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Big Ten Conference Reveals School Schedule for 2026 Football Media Days Presented by Discover®

Unknown — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. –The Big Ten Conference announced today the school participation schedule for the 2026 Big Ten Football Media Days presented by Discover®.

This year’s event returns to the Hilton Chicago and will feature a three-day format, July 28-30, with Big Ten Network providing live coverage of all three days. Each of the conference’s 18 institutions will be represented by its head coach and three student-athletes.

DAY 1 (July 28): Illinois, Iowa, Penn State, Rutgers, USC, Wisconsin

DAY 2 (July 29): Michigan State, Minnesota, Ohio State, Oregon, Purdue, UCLA

DAY 3 (July 30): Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern, Washington

A limited block of hotel rooms have been reserved for media at Hilton Chicago for this event at a nightly room rate of $299 (plus tax). The reservation link was distributed via email to media, please contact the conference office if it was not received. The hotel reservation deadline is Friday, June 26. Please note that hotel room availability is extremely limited, and reservations are made on a first-come, first-served basis.

Additional information regarding credentials, media schedules and student-athlete attendees will be announced at a later date.

Big Ten Announces 2026 Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award Recipients

Unknown — Fri, 06 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS – Margaret Johnson of the University of Southern California and Sam Edwards from Michigan State University have been selected as this year’s Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award recipients. All 18 Big Ten Conference member institutions were asked to nominate one female and one male student-athlete for the 2025-26 school year. The two honorees selected were each awarded a $10,000 scholarship for their achievements in academics, athletics, extracurricular activities, and leadership.

In recognition of the Big Ten Conference’s leadership in fully integrating athletics into the academic mission of its member institutions, the Indianapolis Big Ten Community Partnership initiated the Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award in 2008. Over the last 19 years, the award has contributed more than $300,000 in scholarships.

The award is made possible by donations from local corporations and individuals who support intercollegiate athletics. The Big Ten Community Partnership is comprised of the State of Indiana, the City of Indianapolis, Indiana Sports Corp, Pacers Sports & Entertainment, the Indianapolis Colts, and Visit Indy.

Johnson was voted team captain in her sophomore season, becoming just the third sophomore in program history to be voted captain. She has led the Trojans to the NCAA Women’s Water Polo Tournament Final twice in 2023 and 2025 as she pursues her undergraduate degree in biomedical engineering, while simultaneously working toward a master’s degree in engineering management, maintaining a 3.6 undergraduate GPA and a 3.85 graduate GPA. She has earned recognition as an MSPF Scholar-Athlete and a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, in addition to receiving ACWPC All-Academic honors three times. Johnson has also earned Academic All-Big Ten and MPSF All-Academic honors. She has competed internationally, representing the United States on the U.S. Youth National Team, winning gold at the 2022 Junior Pan American Championships and capturing a championship at the Youth World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia. Johnson also serves as a Student-Athlete Leader for the USC Shoah Foundation, engaging in initiatives that promote empathy, historical understanding, and moral courage.

Edwards was voted team captain by his teammates in his graduate season in 2025. While excelling on the field as both a long snapper and linebacker, Edwards made an equally significant impact in the classroom. In 2025, he was appointed student-athlete representative to the NCAA Division I Board of Directors, becoming just the fourth football player to serve on the board. He is a five-time Academic All-Big Ten, four-time Big Ten Distinguished Scholar, a three-time Academic All-District selection, and a three-time recipient of the team’s Scholar Athlete Award. Edwards graduated in May 2024 with a double major in political theory and Constitutional Democracy/International Relations, completed a minor in political economy in December 2024, and earned his master’s degree in marketing research in December 2025 with a 3.9 GPA. In preparation for a career in law, he has worked as an Ad Hoc Law Clerk at Nichols Law Firm in East Lansing.

“Indiana Sports Corp is proud to recognize Sam Edwards and Margaret Johnson as the 2026 Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award recipients,” said Patrick Taly, Indiana Sports Corp President. “Their commitment to academic excellence, competitive achievement, and servant leadership embodies the spirit of this award and the values of the Big Ten Conference.”

The Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award is named for the late Big Ten Conference commissioner who served from 1971 to 1989. While leading the conference, Duke spent much of his time working to improve academic standards and graduation rates for students competing in conference athletics.

2026 Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award Nominees
University of Nebraska: Rienk Mast, Basketball; Axelina Johansson, Track & Field
Michigan State University: Sydney Doloszycki, Softball; Samuel Edwards, Football
University of Wisconsin: Ashley Martinez, Soccer
University of Iowa: William Ryan, Track & Field
University of Minnesota: Aiva Schmitz, Tennis; Andrew Bennett, Diving
Indiana University: Maxwell Weinrich, Diving; Avery Parker, Softball
University of Washington: Lucy Newlin, Soccer
Northwestern University: Samantha Serban, Fencing
The Ohio State University: Sloane Matthews, Ice Hockey; Mason Edmund, Swimming
University of Maryland: Allyson Williams, Volleyball; Mitchell Lloyd, Lacrosse
Rutgers University: Katherine Lang, Swimming & Diving; Noah Kriesman, Track & Field
Penn State University: Vasil Ivakimov, Fencing; Katie Dallas, Cross Country & Track
Purdue University: Maxwell Blume, Swimming & Diving; Akasha Anderson, Volleyball
University of Illinois: Tali Joelson, Gymnastics; Ryan Vanichtheeranont, Gymnastics
University of Southern California: Andrej Grgurevic, Water Polo; Margaret Johnson, Water Polo

Previous Wayne Duke Postgraduate Award Winners
2025: Teresa Ivan, Ohio State, Swimming & Diving; Micaylon Moore, Nebraska, Track & Field
2024: Trent DiCicco, Ohio State, Lacrosse; Ashley Harlock, Michigan State, Field Hockey
2023: Diana Brown, Illinois, Volleyball; Thomas Penola, Purdue University, Wrestling
2022: Blake Hayes, Illinois, Football; Gianna Glatz, Rutgers, Field Hockey
2021: Kieran Mullins, Rutgers, Lacrosse; Lea Mitchell, Michigan State, Gymnastics
2020: Scott Piper, Michigan State, Swimming & Diving; Sade Olatoye, Ohio State, Track & Field
2019: Anton Stephenson, Nebraska, Men’s Gymnastics; Olivia Rosendahl, Northwestern, Swimming & Diving
2018: Chris Weber, Nebraska, Football; Emily Mills, Rutgers, Golf
2017: Geno Morelli, Penn State, Wrestling; Lindsay Agnew, Ohio State, Soccer
2016: Cody Rush, Nebraska, Track and Field; Lindsay Mable, Minnesota, Gymnastics
2015: Campbell Sode, Rutgers, Lacrosse; Jessica Plant, Minnesota, Swimming & Diving
2014: Spencer Long, Nebraska, Football; Emily Wong, Nebraska, Gymnastics
2013: Sean Fisher, Nebraska, Football; Katelyn White, Nebraska, Cross Country and Track & Field
2012: Miguel Pineda, Penn State, Gymnastics; Margaux Farrell, Indiana, Swimming & Diving
2011: Mike Torchia, Minnesota, Cross Country and Track & Field; Allie Smith, Purdue, Swimming & Diving
2010: Mark Ison, Northwestern, Football; Chelsea Davis, Ohio State, Swimming & Diving
2009: Drew Ratner, Northwestern, Soccer; Lauren Mioton, Purdue, Basketball
2008: Kevin Trulock, Indiana, Football; Molly Crispell, Penn State, Swimming & Diving

Big Ten Receives 2026 NCAA/MOAA Opportunities & Impact Award

Unknown — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana -- The Big Ten Conference has been named the Division I winner of the 2026 NCAA/MOAA Opportunities and Impact Award, the NCAA and Minority Opportunities Athletic Association — an affiliate of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics — announced Thursday.

READ: NCAA and MOAA announce 2026 Opportunities and Impact Award recipients

The award recognizes and celebrates the initiatives, programs and efforts of athletics departments and conference offices in Divisions I, II and III that embrace environments of belonging and well-being and elevate the student-athlete voice in intercollegiate athletics communities. NCAA and MOAA representatives will present the awards June 7-10 in Las Vegas during the MOAA Symposium.

"We're proud to accept this honor on behalf of our 18 schools, whose support makes these initiatives possible," Big Ten Conference Commissioner Tony Petitti said.

Omar Brown, Big Ten senior vice president for community and impact, added, "This humbling recognition is a direct result of the leadership and alignment we have from Commissioner Petitti, throughout the conference office, and in collaboration with our campuses. Big Ten student-athletes always are aiming for excellence in competition, in the classroom and in their communities. We will continue to build on this foundation to create transformational opportunities for their development and deliver impact to the many locales we call home across the nation throughout the year."

The Big Ten Conference continues to engage, educate and empower its student-athletes, coaches, administrators and its broader community base with programs, initiatives and engagements that make a difference and encourage positive change. For four years, student-athletes from Big Ten schools have traveled to Alabama for an immersive journey that included learning about the Civil Rights Movement, visits to historic sites, community service projects and panel sessions with local leaders. The Big Ten has also added new elements to the transformative experience each year to deepen understanding and inspire civic responsibility.

WATCH: Big Ten Community & Impact makes a difference

Additionally, the conference creates leadership opportunities for its student-athletes. It partners with James Russell Lowell Elementary School in Indianapolis, connecting its 18 member schools with classrooms that include mentorship and encouragement via virtual meetings.

Another one of its many initiatives are structured conversations with administrators, coaches, athletes and employees to gather feedback and to inform future strategies. Examples include conducting student-athlete experience exit surveys and hosting standing committees, commissions and leadership councils to discuss progress, share feedback and assess strategic alignment. The conference also hosts numerous inclusive programs such as United as One, the B1G Fellows Program, the Student-Athlete Issues Commission, The Women's Volleyball Mentorship Program and the CBS Sports Ambassador Program & Sports Journalism Initiative. The conference also promotes several awards programs, which includes the Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award to recognize student-athletes who demonstrate leadership, service and volunteerism.

WATCH: Indiana honorees receive their Jackie Robinson Award jackets

WATCH: Purdue's Devin Mockobee dons his jacket while being recognized at Boilermakers basketball game

Along with the Big Ten, Saint Michael's College athletics department was recognized in Division II, and Occidental College's athletics department was the Division III honoree.

"This honor is an acknowledgment of NCAA member schools and conference offices that intentionally create spaces and opportunities for all student-athletes, coaches and administrators to feel seen, heard and valued," said Felicia Martin, NCAA senior vice president of inclusion, education and community engagement. "It is important to recognize these outstanding recipients who diligently embrace a commitment to positively impact their athletic communities and make a significant difference for all humanity."

"Congratulations to this year's recipients," said Timothy Wise, MOAA president and assistant general manager at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. "The outstanding work by the winners showcases the commitment to providing opportunities in the ever-changing landscape and making a significant impact on their campus and in conference communities. Each of the winners is worthy of this honor, and MOAA looks forward to partnering with the NCAA to recognize these achievements at the 2026 MOAA Symposium in June."

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Discover, Big Ten Present Custom Jackets To Jackie Robinson Award Honorees

Unknown — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Presenting sponsor Discover will deliver custom letterwinner jackets to all 36 institutional winners of the 2025-26 Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award, the Big Ten announced Wednesday. Each university’s male and female honoree will receive a customized, one-of-one gift featuring unique school elements and visuals.

The first two custom jackets were presented in December at the Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game to 2025 national winners Dillon Fontus, from Maryland football, and Iowa wrestler Nanea Estrella.

Both of last year’s winners, and Sonya Pankey Robinson (Jackie Robinson’s granddaughter), attended the game as guests of Discover, seeing Indiana claim the title at Lucas Oil Stadium on their way to a perfect 16-0 campaign and CFP National Championship. The 2026 national winners will be announced later this spring from the cohort of 36 campus recipients.

In November, the Big Ten Conference announced the 36 student-athletes selected as institutional winners of the 2025-26 Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award presented by Discover. Now in its second year, the honor was created to recognize Big Ten student-athletes who strive to have a positive impact within their community in addition to excellence in competition.

