate that kind of production and leadership. To add insult to injury, the Buckeyes might have the toughest schedule in the nation, including road trips to Texas, Indiana, USC and Iowa, before hosting Oregon and Michigan in November. Given the extraordinary loss of talent from last year's team and an extremely difficult schedule in front of them, I can’t back the Buckeyes to win the Big Ten at this price.

Indiana Hoosiers (+260)

After toiling near the bottom of the Big Ten for many years, the Hoosiers are on top of the college football world following a perfect 16-0 season and the first National Championship in school history. It's been an unprecedented turnaround for a program that was a barren wasteland for most of the last few decades in this sport. What will Curt Cignetti do for an encore? It's hard to predict another undefeated regular season for a team that lost so much from last year's squad, but the Hoosiers don't rebuild anymore — they reload. Josh Hoover is coming off an inconsistent season at TCU, but he should excel as the quarterback of an offense that boasts plenty of talent at the skill positions, including a wide receiver room that features playoff standout Charlie Becker, along with Nick Marsh (Michigan State) and Shazz Preston (Tulane) as two very solid pickups in the transfer portal.

On the other side of the ball, Indiana is replacing five contributors on the defensive line from a season ago, but the Hoosiers were able to snag the likes of Chiddi Obiazor (Kansas State) and Josh Burnham (Notre Dame) to help fill that void. Elsewhere, the linebacking corps should be in good shape, with most of the production returning from last year's squad. The secondary also sees multiple starters returning, so Indiana should be just fine in that department as well. More importantly, the Hoosiers have one of the more favorable schedules in the Big Ten — certainly among the contenders. Indiana avoids Oregon and Penn State while getting to host both Ohio State and USC during the second half of the season. Road trips to Michigan and Washington aren't easy, but Indiana should be favored in both contests. This team is too well-coached to experience a massive drop-off, even after winning a national title. Expect another playoff berth in Bloomington.

Oregon Ducks (+260)

A season ago, I targeted the 2026 campaign as the one where Oregon would have its best chance in over a decade to win a National Championship. Fast forward a year and my optimism for Oregon's outlook this season has only grown. The Ducks have arguably the most complete roster in the nation, starting with Dante Moore returning to lead an offense that is loaded with talent in all areas. Jordan Davison and Dierre Hill make up one of the best running back duos in the country, while the wide receiver room is jam-packed with difference makers, including Dakorien Moore, Evan Stewart, Jeremiah McClellan and Iverson Hooks. Elsewhere, Jamari Johnson could be the best tight end in the nation, and while there are some questions on the offensive line, Iapani Laloulu should hold down the fort at center. Add in the fact that the Ducks have Dylan Raiola waiting in the wings as an insurance policy at backup quarterback, and this unit is more than ready for a title run.

If the offense is great, the defense might be even better. The quartet of Matayo Uiagalelei, Bear Alexander, A'Mauri Washington and Teitum Tuioti makes up the best defensive line in the country, and the linebacking group also brings back a couple of notable contributors from a season ago. Not to be outdone, the secondary is full of rising stars like the cornerback duo of Brandon Finney Jr. and Iffy Obidegwu, along with Koi Perich transferring in from Minnesota to replace Dillon Thieneman at safety. It's hard to find flaws with this unit, and the Ducks should also benefit from a pretty favorable schedule, as Oregon dodges Indiana, Penn State and Iowa while getting Michigan and Washington at home. The only difficult road games for Dan Lanning's team are at USC — a matchup that the Ducks have dominated in recent years — and Ohio State on November 7, a game in which the Ducks should only be short underdogs by the time game week arrives. There’s a clear path for Oregon to win this conference and go on a deep playoff run.

Dive into our expert's full SEC preview, including a +330 best bet!

2026 Big Ten contenders

USC Trojans (+1600)

Despite what the common perception is in the national college football media landscape, I actually don't think Lincoln Riley is on the hot seat heading into this season. After all, USC is coming off a 9-3 regular season a year ago, including a couple of impressive victories over Michigan and Iowa. The problem for Riley's group is their inability to win games on the road against quality opposition, and that has been a consistent theme in the Trojans' first couple of seasons in the Big Ten. Another issue is the fact that USC will be operating with a much weaker wide receiving corps following the departure of Ja'kobi Lane and Makai Lemon to the NFL. At least Jayden Maiava is back at quarterback, and he took positive steps forward in his second season in Riley’s system last fall. Furthermore, this is an offense that returns the majority of its production on the offensive line, to go along with a 2-headed monster at running back.

We know that USC will certainly put up points, but the defense will likely be the difference between if the Trojans are simply a solid team, or if they'll take the next step and make the College Football Playoff. This is a unit that took major strides forward in recent years, but we'll see if that momentum continues under the tutelage of Gary Patterson. On brand for this program, the defense was much worse on the road a season ago, and the road schedule is much tougher than it was in 2025. With games against Oregon, Ohio State, Indiana, Penn State, Washington and UCLA, I can only look toward taking an under on the win total as the Trojans take a slight step back this season.