Institution	Honoree	Sport
Illinois	TJ Griffin	Football
Illinois	Tali Joelson	Gymnastics
Indiana	Tyler Lillard	Wrestling
Indiana	Kristina Vincic	Track & Field
Iowa	Ava Bayless	Wrestling
Iowa	Will Ryan	Cross Country \| Track & Field
Maryland	Joey Schneck	Wrestling
Maryland	Madeline Komoroski	Gymnastics
Michigan	Kevin Kearns	Lacrosse
Michigan	Zoë Bormet	Field Hockey
Michigan State	Maddie Lawlor	Field Hockey
Michigan State	Jalen Thompson	Football
Minnesota	Charlie Sutherland	Baseball
Minnesota	Niamya (Nia) Holloway	Basketball
Nebraska	Katelyn Caneda	Softball
Nebraska	Michael Booker III	Football
Northwestern	Kansas Robinson	Softball
Northwestern	Najee Story	Football
Ohio State	Caleb Downs	Football
Ohio State	Makenna Webster	Ice Hockey \| Field Hockey
Oregon	Matt Bedford	Football
Oregon	Blessyn McMorris	Acrobatics & Tumbling
Penn State	Nick Dawkins	Football
Penn State	Elise DeWan	Field Hockey
Purdue	Devin Mockobee	Football
Purdue	Emma Bailey	Softball
Rutgers	Jude Essuman	Soccer
Rutgers	Caitlin Collins	Lacrosse
UCLA	Jordan Robinson	Track & Field
UCLA	Karson Gordon	Football \| Track & Field
USC	Maribel Flores	Soccer
USC	Robert Gref	Diving
Washington	Franck Kepnang	Basketball
Washington	Rhonda Newton	Track & Field
Wisconsin	Rico Hallman	Football
Wisconsin	Erin Connolly	Soccer

In recognition of their achievement and as an expression of the conference’s appreciation, each of the 36 campus winners will receive a medal bearing the likeness of Jackie Robinson and the logo of the Big Ten Conference in addition to their custom jacket.

WATCH: Indiana honorees receive their Jackie Robinson Award jackets

WATCH: Purdue's Devin Mockobee dons his jacket while being honored at Boilermakers basketball game

WATCH: Big Ten Community & Impact makes a difference

Jackie Robinson was a standout student-athlete at UCLA, where he was the school’s first four-sport letter winner, excelling in football, basketball, track and field, and baseball. Beyond his athletic prowess, he continues to be recognized and honored for his contributions off the field: integrating Major League Baseball and his lifelong commitment to social justice. He is the embodiment of the Big Ten's mission to develop strong student leaders, and this program honors his legacy and core values of courage, determination, teamwork, persistence, integrity, citizenship, justice, commitment, and excellence. As Jackie famously said, “A life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.”

“It is our privilege and great honor to bestow this award in Jackie’s name upon these deserving Big Ten student-athletes and to express our appreciation for the support of the Jackie Robinson Foundation,” said Big Ten Conference Commissioner Tony Petitti.

Honorees were selected based on the following criteria:

Demonstrated Impact: Significant and tangible contributions to community projects or causes, including measurable outcomes or positive changes resulting from their involvement.
Collaboration and Teamwork: Ability to work effectively with others, including peers, organizations, and community members, to achieve common goals and enhance community impact.
Consistency and Commitment: Ongoing and consistent participation in community service activities over an extended period of time.
Visibility and Advocacy: Efforts to raise awareness and advocate for important groups or causes, leveraging their platform to promote positive change and engage others.

"The Big Ten Jackie Robinson Community & Impact Award celebrates Jackie’s legacy of excellence in community service,” said Sonya Pankey Robinson, Jackie’s first grandchild as well as Director and board member of the Jackie Robinson Foundation. "We are proud to recognize 36 outstanding men and women for the incredible impact they make in their community."

"Our student-athletes make significant contributions through competition, academics, and community impact,” said Big Ten Senior Vice President, Community & Impact, Omar Brown. “This award allows the Big Ten to recognize these efforts in improving communities, just as we do with their other athletic and academic achievements. Jackie Robinson embodies this award and our goal to honor student-athletes who positively affect others."

The Big Ten Conference’s commitment to athletics, academics and service goes back to the conference’s founding. Coupling the academic goals set forth by leaders of the charter members of the conference with their steadfast commitment to athletics, the conference instituted the Big Ten Medal of Honor in 1915, the first award to demonstrate support for the educational emphasis placed on intercollegiate athletics. It is awarded annually by each member institution to one male and one female student of the graduating class who has attained the greatest proficiency in scholarship and athletics.

New “We Are Here” spot highlights student success, economic impact

Unknown — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Big Ten universities’ leading role in educating students and driving economic prosperity is featured the latest edition in the “We Are Here” series of :30 ads .

The new ad began airing during Big Ten basketball games and other winter sports in January. Students and alumni take center stage, sharing with viewers what their lives look like and what they have been able to accomplish thanks to their Big Ten university education. Seen on campuses and in communities nationwide, their experiences are living proof of the world-class educational opportunities they received, from learning alongside Nobel Prize–winning faculty to participating in internships and undergraduate research. The spot also highlights the universities’ broader impact through innovation, job creation and service.

Together, the 18 members of the Big Ten Conference are educating more than 810,000 students, preparing them for successful lives and careers. The Big Ten’s collective graduation rate is more than 20 points above the national average and the universities have more than 9.2 million living alumni.

The first ad in the “We Are Here” series began airing last fall and has generated more than 250 million impressions across Big Ten broadcasts to date, including during the College Football Playoff National Championship won by Indiana University. It focused on how Big Ten universities make America healthier, safer and more prosperous through everything from discovering new medical treatments to developing healthier foods to driving economic growth.

“The success of our students is our first priority, and Big Ten universities lead the nation in providing access to an excellent and valuable college education. And after graduation, our students go on to join the more than 9 million alumni who are making a difference in communities around the nation and world,” said University of Maryland President Darryll J. Pines, who chairs the Big Ten's Council of Presidents and Chancellors. “We’re proud to be part of a conference that shares a commitment to academic and athletic excellence, and that showcases both on a daily basis.”

"Big Ten universities are committed to wide-ranging achievement, from athletics to research to public service,” said Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti. “As millions of fans tune in to root for their favorite team, we have an opportunity to illustrate the countless ways our member institutions and alumni make an impact in their communities and around the world.”

The ad will air on linear and digital platforms during sporting events featuring Big Ten universities, utilizing airtime allocated to the Conference as part of its media agreements, including the Big Ten Network (BTN). This new initiative builds on other Conference efforts, including research vignettes highlighting the impact of university research that air during select BTN sporting event broadcasts.

As with the first ad, the second spot was developed by a creative team made up of staff from Big Ten member universities under the auspices of the Big Ten Academic Alliance. It is the second in a planned series of three ads, which over the course of the series will feature footage from all 18 universities.

About Big Ten Academic Alliance

The Big Ten Academic Alliance is the nation’s preeminent model for effective collaboration among research universities. For more than half a century, these world-class institutions have advanced their academic missions, generated unique opportunities for students and faculty, and served the common good by sharing expertise, leveraging campus resources, and collaborating on innovative programs. Governed and funded by the Provosts of the member universities, Big Ten Academic Alliance programs and initiatives are coordinated by a staff from its Champaign, Illinois headquarters.

About Big Ten Conference

The Big Ten Conference is an association of world-class universities whose member institutions share a common mission of research, graduate, professional and undergraduate teaching and public service. Founded in 1896, the Big Ten has sustained a comprehensive set of shared practices and policies that enforce the priority of academics in the lives of students competing in intercollegiate athletics and emphasize the values of integrity, fairness and competitiveness. The Big Ten Conference sponsors 28 official sports, 14 for men and 14 for women, and the broad-based programs of the 18 Big Ten institutions provide direct financial support for more than 14,000 student-athletes. For more information, visit www.bigten.org .

Media Contacts:

Paul Kennedy, Big Ten Conference, pkennedy@bigten.org

Jack Martin, University of Washington, jacktm@uw.edu

Big Ten Member Universities:

· Indiana University

· Michigan State University

· Northwestern University

· The Ohio State University

· Pennsylvania State University

· Purdue University

· Rutgers University-New Brunswick

· University of California Los Angeles

· University of Illinois

· University of Iowa

· University of Maryland

· University of Michigan

· University of Minnesota

· University of Nebraska-Lincoln

· University of Oregon

· University of Southern California

· University of Washington

· University of Wisconsin-Madison

Big Ten Conference Student-Athlete Issues Commission Calls for Limitations or Ban of Individual Prop Betting on College Athletics

Unknown — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. — [February, 10, 2026] — The Big Ten Conference Student-Athlete Issues Commission (SAIC) today sent a letter to NCAA President Charlie Baker urging the NCAA to continue pushing for limitations or the outright elimination of proposition (“prop”) betting involving individual student-athletes competing in college athletics. The letter reinforces the Big Ten Conference’s unwavering commitment to protecting the well-being and safety of student-athletes across all 18 Big Ten campuses, and the integrity of intercollegiate athletics.

“The Big Ten Conference is proud to support our student-athletes in calling for the restriction or elimination of individual proposition wagers on college athletics,” said Big Ten Conference Commissioner Tony Petitti. "The Big Ten Conference appreciates the NCAA’s effort to eliminate these wagers and will continue to assist student-athletes as they deal with the challenges that result from proposition bets in college sports.”

President Baker recently sent letters to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and to State Gambling Commissions calling for amended state laws and regulations to better-protect student-athletes.

The letter from the Big Ten Conference SAIC outlines the growing concerns around the rise of individual performance prop wagering in college sports, including:

Increased harassment student-athletes experience because of wagers on individual-performance proposition wagers
Negative impact individual-performance proposition betting has on student-athletes’ mental health
Accusations of impropriety, even when unfounded, damage the student-athlete experience
Potentially jeopardizing the integrity of athletic competition

“While we understand that sports betting is becoming increasingly more common across the country and allows for states to generate increased tax revenue, prop betting represents unique risks at the college level,” the Big Ten Conference Student-Athlete Issues Commission wrote. “We believe protecting student-athletes must be a priority. Limiting or eliminating prop betting on college athletics would be a meaningful step toward reducing harassment, protecting mental well-being, and preserving the integrity of college competition.”

The Big Ten Conference SAIC was founded in 1994. SAIC members take an active role in monthly meetings discussing the issues most important to Big Ten Conference student-athletes and highlighting ongoing initiatives on their respective campuses. SAIC executive leadership members also represent Big Ten student-athletes in front of the Conference’s Joint Group council and represent the Big Ten Conference on the NCAA’s Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, where they review NCAA activities, proposed legislation and offer feedback on behalf of the Big Ten’s student-athletes. Student-athletes are nominated by their institution and appointed by the Conference’s Joint Group Executive Committee to serve on the commission for one academic year.

The Big Ten Conference SAIC members signing the letter include:

Callin Hake, SAIC Chair, University of Nebraska Women’s Basketball
Mia Rogan, SAIC Internal Vice Chair, Women’s Cross Country & Track, Michigan State University
Michael Long, SAIC External Vice Chair, Men’s Swim & Dive, University of Wisconsin
Nya Robinson, SAIC Secretary, Women’s Swim & Dive, Penn State University
Samuel Edwards, NCAA Board of Directors, Men’s Football, Michigan State University
Abigail Lynch, NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Women’s Soccer & Track, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Demetrious Allen, Men’s Football, Rutgers University
Javiera Baeza, Women’s Field Hockey, Indiana University
Ava Bayless, Women’s Wrestling, University of Iowa
Josh Eernisse, Men’s Ice Hockey, University of Michigan
Taji Flynn, Men’s Lacrosse, The Ohio State University
Jordan Hall, Men’s Football, Michigan State University
Tali Joelson, Women’s Gymnastics, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Franck Kepnang, Men’s Basketball, University of Washington
Nuala Macfarlane, Women’s Rowing, University of Minnesota
Ava Morales, Women’s Soccer, University of Maryland
Myranda Quinton, Women’s Golf, Penn State University
Kansas Robinson, Women’s Softball, Northwestern University
James Rowley, Men’s Wrestling, Purdue University
Jaidin Russell, Men’s Volleyball, University of California, Los Angeles
Russell Soohoo, Men’s Tennis, University of Oregon
Madison Whyte, Women’s Track & Field, University of Southern Californi

Big Ten Conference Announces 2026 Football Schedule

Unknown — Tue, 27 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. - The Big Ten Conference unveiled its 2026 football schedule on Tuesday during a special edition of B1G Live with Dave Revsine and Anthony Herron on the Big Ten Network.

The conference will enter the 2026 campaign on the strength of three consecutive College Football Playoff Championships, most recently Indiana’s first-ever title to conclude a historic 16-0 season last week in Miami. The Big Ten kicks off conference play on Saturday, September 19, with two games, while the remaining 14 teams begin their league schedules on Saturday, September 26.

The schedule is highlighted by an October 17 matchup between the last two College Football Playoff champions – and a rematch of the 2025 Discover Big Ten Championship Game - as Indiana welcomes Ohio State to Bloomington. Four head coaches will make their debut in conference games when Bob Chesney and UCLA welcome Purdue on Sept. 19, while Michigan’s Kyle Whittingham (vs. Iowa), Michigan State’s Pat Fitzgerald (vs. Nebraska) and Penn State’s Matt Campbell (vs. Wisconsin) open play on Sept. 26.

All roads lead to Indianapolis where the 2026 season will conclude with the Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game at Lucas Oil Stadium on Saturday, December 5.

As in previous seasons, select Saturday games during the 2026 season may be shifted in coordination with the Big Ten’s television partners. Games may be moved to Fridays or other special dates, including Labor Day Sunday and Black Friday, to fit national broadcast schedules. Additional details regarding kickoff times and television designations will be announced at a later date.

Football season in the conference will kick off at the 2026 Big Ten Football Media Days presented by Discover from July 28-30 at Hilton Chicago on Michigan Avenue overlooking Grant Park and Lake Michigan. Information on school schedules and student-athlete attendees will be distributed in the coming months.

Indiana Football's Championship Run: Inside the Perfect Season

Unknown — Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Do you believe in miracles? Or was it just pure grit all along? The Indiana Hoosiers have completed college football's most impressive turnaround tale, capping off a perfect 16-0 record with the program’s first-ever national championship.

Head coach Curt Cignetti told the world he wins. He told us to Google him. But after a dominant playoff run and a gutsy finale against Miami, the trophy case now speaks for itself.

Let’s dive into how the Hoosiers rose on the game's greatest stage.

The Road to the CFP

Indiana Football finished the 2024 regular season 11-1 and earned the program’s first bid to the College Football Playoff. Even after falling to Notre Dame in the first round, many were already calling it the greatest turnaround in the history of college football.

But head coach Curt Cignetti and the returning Hoosiers knew that the job wasn’t done.

With every win of the 2025-26 season, the number of people who doubted Indiana dwindled. In most contests, the Hoosiers were dominant. Prior to the national championship, they ranked second nationally in both scoring offense (42.6 points per game) and scoring defense (11.07 ppg). They steamrolled Alabama in the CFP Quarterfinals, 38-3.

Even in tight contests, Indiana faced every challenge and found a way to win:

In its first road test of the season, Indiana trailed Iowa, 13-10, in the fourth quarter. Kicker Nico Radicic nailed a 44-yard field goal before Fernando Mendoza drove the Hoosiers 76 yards and sealed the comeback with a 49-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Sarratt.
The Hoosiers were tied with Oregon in the fourth quarter in a top-10 battle in Eugene. The defense came away with two massive interceptions from Isaiah Jones and Louis Moore to secure a 30-20 win.
Indiana was down to its last drive again at Penn State, where the Hoosiers had never won a game. That is, until Mendoza took the offense from its own 13-yard line all the way downfield and tossed the game-winning touchdown to Omar Cooper Jr.
Hanging on to a narrow 13-10 lead over Ohio State, Mendoza threw a 33-yard reception on third and six from his own 24-yard line, allowing the Hoosiers to run out the clock and clinch their first Big Ten Football Championship since 1967.

All that prepared Indiana for its final test against Miami in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

The Championship Game

The Hoosiers’ movie-like season wouldn’t be complete without an instant classic championship game.

Locked down

One of the major keys for IU was to stop Miami’s run game. In the first half, Indiana’s defense stifled the Hurricanes, holding them to just 20 yards rushing and forcing consecutive punts on their four opening possessions. On the fifth, Miami kicker Carter Davis hit the upright to seal the Hoosiers’ first-half shutout and a 10-0 lead.

Physicality

Miami’s pass rush was its biggest asset coming into this game, and it showed early. Senior Pat Coogan called Miami’s defensive line “the most physical front [he's] ever played.” Throughout the course of the game, Mendoza was sacked three times, hit three other times, scrambled twice, and had four hurried throws thanks to Miami’s pressure. And he had the bruises to prove it.

But the Hoosiers were ready for war. “We came into this game knowing that the more physical team was going to win,” Aiden Fisher said.

“I would die for my team,” Mendoza said. “Whatever they need me to do... I’m going to die for my team out there, and I know they’re going to do the same for me.”

Miami bounces back

After being silenced in the first half, Miami broke out in the third quarter, opening with a 57-yard rushing touchdown and forcing three consecutive Hoosier punts. After six scoreless minutes, the momentum was anyone’s for the taking.

Queue, Indiana special teams.

With the Hurricanes set to punt from their own 16-yard line, Indiana’s Mikail Kamara blocked Miami’s kick, and Isaiah Jones fell on top of the ball in the end zone to extend the Hoosiers' lead to 17-7.

“We didn't have a block called,” Cignetti said. "But [Kamara] saw it, felt it and gave it great effort and turned it into a touchdown... A big special teams play can change the momentum of a game more so than offense or defense.”

Playing to win

The most pivotal moment of the championship game came in the fourth quarter. On fourth and four and clinging onto a 17-14 lead, the Hoosiers’ offense was at Miami’s 12-yard line. Just before the Indiana field goal unit got situated, Cignetti called time out.

“We’re going for it.”

OC Mike Shanahan and Cignetti called a QB draw against one of the toughest defensive lines in college football. Mendoza plowed through a linebacker, dodged three other Miami defenders, and took a shot from a fifth as he dove into the end zone for the touchdown . The play will go down in Indiana lore forever.

“We were all putting our bodies on the line,” Mendoza said. “Any player on our team, if they had that opportunity, they would put their body on the line too... It was the least I could do for my brothers.”

“[Mendoza] has the heart of a lion when it comes to competition,” Cignetti said. “Can’t say enough about his effort on that play.”

Calling game

Down by six, Miami had one final drive with 1:42 remaining in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Carson Beck marched the Hurricanes 34 yards down to Indiana’s 41-yard line. On first and 10, Beck threw a deep ball near the end zone, but Jamari Sharpe leaped to grab a championship-winning interception with under a minute remaining.

Plotlines All Over

The championship game was clearly a monumental moment for the Hoosier program, but there were also a handful of individual plotlines that make the story that much sweeter.

Charlie Becker wasn’t a key player in Indiana’s offense until he had an opportunity in the Penn State game due to injuries. He made a clutch catch on IU’s game-winning drive, and he’s been one of Mendoza’s most reliable targets ever since. All eight of his catches in the CFP were for first downs, two of which were momentum-grabbers in the championship game.
On Mendoza’s iconic, fourth down, fourth quarter, diving touchdown, one of the Miami defenders who tried to tackle him – Wesley Bissainthe – landed a big hit on Mendoza back when he was at Cal. Plowing past him in the CFP championship game? Safe to say Fernando got his revenge.
Mendoza’s father played with Miami head coach Mario Cristobal in high school, and his mother played tennis for the Hurricanes.
Sharpe, who made the natty-sealing interception in the game, is not only from Miami, but his uncle, Glenn Sharpe, was a defender for the Hurricanes.
Both team’s head coaches, Cignetti and Cristobal, worked under former Alabama head coach Nick Saban. Both won national titles with the Crimson Tide.
Multiple Hoosiers are from Miami, including Fernando Mendoza (who lived just two miles from the stadium), D’Angelo Ponds, and Jamari Sharpe. Both Mendoza and Sharpe wanted to play at Miami, but weren’t recruited.
Cignetti’s first national championship as head coach is its own Cinderella story. He knew he wanted to be a head coach since the third grade, but didn’t get his first lead position until he spent 27 years as a position coach, assistant, or coordinator. The 2024-25 season at Indiana was his first in a Power Four conference.

Making History

Not only is this Indiana’s first national championship, but...

IU is the first new national champion since 1996 (Florida)
The Hoosiers are the only 16-0 team since 1894 (Yale)
This year marks the 50^th anniversary of the Hoosiers’ undefeated men’s basketball NCAA Championship season (1975-1976, 32-0)
Curt Cignetti is just the fourth active head coach to win a national title in the playoff era
At 27-2, Indiana has the best record over the last two seasons in college football
Only five schools have won both a football and basketball championship since 1960. Four of them are Big Ten schools: Indiana, Michigan, Michigan State, and Ohio State. (The fifth is Florida).

The Hoosiers never trailed in their three CFP games, leading for 152:28 out of 180 minutes. They outscored their opponents 62-7 in the first half and scored in 11 of 12 quarters. Indiana is also the sixth undefeated CFP Champion – the last was Michigan in 2023.

It’s All about Belief

Curt Cignetti’s big post-game message? “If you keep your nose down in life and keep working, anything is possible.” Cignetti managed to ingrain that mindset into every person on his staff and his roster.

“It starts with belief,” Coogan said. “Sometimes that belief has to be a little bit irrational, especially at a place that hasn’t had success... but when Coach Cig got here, he believed, and he got people to believe.”

But belief doesn’t just come magically. It’s earned. “It starts in the weight room during the winters, the 6:00 a.m. workouts, and then the summer workouts in the hot, grueling sun,” Kamara said. “That's when you start to realize what type of team you have.”

The keyword there? Team. Cignetti has said time and time again that it comes down to having the right, like-minded people with a common goal and a plan.

“We're 16-0, national champions at Indiana University, which I know a lot of people thought was never possible,” he said. “It probably is one of the greatest sports stories of all time. But it's all because of these guys and the staff.”

But there’s more to The Cignetti Effect than wins. Coach’s impact goes beyond the white lines of a football field.

“Coach changed my life,” Fisher said. “From a kid that felt like I was underrecruited... the amount of confidence he built in me, the trust and belief he had in me... I owe a lot to him. He's an unbelievable coach, but he's an unbelievable person.”

From his Heisman QB: “On the visit, [coach] sold me on developing and that I could become the best Fernando Mendoza possible and with a great group of guys, and at that point I knew it was a no-brainer. I can't thank Coach Cig, Coach Shanahan, and Coach Whitmer enough.”

What’s Next?

As for Indiana – Cignetti’s right back to the process. “We'll continue to take it one day at a time, one meeting at a time, one practice at a time and just keep improving and committing to the process and showing up prepared, trying to put it on the field and see where it takes us.”

As for Big Ten Football? The 2026 schedule drops next Tuesday, January 27^th. Click here to get it .

Big Ten Three-peat: Indiana Claims CFP Championship

Indiana Athletics — Tue, 20 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Indiana's Not-So-Secret Sauce: The Process

Unknown — Fri, 16 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

The bright lights and big stage of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game can be a lot to take in. Yet, No. 1 Indiana seems as cool, calm, and collected as they have been before any matchup this season.

The Hoosiers are one win away from completing arguably the greatest turnaround in college football history. How have they done it?

The answers come through in their pre-championship press conferences alone. See – or read – for yourself.

"Unmatched" Preparation

If you've listened to any Hoosier talk about their mentality this season, you've heard about their intentional approach to preparation. Heading into Monday's championship game is no different.

"I've done everything possible to prepare for this game," Heisman-winner Fernando Mendoza said. "When I step on that field, I am confident because I know that my preparation is unmatched... I'm confident that my process has taken me here and that I can compete at the highest level.”

On his QB specifically, Cignetti said, “[Mendoza] prepares unlike anybody I've ever been around collegiately and at the quarterback position... He's somebody that can channel all his energy into one thing and has the discipline to do that."

Offensive lineman Pat Coogan echoed: "The game is between the white lines. We have done a good job of... having that mindset, never making it bigger than it is, and really just making sure we're putting in the work and putting in the prep so that when we get to game day, we put our best foot forward."

“I'm going to put every ounce of my body into preparation going into this game,” Mendoza said. And we already know that the rest of the Hoosiers will too.

Consistency, No Matter the Stage

Cignetti's steadfast leadership has kept the Hoosiers confident, no matter the stage. In a week that should feel anything but routine, the Crimson and Cream are operating business as usual.

Senior linebacker Aiden Fisher said, "At the end of the day, we're going to prepare the same way we prepared for Old Dominion in week one, just because that's the way we're wired, the way we do things. And if not, it's a disservice to yourself, to your team."

Coogan added, "Even starting back in January, February, [Cignetti is] saying the same stuff he's saying before we walk out for the Peach Bowl, right? I think that's why we see that success. It's ingrained in our minds."

"We really are starting a normal week here... It's going to be a great week of prep. We just got to put in the work."

"[Cignetti] really values... being in our normal schedule," tight end Riley Nowakowski said. "We're trying our best this week to continue that normal schedule... That's the best way to do it, approach every game the same way."

From wide receiver Elijah Sarratt: "We understand it's the national championship and a lot of people are going to be watching, but we're going to treat this practice week the same. Go in, work every single day leading up to that game."

“It stems down from the coach's mindset," defensive back D'Angelo Ponds says. "Coach Cig does a great job keeping us steady, keeping us moving one week at a time... Success or failure. We don't look back at it. We just keep moving forward.”