Michigan Wolverines (+1700)

The last couple of seasons have been very messy for Michigan, and while I like the hire of Kyle Whittingham at head coach and the additions of Jason Beck and Jay Hill at offensive and defensive coordinator, the Wolverines are still very much a work in progress. It was a largely unsuccessful true freshman season for five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood, and he struggled mightily against the four best teams on the schedule, which resulted in each of Michigan's losses last year. Underwood could certainly make some positive strides forward in his second season at the collegiate level, but he's working with another new offensive coordinator and the Wolverines are still pretty weak at wide receiver heading into this season. If Michigan is unable to get much production out of its tight end room, it could be another difficult campaign for the offense.

The calling card for this program in this decade has been their defense, but the Wolverines have to account for a mass exodus on the defensive front and it remains to be seen if this new group of transfers in the front seven will gel quickly enough. There's also the matter of the schedule, which is much tougher than what Underwood and company faced in 2025. The Wolverines have brutal road games against Ohio State and Oregon that almost feel like certain loss, and a home slate that includes games against Indiana, Oklahoma and Penn State is no picnic, either. I took out a position on Michigan Under 8.5 wins earlier in the summer, and I still would recommend that wager.

Penn State Nittany Lions (+2200)

Penn State turned in one of the more disappointing seasons in recent memory in 2025, with the Nittany Lions barely managing to make a bowl game after entering into the season with sky-high expectations. James Franklin was finally ousted from the program after over a decade in State College, and Matt Campbell was brought in from Iowa State to keep the program at a respectable level and ultimately build Penn State back into a legitimate national power. However, not only did Campbell bring over quarterback Rocco Becht and a slew of players from his former home to Penn State, he was also able to retain some of the best players on defense to give this team a shot in the arm. Add in the fact that the Nittany Lions were gifted the easiest schedule of any Power 4 team by my count, and the calculus has suddenly changed on what this team can achieve this season. Don't be surprised if Penn State is the fourth Big Ten team to make the College Football Playoff.

Washington Huskies (+2400)

The biggest question I have surrounding Washington heading into this season revolves around how the Huskies locker room will respond to quarterback Demond Williams Jr. following his thwarted attempt to leave the program early in the offseason. That's a difficult thing to handicap and it's a big part of why I'm staying away from a preseason wager on this team in any market. If Williams is locked in and the team is on the same page, there is a case for Washington to win eight or nine games this year and make a push for the College Football Playoff, especially given how the early season schedule shapes up. The Huskies also get Penn State, Iowa and Minnesota at home while avoiding Ohio State and Michigan. The other side of that coin is Washington lost a number of essential pieces from last year's squad — most notably Denzel Boston and Jonah Coleman — and the Huskies are relying on transfers and younger players to fill that void. It wouldn't shock me if Washington started out hot, before losing four of its last five games to close the season.

Now, check out our expert's full ACC preview and predictions, including a +2000 best bet!

2026 Big Ten Championship best bet: Oregon Ducks (+270)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to +220.

Between my National Championship piece and my previous analysis in this article, I've already spilled more than enough ink on Oregon's depth, talent and experience at nearly every position group. Given the questions I have with some of the other contenders in this conference, Oregon is one of my clear top two choices to make the title game, and the Ducks could certainly end up being favored in that contest depending on the opponent. With that in mind, a +270 ticket on Lanning's team to capture its second Big Ten title in three seasons is just too good to pass up.

2026 Big Ten win total best bet: USC under 8.5 wins (-125)

Odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to -145.

As previously mentioned, it's hard to see USC not taking a step back this year given the losses the Trojans suffered in the wide receiving corps and the schedule that they were dealt. USC will likely be underdogs in four games this season — vs Oregon, at Penn State, vs Ohio State, at Indiana — and that doesn't even factor in games against Washington and UCLA, plus a road trip to Madison, Wisconsin in late October. Since they've joined the Big Ten, the Trojans have been largely unable to win games in the eastern and central time zones, and they haven't pulled off any upsets when punching above their weight class. Riley is recruiting at a high level and the groundwork is being played for a very successful season in the future, but USC will have to take some lumps this fall.

2026 Big Ten win total best bet: Northwestern under 5.5 wins (-110)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing. Playable to -135.

When it comes to the also-rans in this massive conference, there aren't many teams that stand out. However, Northwestern is a textbook case of a group that overachieved last year and is now a team I want to fade this season. The Wildcats made a confounding move by bringing in Chip Kelly to be the new offensive coordinator, while also snagging Aiden Chiles (Michigan State) and Nicco Marchiol (West Virginia) to compete for the starting job. Chiles is expected to be the starter, and while he clearly has potential, it hasn't led to many positive results to this point. Furthermore, the defense and special teams units lost a good deal of production from a season ago, and the schedule is absolutely unforgiving. Not only do the Wildcats have to take on Oregon, Ohio State and Indiana all on the road, but they also have dates with Penn State, Iowa and Minnesota — to say nothing of an emotional road game at Pat Fitzgerald and Michigan State in October. To make matters worse, the Wildcats have to play 11 straight games to close the season following an early bye week, and they could easily get battered and beaten up during that grueling stretch. I've got Northwestern favored in just four games, so I'll gladly jump on the under at this price.

Don't miss our expert's National Championship predictions and +800 best bet!