No Complacency

There's a lot of talk when you're the undefeated, top-ranked team in the country. But the Hoosiers aren't listening.

"We understand that outside noise is exactly what it is. It's outside," Coogan said. "It has no impact on our ability to go perform on the football field. It's not going to score us any touchdowns. It's not going to convert any third downs... Certainly, Coach Cig instills that mindset of ‘eliminate all noise and clutter.’"

From Nowakowski: "Every single time [Cignetti] talks to us, he's going to hammer on the point that nothing we got before is going to earn us anything in the future."

On Indiana’s success so far, Fisher said, "It won't mean really anything unless we walk away with a win in this game. I'm proud of where the team's at right now. I think we're playing well all together, and we got to put it on the field Monday night."

"We understand our goal," Sarratt said. "We understand how we're going to get to our goal, and it's just by doing what we've been doing, staying in the moment... Nothing really matters too much unless we win that game."

Mendoza put it simply: “There isn’t any time to celebrate because this is what everybody dreams of.”

People as the Cornerstone

Cignetti himself summed everything up best after a reporter asked him what he'd say to those who call Indiana a "Cinderella Story".

"I think that's a fact. If you look at the record since Indiana started playing football and relative to the success we've had the last two years, we've broken a lot of records here... So it's been kind of surreal, but you get it done with the right people, properly led."

"You've got to have a blueprint, plan in process," he continued. "You've got to have the right people on your staff and the right people in the locker room. We've been fortunate to have great staff continuity."

"Then down in the locker room, we've got a lot of older guys that have high character, great leadership traits. They can buy into the team vision. They're very consistent, day in and day out, in terms of being committed and disciplined and working hard toward improvement, staying focused on the goal, keeping the eye on the bull's-eye, so to speak."

"Being able to enter every Saturday prepared with the right mindset and then putting it on the field. It's all about people. And then you've got to have a blueprint and a plan. And I think there's no question about it, that's what's gotten us to this point.”

“Nothing Else Matters”

We’ll see if the Hoosiers’ preparation, consistency, grittiness, and character-centric culture earn Indiana its first-ever national title.

Watch No. 1 seed Indiana vs. No. 10 seed Miami on Monday, January 19^th at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Want more Insider content like this? Click here for every B1G moment .

Peachy Night in Atlanta

Indiana Athletics — Sat, 10 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Big Ten Football CFP Semifinal Notes

Unknown — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

On Friday, January 9, at 7:30 p.m. ET, the No. 1 seed Indiana Hoosiers and the No. 5 seed Oregon Ducks will collide under the lights of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. The winner will advance to the National Championship Game in Miami Gardens on January 19 and take on the Fiesta Bowl Champion in Ole Miss or Miami.
The Big Ten is guaranteed to play in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game for the third straight year, with the winner of the Peach Bowl becoming the third different team to do so in as many years, joining Michigan in 2023 and Ohio State in 2024.
Six different current Big Ten schools have earned half of the 12 available CFP semifinal spots in the last three seasons: Michigan, Washington [’24], Ohio State, Penn State [’25], Indiana, Oregon [’26].
Oregon makes its second semifinal appearance and first since the inaugural playoff in 2014 when the Ducks defeated Florida State in the Rose Bowl. Oregon is the only remaining team that has made the semifinals multiple times.
The Peach Bowl is an October 11^th Big Ten rematch when seventh-ranked Indiana won 30-20 against third-ranked Oregon in Eugene. This will be the ninth conference rematch taking place in a bowl game in a single season and the third this season. Teams that won the regular season game are 0-7 in the bowl game - including Oklahoma (lost to Alabama in the CFP First Round) and Georgia (lost to Ole Miss in the Sugar Bowl).
Indiana has a chance to make history as they can become the second Big Ten team to win 15 games in a season, joining 2023 Michigan. Meanwhile, the Ducks can become the sixth Big Ten team to win 14 games in a season, which would be their most in a single season.
Three teams were ranked in the top 10 in scoring offense and defense this season and four teams have been in the College Football Playoff in each of the last two seasons. Indiana and Oregon have done both and are the only schools to win over 90% of their games since the start of 2024.
Indiana’s +439-point differential this season is the fifth biggest by any FBS team this century and the biggest by any FBS team since 2020.
The Hoosiers have allowed 60 or fewer rushing yards and 10 or fewer points in three straight games, tied for the longest such streak by any FBS team over the last 30 seasons.
Indiana is coming off its seventh win of the season by at least 35 points, tied with the 2019 Buckeyes for the most in a single season by any Big Ten team. The last team from any conference to have that many 35+ point wins in a single season was Oregon in 2023.
Fernando Mendoza has six games this season with at least three touchdown passes and no interceptions, tied for the second most by any Big Ten quarterback this century. The only one with more was Justin Fields, who did it nine times for Ohio State in 2019.
Oregon’s 23-0 win over Texas Tech marked its second-ever bowl game shutout (1917 Rose Bowl against Penn). It was the largest postseason shutout for a Big Ten school since Penn State defeated Texas A&M, 24-0, in the 1999 Alamo Bowl.
Oregon has won four straight games against teams ranked in the AP Top 5. That’s the second-longest win streak against top five teams this century by a Big Ten team (Ohio State – six straight to end this season).
Kenyon Sadiq leads Oregon and all FBS tight ends this season with eight TD receptions. The only other five Big Ten tight ends to have that many in any of the past 10 seasons are all in the NFL – Noah Fant, Mike Gesicki, Pat Freiermuth, Tyler Warren and Payne Durham.
At the conclusion of the 2025 regular-season, the Big Ten featured:
- FBS football’s only two unbeaten teams
- Four of the country’s Top-15 Scoring Offenses
- Four of the nation’s Top-10 in Offensive Points Per Possession
- Five of college football’s Top-16 Scoring Defenses
- Four of the Top-10 in Defensive Points Per Possession
- Three of the Top-5 (and 8 of the Top-25) in SportSource Analytics' ‘Strength of Record’
- Three of the Top-6 (and seven of the Top-22) in SportSource Analytics ‘Team Strength Ranking'
- Three of the Top-4 (and seven of the Top-20) in ESPN SP+ Ranking
- Six of the Top-16 Quarterback Ratings in the country
- Ten of the Top-18 least penalized teams in the country
Six of the top eight most watched college football games of the 2025-26 season so far have included a Big Ten team:

Indiana-Alabama, Rose Bowl -- 23.9 million
Ohio State-Miami, Cotton Bowl -- 19.0 million
Ole Miss-Georgia, Sugar Bowl -- 18.7 million
Ohio State-Michigan -- 18.4 million
Indiana-Ohio State, Big Ten Championship -- 18.3 million
Georgia-Alabama, SEC Championship -- 16.9 million
Texas-Ohio State -- 16.6 million
Oregon-Texas Tech, Orange Bowl -- 15.9 million

CFP Semifinal Preview: Indiana vs. Oregon for a Title Game Bid

Unknown — Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

On Friday, January 9, at 7:30 p.m. ET, the No. 1 seed Indiana Hoosiers and the No. 5 seed Oregon Ducks will collide under the lights of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The stakes? A coveted ticket to the CFP National Championship game.

The plotlines here write themselves:

Both programs are chasing their first-ever national title.
Both teams absolutely dismantled their quarterfinal opponents—Indiana crushing Alabama 38-3 and Oregon blanking Texas Tech 23-0.
The quarterbacks leading these offenses are potentially the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks in the 2026 NFL Draft.
It's a rematch of one of the season's most pivotal games, where Indiana handed Oregon its only loss of the year in a 30-20 thriller in Eugene.

Since that day, the Ducks haven't lost, and Indiana has remained undefeated. If the Hoosiers win it all, they will etch their name in history as the first 16-0 team in college football. But to get there, they have to beat a team that has spent months stewing on that October loss.

Buckle up, college football fans. The road to the title runs through Atlanta. Let's break down the Big Ten battle in the national semifinal.

Oregon Peaking in Prime Time

Make no mistake: the Oregon team that will take the field in Atlanta is playing on a different level than the one that lost in October. Head coach Dan Lanning said, “Neither one of us is the same team that you saw earlier in the season when we played each other. I think we've grown in a lot of different ways... As your team changes, you change and adapt to your strengths.”

Now, Lanning has his squad firing on all cylinders, combining high-octane offense with suffocating defense.

The Road to the Semis

In the quarterfinals, the Ducks sent a loud message to the rest of the field. Facing a Texas Tech team that had dominated the Big 12, Oregon didn't just win; they shut them out 23-0. This came after a first-round performance against James Madison where the Ducks, despite winning 51-34, weren't entirely satisfied with their second-half execution. That dissatisfaction fueled a defensive masterclass against the Red Raiders.

Defensive end Matayo Uiagalelei put it bluntly when reflecting on that shutout: "Looking back, it's definitely cool to watch the film and be, like, there's a few plays where we could have done better. But overall, we dominated them."

“At the same time, we are playing the best team in the country. Last week stays back there. Now, I just focus on Indiana.”

A Wake-Up Call

For Oregon, the regular-season loss to Indiana wasn't just a blemish on the record; it was a catalyst. Linebacker Bryce Boettcher believes that stumble was necessary for the team's evolution.

"I believe everything happens for a reason," Boettcher said. "I think we needed that to kind of wake us up. We came out of a big Penn State win... Got a little lackadaisical with our prep, I think. It was a good wake-up call. The rest of the season leading up to this point is a pretty good testament to the way we responded to that loss."

Offensive Explosiveness

Statistically, Oregon is a nightmare to prepare for. They boast a top-10 offense and defense nationally. The Ducks' offense is dangerously explosive, leading the nation in 20+ yard play rate at 10.3%. When they have the ball, they average a staggering 6.95 yards per play and 3.15 points per drive.

Combine that with their rushing attack of Noah Whittington and Dierre Hill Jr. – each of whom has at least 570 yards this season – the Ducks’ arsenal can keep defensive coordinators up at night.

Defense on Lock

Defensively, Oregon is equally imposing. And according to safety Dillon Thieneman, the Ducks are hitting their stride at the perfect moment. "I know Lanning, coming into the Playoffs, he did a lot of research into March Madness, and... how you want to peak at the right time. I think as a defense, we're starting to hit that peak."

The Ducks rank in the top 10 for yards per play allowed and points per drive. They excel at forcing opponents into long-yardage situations and creating rhythmic disruptions that are hard to overcome. Furthermore, they are disciplined against the big play, ranking fifth in defensive marginal explosiveness by allowing just 4.1% of snaps to gain 20+ yards.

They’ve faced a gauntlet to get here, ranking ninth in strength of schedule. Aside from that single blemish against Indiana, they’ve been perfect. The Ducks are 13-1, and they are hungry for revenge.

Hoosiers: Precision and Power

The Hoosiers have looked precise, calm, and terrifyingly confident throughout their undefeated run. Now, coach Curt Cignetti hopes to cap off Indiana's unbelievable turnaround story with a national championship.

Balanced and Brutal

No team in the country matches Indiana’s balance. They are currently the only team in the FBS with over 3,000 yards both rushing and passing. This dual-threat capability makes them nearly impossible to defend. If you stack the box, they air it out. If you drop into coverage, they run it down your throat.

And it’s not just offense. Indiana is the only FBS team to rank in the top five of both scoring defense (No. 2) and scoring offense (No. 3). Their defense has been a stone wall, allowing only two touchdowns in their last four games and just a single rushing score in their last nine games. That is a level of dominance rarely seen in the modern era of high-scoring college football.

Even Dan Lanning acknowledged the complexity of preparing for Indiana's defense, calling it an "illusion defense."

"They show you one thing and they take something else away," Lanning explained. "They're really good at post-snap movement, which makes it difficult for the quarterback... Probably the best zone break defense I've seen this year in college football."

Preparation and Focus

Discipline is another hallmark of this squad. They commit the second-fewest penalty yards per game and the third-fewest turnovers per game. It’s this clean, razor-sharp brand of football that allowed them to capture the 2025 Discover Big Ten Championship over then-No. 1 Ohio State and dismantle the Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl.

Cignetti attributes this to the team's preparation. "I think confidence and belief come from when you're prepared, totally prepared and get the result you're looking for," he said. "And when they become successful, they develop more confidence and belief, and it becomes sort of a snowball effect."

The Quarterback Duel: Mendoza vs. Moore

It's no secret that all eyes will be on the center of the field, where two future NFL stars will orchestrate their respective attacks.

Fernando Mendoza, Indiana

The Heisman winner has been nothing short of spectacular. Mendoza leads the nation with 36 passing touchdowns and boasts a pristine 184.7 passer rating. Against Alabama, he completed 87.5% of his passes in a surgical performance where he had more touchdown passes than incompletions. “I’d give him an A plus,” Cignetti said.

But it’s not just his arm. Mendoza has consistently made the right reads and extended plays with his legs all season, rushing for 256 yards and six touchdowns. Even Oregon's defenders know they have to watch out for his legs. "I would say I think he's one of the best scramblers in the country as far as decision-making," Uiagalelei noted.

What really makes Mendoza different is his ability to close out wins and perform in big moments. Against Oregon, Ohio State, and Penn State, he made key late-game passes, proving that no stage is too big for him. When under pressure, Mendoza ranks 1st nationally in NFL passer rating and 2nd in passing grade.

Dante Moore, Oregon

On the other sideline stands Dante Moore, a quarterback who has evolved significantly since these two teams last met. In the October loss, Moore struggled, throwing for just 186 yards with two interceptions. But that version of Moore is long gone.

Since that game, Moore has thrown for at least 230 yards in five straight contests. He has been lights out, completing over 70% of his passes in four of his last five appearances. He balances a deep-ball threat—tossing 14 deep touchdowns—with incredible efficiency in the short game, completing 82.2% of his short passes.

Lanning emphasized Moore's growth through experience: "You gotta remember when we played earlier in the season, Dante hadn't played a ton of games, and as you play an entire season, you get exposed to a lot of different looks, and you learn from those moments... He's been obviously a great player for us and done an unbelievable job, and he's not the same player he was earlier this year."

The Battle in the Trenches

Aside from the QB comparison, this game will likely be won or lost at the line of scrimmage.

Oregon’s Rushing Offense

The Ducks deploy a ferocious duo in the backfield in Whittington and Hill Jr. – they both have five or more touchdowns on the season. However, Indiana’s defensive line has been a brick wall, holding Alabama and Ohio State to a combined 81 rushing yards. The Hoosiers rank No. 1 in points per drive allowed (0.86) and rarely give an inch.

Oregon will need to find a way through the IU blockade to open up the attack, which the Ducks are certainly capable of. If you ignore the sacks, they rushed for 116 yards against Indiana in October. If Oregon can improve on that, it’s in business.

Indiana's Pass Rush

In their first meeting, IU’s defensive line pressured Moore 24 times and recorded six sacks, which ultimately led to two game-changing, fourth-quarter interceptions. If Indiana can replicate that pressure, it could be a long night for the Ducks.

Conversely, if Oregon’s O-line can keep Moore clean as they have the rest of the season (just 1.14 sacks allowed per game), his deep-ball accuracy could expose the secondary.

Road to Victory: Indiana Hoosiers

For Indiana to punch their ticket to the National Championship, the formula is clear: Apply pressure and stay balanced.

1. Unleash the Pass Rush

The blueprint from the October win is still valid. In that game, Indiana’s six sacks and constant pressure rattled Dante Moore, leading to two crucial fourth-quarter interceptions. Defensive standouts like Rolijah Hardy (8 sacks) and Isaiah Jones (7) need to disrupt the line to keep Moore out of rhythm early.

2. Feed the Playmakers

Mendoza has options. No one runs routes quite like wide receivers Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr., and Charlie Becker has come up clutch for the Hoosiers on multiple occasions. In his presser, Sarratt showed he's ready for whatever Oregon throws at him, specifically noting Oregon's tendency to play press coverage. "It's a challenge that we're going to have to face this week," Sarratt said. "If you can't win those one-on-one matchups against press, you're not going to make it too far in this football world."

3. Break Their Will

Indiana certainly did that against Alabama, and running back Roman Hemby made it clear they're bringing that same philosophy on physicality to the Peach Bowl. "We want to make it a four-quarter fight where we impose our will," Hemby said. "At some point in the game, we feel we can potentially break the defense or make that play that helps us win."

Road to Victory: Oregon Ducks

For the Ducks to avenge their only loss and advance, they need to dictate the tempo and protect their quarterback.

1. Use the "Get Back" Mentality

The motivation in the Oregon locker room is palpable. The Ducks aren't just playing for a title; they are playing for redemption. Aaron Flowers, Oregon DB, didn't mince words: "We're just super hungry. This is a good opportunity for us to try to just get a get-back. That loss felt horrible, especially at Autzen."

It could give the Ducks a psychological edge. Even Cignetti admitted, "It's hard to beat a great team twice."

2. Protect Dante Moore

The offensive line must hold up better than they did in October. They need to pick up Indiana’s blitzes and give Moore time to find his targets, particularly tight end Kenyon Sadiq, whose big body could be a mismatch for Indiana’s secondary.

3. Win on Third Down

Defensively, Oregon has to get off the field and force the Hoosiers into long yardage situations. Indiana converts a nation-leading 56.5% of their third downs and is lethal in the red zone. If Dillon Thieneman and the Ducks' secondary can limit Mendoza's opportunities, the momentum could swing in their favor.

Who Advances to the Title Game?

This matchup has everything: star power, revenge narratives, and contrasting styles that are equally effective. Indiana has the momentum of a historic undefeated season and the quiet confidence of a squad that has already proven they can win this matchup. Oregon has the motivation of vengeance and a defense that is peaking at the exact right moment.

Can Indiana’s defense get to Moore again? Or will Oregon’s playmakers find the gaps that were closed in October?

Whoever wins, one thing is certain: they will have earned every inch of their spot in the National Championship game. Tune in Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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Cignetti, Lanning Talk College Football Playoff Semifinal Showdown

Unknown — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Indiana and Oregon will face off in the semifinal of the College Football Playoffs in the Peach Bowl on Friday, January 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti and Oregon leader Dan Lanning spoke in a press conference a week before the big game.

Opening statement

DAN LANNING: Honored to be here. Certainly honored to get to participate in the Peach Bowl. Gary, appreciate everything that you do. Got an unbelievable amount of respect for Coach Cignetti and the job that he's done at Indiana. You watch this team on film, obviously we got to experience it firsthand; this is one of if not the best coached teams in college football. They play with unbelievable technique. They challenge you in every facet; in special teams, defensively, offensively. They've got great quarterback play, which I think is a secret to being in this position that they're in. And you watch this group, they play together. They've got great answers. They do what they do extremely well. And on defense they challenge you in every way. They give you a lot of different looks. But this is just a group that's obviously playing their best football now. You saw that in their most recent game. And, again, just honored to get the opportunity to go share a field with Coach and the job that he's done there.

CURT CIGNETTI: Yeah. Excited to be a part of the Peach Bowl. Great cause; it will be a great venue. Playing a great opponent, Oregon, Coach Lanning. I said so before when we played earlier in the year, one of the young superstars in the coaching profession. I think they're 26-2 in the last two years. And really an excellent football team, offense, defense and special teams. Do a great job of coaching. Will be a big challenge. We were fortunate to win the game out in Eugene. It's hard to beat a great team twice. Very difficult. So edged Oregon there, but oughta be a great game. Looking forward to the challenge.

On improvement since their regular season meeting:

DAN LANNING: Yeah, I mean, in a lot of different facets. I won't get into every detail. You watch both of these teams. Neither one of us is the same team that you saw earlier in the season when we played each other. I think we've grown in a lot of different ways, found different strengths. As your team changes, you change and adapt to your strengths in your team, and you see the same thing with Indiana.

On Bryant Haines' defense:

DAN LANNING: Yeah. In a lot of ways you'd call it an illusion defense. They show you one thing and they take something else away. They're really good at post-snap movement, which makes it difficult for the quarterback. Their defensive line plays with relentless effort. They're tough to block up front. And then the technique continues to show up. They've got a guy basically playing quarterback there at linebacker that's able to get them lined up and execute. They've got a strong corner there in Ponds. They fly to the ball and they attack it in the air. Probably the best zone break defense I've seen this year in college football. They do an unbelievable job there, and they get hats. Obviously, it all starts with stopping the run. They do a great job with that.

On Devan Boykin:

CURT CIGNETTI: He's a really smart player. He knows all three safety positions. He's made a number of big plays for us. Played a lot of football at NC State, was a quarterback in high school, got great ball skills. Good special teams player as well. And he's a veteran. We've got a lot of veterans back there, which helps; played a lot of football. But he's one of the leaders in the back end.

On Dante Moore’s progression:

DAN LANNING: Experience. You know, experience. You gotta remember when we played earlier in the season, Dante hadn't played a ton of games, and as you play an entire season, you get exposed to a lot of different looks, and you learn from those moments, and Dante has certainly learned from a lot of those moments what he's seen. He's been obviously a great player for us and done an unbelievable job, but he's not the same player as he was earlier this year. What they do on defense is really difficult. You have to be willing to take what they give you at times. They do a great job of protecting against shots, but I think Dante's been a really good decision maker throughout the year, and that'll be something that's really important in this game.

On trying to beat a great team twice:

CURT CIGNETTI: Yeah. I think it's more of a psychological edge maybe; the one team that came up a little short, a little added edge, so to speak. But at the end of the day, it's determined by what goes on between the white lines. It will be a tremendous challenge because Oregon, they're very well coached, and they got good players. They're explosive on offense. They run the ball really well. They're very balanced. The line does a good job. And then they spread around the pass game, use all 52 yards. And, defensively, great speed, fly the ball, multiple hats. They've got a scheme where they keep you off balance with your pre-snap reads that are huge inside, and the edge guys can really rush the passer. And their teams are good.

So second time around, you know, we're both going to watch the tape of the first game, see what we did well, see what we didn't do well. And there may be some wrinkles. Both teams will have some wrinkles, obviously, and both teams have sort of morphed since that game, because it was a while back. And you put the best plan together you can, but at the end of the day, you know, it's which team executes the best play in, play out.

Lanning, on returning to Atlanta:

DAN LANNING: We're a different team now, but I remember that game very vividly. 49 to 3 wasn't fun. It was a good baptism into coaching. And we're a completely different group now. But this will be as much as of a challenge as that game was when you're playing a team like Indiana.

On their offensive lines:

CURT CIGNETTI: I think the one thing that helps us with pass protection is the balance that we have on the offense. We run the ball well. Oregon does, too. We both average over 200 yards a game. We both run it more than 50 percent of the time. So the pressure is not on the line to be in constant pass pro mode. And, obviously, the quick throws, advantage throws and RPOs are built in as well. So our line has been very consistent. We got a bunch of guys that have played together for a long time. Bob Bostad does a tremendous job with those guys. Our running backs do a nice job with pass pro as well. And we try to mix the passes up, so we got the quick stuff when we get out of the hand, and then the longer developing stuff. But I think when you can run the ball, that really helps your pass game.

DAN LANNING: Yeah, I certainly agree with Coach. I think you look -- if a team is good at one thing, there's the ability to take it away, and you look at both of our teams, you see a team that's multiple in the sense the way they're able to run it, the way they're able to throw screen game. We both have intermediate passing game as well as shots.

I think it's about when you are going to take those plays and make those plays, making sure that you're protected, and that's something that Indiana has done a great job. People that have tried to be aggressive against them, you see them take advantage of that. They get the hats in there to protect, and they take advantage of one-on-one matchup, but our O line, Coach Terry has done a great job all season, our entire offensive staff, of game planning those opportunities. This last game against Texas Tech, their rush was able to take advantage of us at times, so I think that will be a little bit of a chip on our guys' shoulders. There's some opportunities that we can be better there in how we hold the pocket and how we take care of the ball. But ultimately you see two teams that are really complete. And like coach said, it really starts with the run game.

On adapting and changing since their last meeting:

CURT CIGNETTI: Well, I'll be honest with you. I'm seeing some different things, some different techniques, but also, with the college football calendar the way it is, we have 13 portal guys on campus right now. So from 10:00 till 2:00 my Oregon prep got cut a little bit short. So, you know, I'm going to pick up on that later this evening. But philosophically, core base, they look very similar to what they did. There are some new things showing up. But the bottom line is, you know, they got guys inside. You know, good job stopping the run. They don't give up many yards rushing. They can put heat on the passer outside and with their pressure package, and they do a good job covering and swarming the ball and they do a nice job pre-snap of disguising their coverages.

DAN LANNING: Yeah. And just to build off that sentiment first, I'll tell you, Coach Cignetti, keep focusing on those portal guys. We're going through the same thing here. Sorry, I did a breakfast with some recruits this morning. It is what it is. Right? But I think on defense you always have to adapt a little bit more to the team you're playing, and I'd say regardless of what the game is, you want to try to take away their strengths. Some of the stuff that we did previous game was built to the strengths of Texas Tech. Some of the stuff we'll do in this game have to be built around the strengths of Indiana and what we have to do there. Hopefully we are multiple and can pitch different looks, but you also have to ride the horse that got you here and do what you do well.

On Dante Moore’s mindset:

DAN LANNING: I think when games don't go your way, you're always trying to look for answers and reasons why. And it's really simple. They blocked better. They tackled better. They moved the ball and controlled the clock. They converted third downs. You know, and it was all relatively close going into the fourth quarter, and then we turned the ball over. So you try to find all these moments that, okay, this was the difference. It's every play, right? Every play added up and every play mattered. When you're playing a team with great technique that has great scheme like Indiana, that's the edge. But, again, I know Dante is trying to find, okay, what are the things that didn't go right and how can he be better. I have a lot of confidence in Dante and the way he preps, and knowing he maybe felt like he forced some things in this first game. He's not the same guy, like I said earlier, at this point in the season.

On lessons learned:

DAN LANNING: Yeah. I won't get into great detail, but more than anything, stick to your process. I think Coach Cignetti would share the same sentiment of our team with Coach Saban, one thing you learned about is process. And it's all about process. It's all about making sure -- you don't go into a game, when you're sitting in the position that Indiana is sitting in or that we're sitting in, and say, okay, I'm going to change a lot of the things that we do. You gotta buy in to what you've done the whole year to get you where you're at and really double down. So more than anything, double down on our process. Our guys have been a part of big games. When you play in the Big Ten, you're going to be a part of big games. And every game can go different. Every game has a life of itself. So that's what we have to be able to do is focus on our process, be really obsessed with the details going into a game like this and put your players in a position to have success.

On Coach Nick Saban’s impact, having mentored each of the four remaining CFP teams’ head coaches:

CURT CIGNETTI: Well, yeah. Four for four. I think everybody learned a lot from Nick. He was a great mentor, very organized, detailed; had a plan for everything. Managed lead, how to stop complacency, game day, recruiting, recruiting evaluation, player evaluation. I mean, he had it all. And if you were serious about your career and wanted to be a head coach one day, you took great notes or great mental notes. So I felt like after one year with Coach Saban, that I had learned more about how to run a program than I maybe did the previous 27 as an assistant coach, and stayed with him for three more years. So there's a lot of disciples out there doing well, and that's why he's the greatest of all time.

DAN LANNING: Yeah, I just echo that. In my time, I was working at Sam Houston State before I went to Alabama and was going to take a pay cut to go be a GA there. And when anybody asked me why, I said, I'm going to get my doctorate in football. And that's what I feel like working for Coach Saban, just like Coach said, you learn so much. Things I thought I knew, I realized I didn't know anything. And I got to really carry that over with the opportunity to work with Coach Smart, who built off of that as well at Georgia. And that was an unbelievable experience for me, and obviously it shows here as we enter the semifinals.

On both recruiting and competing in January:

DAN LANNING: Yeah. What I'll say is our players -- you know, I don't know if it makes you better dealing with what we're dealing with, but what it has made football teams and what it's made coaches and players is we can handle chaos, and we're really malleable. We understand that college football right now is about change. There's going to be a lot of change. The teams that can do the best at adapting and handling what's thrown at you. We don't make the rules; we just have to adapt to them, and our guys handle that. They're tough kids. They can handle the chaos of a schedule. As much as we can keep it similar and consistent for them, as much as we can be open and honest with them, I think they can handle almost anything you pitch at them, and really, coaching staffs are built that way now, too. There's a lot of things going on. We're dealing with two coaches on our staff that are going on to be head coaches, and the timing isn't necessarily perfect, but it's been done before, and it's a great challenge. So I think if you look at the chaos in football and look at it as a challenge for your players and for your coaching staff, you build people that are resilient; you build people that are adaptable, and you build an organize that withstand a lot of the changes that exist.

CURT CIGNETTI: Yeah. I'd agree with that totally. You gotta adjust, adapt and improvise and be light on your feet. I'm not sure it necessarily affects the current team at all because the schedule will be the schedule. It obviously influences the '26 roster quite a bit. I think that's what you're seeing is a lot of new faces on every team across the country. Players have a lot more options and the ability to improve their brand. It puts a little more stress on the coaching staff. Right now this time of year, if you're still playing -- and there's only four of us really playing in the playoffs. There might be a couple other bowl games remaining. So I guess the teams that aren't playing maybe have a little bit more of an advantage right now from a recruiting standpoint. But you gotta make time for it. You gotta get it done, do the best you can. But the focus primarily has to be on preparation for this game.

On the defense’s evolution:

DAN LANNING: Growth has been pretty standard. It's been pretty consistent for our team throughout. Like I said, none of the teams that are still around have not gotten better. We've improved. We're tackling at a higher clip. But it wasn't even two games ago that we didn't tackle that well versus JMU. So we got a lot to work on. We got a lot to improve. We're nowhere near the finished product, and that's part of what makes the game of football great is that there's always room to get better. Even in the game, you could look at the scoreboard of our last game and say, oh, we played unbelievable defense, and I can tell you five things we gotta do better right now from that game. So for us it's about consistent improvement and continue to attack what we can do better as a staff and as a team.

On managing the portal:

CURT CIGNETTI: Yeah. We've had a few players go in the portal, and we would like them to continue to practice. A few have chosen to go home and won't be with us this week. I don't think that's going to present a problem for us in terms of our preparation. The thing about the portal guys, they're a little different than the high school guys. They don't need 48 hours on campus. It's usually one night, they're making a business decision. They're normally older guys. They've been through it. They know what they're looking for. Either you're a fit or you're not. And so, from a coach's standpoint, like yesterday, because we got back at 3:30 in the morning from the Rose Bowl, I gave the coaches and players off. Now, I came in. I was in the office about eight or nine hours because I knew what I was looking at here. The position coaches may have one, two, three guys in at their position that they'll have to have a position meeting with, whereas, I'm going to have to visit with 12, 13 guys, right? So I knew I was going to lose six, seven, eight hours, so I tried to make that up yesterday. And I have a few meetings this evening and a few tomorrow morning, and then it'll be 100 percent focus on our prep.

On developing confidence:

DAN LANNING: Players create confidence. Coaches support it. Right? They go out there by doing it, and winning and failing. You make mistakes, and then you challenge yourself to say, okay, I don't want to make the same mistake again. And mistakes can be a really good thing, especially when you have the self-awareness to recognize it. And you'd like those mistakes to happen in practice, and then you'd like to have guys that are hungry enough to say, okay, I'm really good at this. Let me not spend all my time in practice working on this. Let me go work on what I'm not good at. And once you start doing that, whether it's a quarterback seeing the coverage or it's a defensive lineman trying to work a certain technique and you can create repetition, you can create confidence.

CURT CIGNETTI: I think confidence and belief come from when you're prepared, totally prepared and get the result you're looking for. That's why it's important to have a blueprint and a plan. This business is all about development, recruiting and retention. Gotta have high standards, expectations, accountability throughout your entire organization. Gotta have the right people on your staff and in the locker room. And you improve every single day. Like this week, it'll be important that we can stack meetings, practices and days so that, you know, we're totally prepared to play one to 150 at 7:30 on Friday night and then play the way we want them to play. And I think when guys prepare correctly, that's their best chance to be successful. And when they become successful, they develop more confidence and belief, and it becomes sort of a snowball effect. And that's the way it's worked for us, but it's always been in the here and now, controlling the controllables, focused on your preparation, eliminating the noise and the clutter so that you go in 100 percent prepared, which gives yourself the best chance of being successful.

On Fernando Mendoza’s Rose Bowl performance:

CURT CIGNETTI: Yeah. He did a great job preparing, likes he always does. He was the same guy. We had not played a game in three-and-a half weeks. So maybe the speed of the game, the first play of the game, you know, was a play he normally would have made, and then they did an all-out blitz and kind of got us on third down. But after that, I mean, he was tremendous. He had more touchdown passes than incompletions. He used his legs to make plays like he's done all year, and he was 100 percent on point. And then we got the run game going and we didn't need his arm quite as much. He hit the clock, get out of the game. And I'd give him an A plus. He's player of the game on offense.

On managing potential transfers:

DAN LANNING: Each one is different. There's some guys that come in, and I share the same sentiment as them, you know, that they might have an opportunity to be able to make an impact somewhere else. Some guys come in and you hate to see them go. We've been really fortunate to be able to hang on to the players that we really want to be here and have success. And some of them you see them walk out the door and you just hope that they have a better opportunity wherever they move next. The grass isn't always greener, and that's something you have to figure out in life at times, but that's one of the life lessons that exists right now in college ball. But every conversation is different. The one thing that I expect from our guys is to have that conversation.

On Pat Coogan and his offensive MVP honors in the Rose Bowl:

CURT CIGNETTI: Yeah, the MVP of the Rose Bowl, in my mind, was the whole offensive line, and Pat Coogan is one of the leaders on the offensive line. I think Kirk Herbstreit said that he had a big role in choosing him, and he made a good decision. But I thought our line played really well, very aggressive, snapped the whistle, finished plays. And Coogan, of course, is making all the calls and a key guy there, and he played well. He played well also, but in general, we did a really nice job of protecting the quarterback. There were a couple of situations. But in the run game we got that going. Our backs ran really hard. Our receivers blocked. And it was a good day on offense.

On Mendoza’s ability to extend plays:

CURT CIGNETTI: To me that's the winning edge. I mean, when you look at a quarterback, obviously he's got to have throwing ability and be able to process, but the ability to extend plays, whether it's with his legs or once he's out of the pocket with his arm, his eyes down field, I mean, that's the key. A guy that cannot extend plays, you really become vulnerable. And Fernando's ability to make plays with his legs, boy, I can't even count the number of times in big games this year where his legs have come through and extended drives.

On the Big Ten’s strength on the CFP stage:

CURT CIGNETTI: Well, I've only been in the league two years. So I'm not sure I'm the one to answer this question. I know that Michigan won it three years ago. That was a great football team. Ohio State was equally as great last season. You got two teams playing in the semis. So one of us is going to be in the National Championship game, and I certainly hope the Big Ten can claim that prize. Oregon is a great football team. But the Big Ten is a great conference, a lot of good teams top to bottom. And that's a great thing about the playoffs. You give 12 teams a chance to win it all, and at the end of the day there's one standing.

DAN LANNING: Yeah, I just share the sentiment. I've been a part of the SEC, just like Coach Cignetti has. I've been a part of the old PAC-12. I've been a part of a bunch of different conferences, and it's hard to argue that anybody is doing it better right now than the Big Ten. There's some quality from top to bottom.

Obviously, the National Championship teams have come from this conference the last two years, and the landscape has changed. Certainly five years ago there wasn't a conference that was rolling and dominating, and I think the way you indicate that is the success of the teams in the conference. And there's a lot of teams that have had success, and a variety of different teams. Coach just mentioned it, but we saw Michigan, and Washington a couple years ago in the National Championship game. You see Ohio State. This year you'll see a different Big Ten team. And I think that speaks to the quality and the strength of the conference overall.

On the travel schedule:

DAN LANNING: It's not bad.

CURT CIGNETTI: I'll echo that sentiment.

On creating culture:

CURT CIGNETTI: I think when you look at our team, you got a number of veterans, guys that have played a lot of football, but high-character guys that are good players. And this is a very, very close team, that plays for one another, trusts one another. And I mean, we got a lot of guys on this football team that are going to do real well in life. And this is a special group.

DAN LANNING: Yeah, I'd share the same sentiment. I think to get to this point in the season, culture is a word that's overused, certainly, in our sport. But you don't get to this point if you're not able to be selfless, and those are the lessons you try to teach in football. You have to think of the group and the team over yourself. And to be at this point, that means there's a lot of players that made that decision, and you have to realize that individual success is going to come from team success. I think if you look at both of our teams, you see a lot of guys that are having a ton of individual success, and it all started with somebody else around them helping them have that success. There's no great quarterback without great O line players. There's no great secondary play without great D line play, and that's what's great about the sport of football is the quicker your team can realize that, the team and connection are going to be separating factors, the quicker you're going to have success. And we've certainly been able to create some of that here at Oregon, and obviously Indiana has been able to create the same thing.

Find out who will advance to the College Football Playoff National Championship game on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

The Granddaddy of All Victories

Indiana Athletics — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Orange Bowl Champs Headed To CFP Semifinals

Oregon Athletics — Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Ohio State, Miami to Meet in CFP Quarterfinals at the Cotton Bowl

Ohio State Athletics — Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Ducks Orange Bowl Bound After CFP Win At Home

Oregon Athletics — Sun, 21 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Bryce Boettcher: The Heart of a Duck

Unknown — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Bryce Boettcher is a standout on two of Oregon's teams – football and baseball – both of which are top 10 programs nationally. Born and raised in Eugene, Oregon, Boettcher embodies what it means to be a Duck. From his humble beginnings as a walk-on to becoming the 2024 Burlsworth Trophy winner, his journey is a testament to perseverance and heart. Whether dominating on the football field or the baseball diamond, Bryce has left an indelible mark on Oregon Athletics.

In this exclusive interview, the senior linebacker opens up about his walk-on mentality, his love for his hometown, being a two-sport athlete, and what the future holds as he prepares to take off the Oregon jersey for the last time.

Host (Andrew McDevitt): Welcome to Oregon senior linebacker and 2024 Burlsworth Trophy winner Bryce Boettcher. Bryce, that's kind of where I want to start. Burlsworth Trophy given to the best player that started their career as a walk-on. What does it take to have a walk-on mentality and what did that award mean to you?

Bryce Boettcher: Yeah, that award meant everything, man. There's a lot more days in my college football career that looked like they weren't going to pan out. I wasn't going to get the opportunity I wanted, but I kind of just stacked the days and kept the faith. And, obviously it worked out last year, had a solid season and the team had a good season. It's a mindset that I'll carry with me for the rest of my life. Once a walk-on, always a walk-on. And it's just a greedy mindset.

You were born and raised in Eugene, Oregon. Was there ever a chance you were going to go anywhere else?

No, man. I mean, I had an offer from the University of Utah in baseball. That was really my only scholarship offer for any sport. But then obviously Oregon offered me a walk-on spot for baseball originally. And as soon as that was the case, I was coming here.

I heard both Coach Lanning and Coach Wasikowski say that you wearing an Oregon jersey just means more. Why is that?

Just being from here, you know, all my family and friends are from the Oregon, Pacific Northwest area. When you grow up watching the games and really know what it means to be a Duck fan and bleed green and yellow, when you put the jersey on, it means more because you've been a part of it for longer.

Which was your first love? Did you love baseball first or football?

Oh man, I'd say probably baseball. That's what I started playing first. But I started playing football too when I was in second, third grade. So both fairly early, but I'd say baseball.

You were drafted in 2024 by the Houston Astros. Did that make the decision to return for football challenging, or was that kind of something that you knew you had there, and it was worth pursuing the football situation regardless?

Yeah, it was certainly challenging. You know, that's a pretty cool opportunity to get drafted and have that option. But knowing that I had one more year of football eligibility and being a Duck fan, I feel like I'd regret it down the road if I didn't give it one more year. And obviously the Astros wanted to be there, but they understood. And that door's open down the road if I want to pursue baseball.

I heard Coach Lanning say that you have a little bit of crazy in you. I think that he has a little bit of crazy in him. What's the relationship like between the pair of you?

Yeah, it's a good relationship, man. It's definitely evolved over the years. I respect the guy, the way he works, the way he coaches. Yeah, I'd say it's a fair analysis. We both are a little crazy in our own regard. Before the games, walking out of the tunnel, he'll kind of look at me and I'll look at him. We'll make eye contact for a split second and kind of just smile because we both know we're on the same wavelength.

That craziness has resulted in a pretty quality start. Do you enjoy going on the road to difficult environments?

I love it personally. When we went to Penn State, that was super cool. It's a new opportunity, a new place you get to play. Having come from the Pac-12, pulling out these new places in the Big Ten is pretty neat, so I enjoy it.

Do you have a favorite away stadium that you've played in thus far?

I mean, I'd say Penn State has to be up there.

You've played in massive moments both on the baseball diamond and on the football field. Regional wins, Big Ten Championship wins. Is there a win that is better than another win, or are all wins the same?

I mean, I'd be lying to you if I said all wins are the same. Obviously, there's some that feel a little better than others. I'd say the Big Ten Championship win from last year was up there. The Pac-12 Tournament win in baseball, that was pretty special against Arizona. And obviously some other sprinkled in there. Baseball against the Beavers. My senior year, we ended up beating them in my last game ever on a Tuesday. And this last Oregon State game at home was pretty special as well.

At some point in the next three months, you are going to take off that Oregon jersey for the last time. What do you want the Ducks fans to remember the most about Bryce Boettcher?

Man, good question. Someone who just gave it his all for the green and yellow and the university. That's why I came back. I love this place. I love what the University of Oregon stands for, and its athletic program. Just a guy who gave it 100%, left nothing else on the table, who was there for his teammates, and played hard.

I love the video from last year where you go from the football spring game straight over to the baseball field. What's that experience like? And you know, there are very few guys that have the talent to do that at the level you're doing it.

Yeah, that was a pretty cool opportunity. It was cool that they asked me to throw out the first pitch this year. And then obviously, a couple of years ago, I ended up playing in both, which was obviously really cool as well.

You know, I'm just blessed to be able to do both and have both coaches support me through both sports and communicate well enough to where I was able to do both of them. So, yeah, I'm just blessed.

What do we got to do to get the neck brace back?

It's funny. I was actually talking to my mom about that yesterday. She was like, “I was in the stands, and the fans want you to bring back the neck brace.” You know, I was having neck issues last year and the year before. So that's why I was wearing it. This year I kind of readjusted how I hit it and move around. So I wasn't having as many neck issues. And you know, the neck brace, it looks good, but it kind of leaves me a little stiff. It's hard for me to maneuver with that thing on. So I figured the functionality of play and finesse was a little more important than looks.

Fair, fair. In a couple of months, you're going to be in a great spot. You're going to have options. What do you hope the future looks like for you?

Man, I mean, what do I hope it looks like for me? Hopefully I get a shot to go play in the NFL and once that road comes here, maybe go do that, or I go play some baseball, depending on what my opportunities look like. But right now, I'm really just focused on the now and enjoying my last couple of months as a Duck.

Favorite athlete growing up?

Derek Jeter.

Is there a Dan Lanning saying that you particularly stick to?

I mean, he's got a lot of good ones. But I like “The grass is damn green in Eugene.”

Fitting for you. Last one would be, what's your favorite part about being a Duck?

Probably running out in Autzen Stadium, seeing the fans and the green and yellow.

Bryce, great meeting you, man. Best of luck the rest of the way.

Sweet. Appreciate you, Andrew.

Catch Boettcher and the Ducks in their first College Football Playoff game against James Madison on Saturday, December 20^th at 7:30 p.m. ET on TNT, truTV, or Max.

2025 Football Bowl Release

Unknown — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

BIG TEN FOOTBALL RELEASE - BOWLS | STANDINGS | SCHEDULE | MEDIA GUIDE

Fifth-ranked Oregon leads off the Big Ten CFP lineup this weekend, when the Ducks host No. 12 seed JMU in first-round action at Autzen Stadium. The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by TNT. A win would send Oregon to the Orange Bowl against Texas Tech on Jan. 1 at noon ET at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. The complete bowl schedule can be found to the right.
Oregon is making its third CFP appearance overall and is one of just four teams (Georgia, Indiana, Ohio State) to make the field each of the last two years. This will be the first meeting on the gridiron between Oregon and James Madison, the Sun Belt Conference champion.
Demond Williams Jr. threw three of his four touchdown passes in the second quarter, and Washington’s defense had five interceptions as the Huskies kicked off bowl season with a 38-10 victory over Boise State in the LA Bowl on Dec. 13. Denzel Boston made a 78-yard TD catch for Washington’s first score before Dezmen Roebuck, Raiden Vines-Bright and Quentin Moore caught TD passes for the Huskies (9-4) in the school’s fourth victory in its last five bowl games.
Six Big Ten standouts took home a combined 11 national awards this season, highlighted by Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza capturing the Heisman Memorial Trophy. The Hoosier quarterback’s accolade marks the 30th Heisman winner overall from a current or former Big Ten institution (including the University of Chicago), and first since 2022.
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti took home the Home Depot Coach of The Year Award and the Walter Camp Coach of The Year Award, Iowa’s Logan Jones won the Rimington Trophy, Ohio State’s Caleb Downs captured the Jim Thorpe Award and Lott Impact Trophy, Buckeyes’ Archie Griffin was honored with the NCFAA Contributions Award, USC’ Makai Lemon earned the Fred Biletnikoff Award, and Hoosiers’ Mendoza also claimed the Davey O’Brien Award, Maxwell Award and Walter Camp Award.
A total of 7,989,716 fans attended Big Ten home games this season. Excluding 2020, this marks the 12th consecutive season and 13th time in 14 seasons that more than six million fans have attended Big Ten home football games.
Indiana was crowned Big Ten Champion following a 13-10 win against Ohio State in the Discover Big Ten Championship Game on Dec. 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Hoosiers extended the best season in school history to 13-0, snapping a 30-game losing streak against the Buckeyes that stretched to 1988, ending major college football’s longest winning streak at 16 and moving to the precipice of earning the first No. 1 ranking in school history.
The 2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game drew 18,332,000 viewers on FOX — the most-watched college football conference championship game of all time. At the broadcast’s peak, 19,993,000 viewers witnessed Indiana capture the program’s first Big Ten championship in 58 years. With the historic championship viewership, the Big Ten Conference is now home to the top three most watched college football games this season.
A total of 800 football student-athletes were named Academic All-Big Ten honorees on December 10, including unblemished GPAs for 10 honorees. The full list of fall Academic All-Big Ten honorees can be found at bigten.org.

Six Big Ten Standouts Take Home a Combined 11 National Awards

Unknown — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Six Big Ten standouts took home a combined 11 national awards this season, highlighted by Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza capturing the Heisman Memorial Trophy. The Hoosier quarterback’s accolade marks the 30th Heisman winner overall from a current or former Big Ten institution (including the University of Chicago), and first since 2022.

Additionally, Ohio State’s Archie Griffin was honored with the NCFAA Contributions Award, which recognizes individuals who have made exceptional and lasting contributions to college football.

The full list of award winners can be found below:

CURT CIGNETTI, INDIANA

· The Home Depot Coach of The Year Award

· Walter Camp Coach of The Year Award

FERNANDO MENDOZA, INDIANA

· Heisman Memorial Trophy

· Davey O'Brien Award

· Maxwell Award

· Walter Camp Award

LOGAN JONES, IOWA

· Rimington Trophy

CALEB DOWNS, OHIO STATE

· Jim Thorpe Award

· Lott Impact Trophy

ARCHIE GRIFFIN, OHIO STATE

· NCFAA Contributions Award

MAKAI LEMON, USC

· Fred Biletnikoff Award

Three Big Ten teams were selected to participate in the 12-team College Football Playoff: Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon.

Fifth-ranked Oregon leads off the Big Ten CFP lineup on Saturday, Dec. 20, when the Ducks host No. 12 seed JMU in first-round action at Autzen Stadium. The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by TNT. A win would send Oregon to the Orange Bowl against Texas Tech on Jan. 1 at noon ET at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

The top-ranked Hoosiers and No. 2-seeded Buckeyes both earned first-round byes and will compete in the Rose Bowl and Cotton Bowl Classic, respectively. Indiana will face the winner of No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 8 Oklahoma on Jan. 1 at 4 p.m. ET at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif., while Ohio State faces the winner of No. 10 Miami vs. No. 7 Texas A&M on Dec. 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

#B1GFootball

Heismandoza Brings Hardware Back to Bloomington

Indiana Athletics — Sun, 14 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

ESPN College Football Awards Show Nets Honors for Cignetti, Mendoza

Indiana Athletics — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

USC’s Makai Lemon Wins 2025 Biletnikoff Award

USC Athletics — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Logan Jones Named Rimington Trophy Recipient

Iowa Athletics — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Caleb Downs is 2025 Paycom Jim Thorpe Award Winner

Ohio State Athletics — Sat, 13 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Big Ten Goes Bowling: Your 2025 Bowl Game Preview

Unknown — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Is there anything better than the holiday season mixed with college football?

After a historic regular season, the 2025 bowl schedule is locked in, and the Big Ten is ready to make some noise on the postseason stage. Beyond the conference's three College Football Playoff contenders (No. 1 Indiana, No. 2 Ohio State, and No. 5 Oregon), nine squads have their sights set on ending the year with bowl game hardware in hand: No. 16 USC, No. 18 Michigan, No. 23 Iowa, Illinois, Penn State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Northwestern, and Washington.

This isn't just about exhibition games; it's about bragging rights, recruiting momentum, and setting the tone for next season. Take a look at every Big Ten bowl matchup outside of the CFP.

No. 16 USC vs. TCU – Valero Alamo Bowl

USC is set for its first-ever trip to the Valero Alamo Bowl, facing off against TCU (8-4, 5-4 Big 12). The No. 16 Trojans (9-3, 7-2 B1G) bring one of the nation’s most explosive offenses to San Antonio. Quarterback Jayden Maiava leads the Big Ten with over 3,400 passing yards and a nation-best 91.2 QBR, and he has a wealth of weapons at his disposal, including Biletnikoff finalist Makai Lemon. Lemon has been a nightmare for defenses, racking up over 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns, and his chemistry with Maiava will be the key to dissecting a TCU defense that has been prone to giving up big plays. The Horned Frogs allow over 240 passing yards per game, which doesn’t break the top 100 nationally.

On the other side of the ball, the Trojans' defense holds its opponents to just 22.4 points per game – its best mark in nearly a decade. Watch for safety Bishop Fitzgerald, an All-American candidate with a second-in-the-nation five interceptions, to be a difference-maker against TCU’s aerial attack led by QB Josh Hoover. If the offensive line can keep Maiava clean – he’s only been sacked 11 times all year – and the defense can force a few turnovers, USC has all the ingredients to cap off their season with a statement victory in Texas.

Watch USC-TCU on December 30^th at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN.

No. 18 Michigan vs. No. 13 Texas – Cheez-It Citrus Bowl

Get ready for a New Year’s Eve showdown in Orlando! No. 18 Michigan (9-3, 7-2 B1G) is set to clash with No. 13 Texas (9-3, 6-2 SEC) in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, marking the Wolverines' seventh appearance in the game. This matchup pits two 9-3 powerhouses against each other, both looking to cap off their seasons with a signature win. Michigan has won five of its last six contests, powered by a suffocating defense that ranks among the nation's elite. The Wolverines break the top 20 in rushing defense (101.7 ypg), scoring defense (18.7 ppg), and interceptions (13). On the other side, Texas is also riding high, winning six of its last seven, including an impressive victory over CFP No. 7 seed Texas A&M.

The Wolverines will lean on their dominant ground game, led by the dynamic duo of Jordan Marshall and Justice Haynes, who combined for over 1,700 rushing yards this season. Defensively, first-team All-Big Ten edge rusher Derrick Moore terrorizes offenses (10.0 sacks this season) and will be key to disrupting Arch Manning and the Longhorns' rhythm. For Michigan to secure its 10th win of the season, it'll need to control the line of scrimmage and contain a potent Texas offense that has proven it can compete with top-ranked teams. This will be the second postseason meeting between the two storied programs, with Texas narrowly winning the 2005 Rose Bowl in a 38-37 thriller. Expect another hard-fought battle as these two titans collide.

Watch December 31^st at 3 p.m. ET on ABC.

No. 23 Iowa vs. No. 14 Vanderbilt – ReliaQuest Bowl

No. 23 Iowa (8-4, 6-3 B1G) is set to clash with No. 14 Vanderbilt (10-2, 6-2 SEC) in the ReliaQuest Bowl on New Year's Eve, marking a historic first-ever meeting between these two programs. Coming off gritty back-to-back wins against Michigan State and Nebraska, Kirk Ferentz’s squad enters the postseason with serious momentum and a chance to secure its fifth win in its last eight bowl appearances. It’s a classic Big Ten vs. SEC showdown to close out 2025 at Raymond James Stadium.

Iowa will rely on its stout defense in the top 25 bout. Eyes will be on defensive tackle Aaron Graves, a finalist for the Pop Warner Award and William V. Campbell Trophy, to disrupt the backfield. The ultimate test will be containing Vanderbilt’s Diego Pavia, the SEC Offensive Player of the Year, who led the SEC in total offense (334.8 ypg), pass efficiency (171.5), touchdown passes (27), and completion percentage (71.2%).

On the other side of the ball, Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski looks to cap off a record-setting year where he broke the school records for rushing touchdowns (15) and rushing yards (491) by a QB. If the Hawkeyes can control the tempo on the ground and unleash Big Ten Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year Kaden Wetjen in the return game, they have a prime opportunity to take down a 10-win SEC opponent and finish 2025 on a high note.

Tune in on December 31^st at 12 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Illinois vs. Tennessee – Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl

In another Big Ten-SEC postseason game, the Fighting Illini (8-4, 5-4 B1G) will play in the 2025 Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl in Nashville, where they'll face off against the Tennessee Volunteers (8-4, 4-4 SEC). This marks the first-ever meeting between the two programs and Illinois' debut in the Music City Bowl. A win would give the Illini back-to-back nine-win seasons for the first time in program history and make Bret Bielema the first Illinois head coach to win bowl games in consecutive years.

To secure that historic victory, Illinois will lean on quarterback Luke Altmyer, who finished in the top seven in the Big Ten in passing TDs, yards, and completion percentage. He'll have plenty of support from first-team All-Big Ten selection J.C. Davis, who anchors the offensive line. On the defensive side, second-team All-Big Ten pick Gabe Jacas, who led the conference in sacks, will be tasked with containing Tennessee's explosive offense. The Volunteers boast the SEC's leading passer in Joey Aguilar and the conference's Freshman of the Year, Braylon Staley, making this a must-watch showdown between two powerful units.

Catch this Big Ten-SEC showdown on December 30^th at 5:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Penn State vs. Clemson – Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl

Penn State (6-6, 3-6 B1G) is heading to Yankee Stadium to face ACC powerhouse Clemson (7-5, 4-4 ACC) in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. It’s a battle of iconic brands as the Nittany Lions look to cap off their season with a statement win against a tough Tigers squad. This marks only the second meeting ever between these two programs and the first since 1988. Penn State is hungry to repeat their Pinstripe Bowl magic from 2014, when they defeated Boston College, 31-30, in overtime.

We'll be watching Penn State's ground game vs. Clemson’s rushing defense. The Nittany Lions are led by the dynamic duo of Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton, but the Tigers are 14^th nationally in rushing defense (102.8 ypg). Allen averages more than that alone (108.6 ypg). He has been an absolute force, racking up over 1,300 yards this season and becoming the program's all-time leading rusher. He’ll be running behind a rock-solid offensive line featuring All-Big Ten standouts like Olaivavega Ioane. For the Nittany Lions to hoist the trophy, they’ll need to control the clock and let their relentless rushing attack wear down the Clemson defense.

Watch this Big Ten-ACC clash on December 27^th at 12 p.m. ET on ABC.

Minnesota vs. New Mexico – Rate Bowl

Gophers in the desert? For the third time in program history, Minnesota (7-5, 5-4 B1G) will compete in the Rate Bowl, facing off against the New Mexico Lobos (9-3, 6-2 MWC). This marks the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Under P.J. Fleck, the Gophers have been postseason perfectionists with a 6-0 bowl record. Minnesota will look to extend that dominance against a gritty New Mexico squad making their first bowl appearance since 2016.

For the Gophers to secure their ninth consecutive bowl victory – their current eight straight is the best active streak in the nation – all eyes will be on the offensive backfield. Quarterback Drake Lindsey (2,235 passing yards) and standout running back Darius Taylor (554 rushing yards) will need to find a rhythm early against a Lobos defense eager to prove itself on a big stage. Head coach Jason Eck has led New Mexico to its first nine-win campaign in nine years in his first year with the program.

On the other side of the ball, Minnesota's defense, anchored by First Team All-Big Ten edge rusher Anthony Smith (10.5 sacks), must disrupt a Lobos offense that averaged 27.92 points per game this season. If Smith can wreak havoc in the backfield and the Gophers maintain their disciplined, high-energy style of play, Fleck and his squad have a prime opportunity to bring another trophy back to Minneapolis.

Watch Gophers-Lobos on December 26^th at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Nebraska vs. No. 15 Utah – SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl

The Cornhuskers (7-5, 4-5 B1G) are headed to the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl to take on the No. 15 Utah Utes (10-2, 7-2 Big 12). This marks a massive opportunity for Coach Matt Rhule’s squad to face a ranked opponent in one of the nation's premier venues. It’s the first time these two programs have clashed since 1992, and Nebraska will be looking to keep its perfect 4-0 all-time record against the Utes intact while chasing a momentum-building postseason upset.

The key to this matchup? The ground game. Nebraska’s offense will ride the legs of Emmett Johnson, the newly crowned Big Ten Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year. Johnson racked up 1,821 yards from scrimmage (second nationally) and leads all FBS running backs in receptions. The Huskers will look to take advantage against a Utah defense that allows 182.8 rushing yards per game but loves to force turnovers in the air (14 interceptions).

On the flip side, Nebraska has its work cut out containing Utah’s high-octane offense, led by a rushing attack averaging a second-nationally 269.8 yards per game. It’s going to be a physical battle in the desert.

Watch the Big Ten-Big 12 matchup on December 31^st at 3:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Northwestern vs. Central Michigan – GameAbove Sports Bowl

Motor City, here come the 'Cats! Northwestern (6-6, 4-5 B1G) is hunting its sixth consecutive bowl victory as it heads to Ford Field to take on Central Michigan (7-5, 5-3 MAC) in the GameAbove Sports Bowl. Coach David Braun has this program humming, securing a postseason bid for the second time in three seasons. The Wildcats are looking to extend a bowl winning streak that dates back to 2016 and is currently tied for the third-longest in the nation.

The road to a Wildcat win starts with defense. With All-Big Ten standouts like Robert Fitzgerald (a conference-best 68 solo tackles) and linebacker Mac Uihlein patrolling the field, Northwestern has the power to stifle the Chippewas' attack. On the other side of the ball, running back Caleb Komolafe fueled a late-season surge, finishing the regular season with ten touchdowns and nearly 900 yards. The offensive line, led by All-Big Ten honoree Caleb Tiernan, will need to lock down against CMU’s Michael Heldman, who’s eighth in the nation in sacks (10.5). If Northwestern can control the line, the Wildcats look primed to bring another trophy back to Evanston.

Catch the ‘Cats on December 26^th at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Washington vs. Boise State – L.A. Bowl

The Washington Huskies (8-4, 5-4 B1G) are descending on the City of Angels this Saturday to cap off their 2025 campaign against Mountain West Champions Boise State (9-4, 6-2 MWC) in the Bucked Up L.A. Bowl. It’s a massive opportunity for Jedd Fisch’s squad to secure a nine-win season, but they’ll have their hands full against a Broncos team riding a three-game winning streak.

The keys to victory? The Huskies will need to be disciplined on defense, specifically against the run; Washington is winless this year when allowing more than 140 rushing yards, a mark the Broncos have hit in all nine of their wins. On offense, quarterback Demond Williams Jr. has been the catalyst for the Dawgs all season. When he is sharp and the offense is completing over 63% of its passes, Washington is nearly unbeatable (8-1). Look for the Huskies to try and control the tempo to keep Boise State's offense off the field. If the defense can stuff the run and Williams Jr. finds his rhythm, the Huskies could bring some shiny hardware back to Seattle.

Watch the Huskies-Broncos bout on December 13^th at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

The Stage is Set

From the high-stakes College Football Playoff clashes to the traditional New Year's showcases, the Big Ten has a massive opportunity to assert its dominance on the national stage again (...who won the last two championships?). These games represent a culmination of months of hard work, a chance to send seniors out with hardware, and a springboard into the 2026 campaign.

We’ve given you the breakdown and plotlines to watch—now sit back with some cocoa and enjoy the postseason football.

Want to see how the games shake out? Click here .

Big Ten Recognizes Fall Academic All-Big Ten Honorees

Unknown — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Full Fall 2025 Academic All-Big Ten List

ROSEMONT, Ill. - The Big Ten Conference recognized a total of 1,852 students on fall sports rosters who have been named to the All-Big Ten Team Wednesday, Dec. 10.

The list of honorees includes 134 field hockey students, 800 football students, 140 men’s and 201 women’s cross country students, 155 men’s and 276 women’s soccer students and 146 volleyball students.

To be eligible for Academic All-Big Ten selection, students must be on a varsity team (as verified by being on the official squad list as of Nov. 1 for fall sports), have been enrolled full time at the institution for a minimum of 12 months and carry a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or higher.

Among the fall Academic All-Big Ten honorees, 65 had unblemished GPAs:

Men’s cross country
Jackson Barrett, Illinois, Sophomore, Business Undeclared, Tuscola, Ill.
Miles Wilson, Iowa, Junior, Finance, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Seth Norder, Michigan State, Statistics, Grand Haven, Mich.
Jack Agnew, Ohio State, Junior, Exercise Science, Bellbrook, Ohio
Will McGraw, Ohio State, Junior, Operations Management, Dublin, Ohio

Women’s cross country
Julia Gehl, Iowa, Sophomore, Business, Dubuque, Iowa
Marissa Long, Iowa, Sophomore, Human Physiology, Chanhassen, Minn.
Evelyn Rogers, Maryland, Sophomore, Finance, Odenton, Md.
Emily Cescon, Michigan, Sophomore, Biomedical Engineering, Toronto, Ontario
Leah Hill, Michigan, Senior, Organizational Studies, Denver, Colo.
Anjali Hocker Singh, Michigan, Sophomore, Biomedical Engineering, Olathe, Kan.
Brooke Johnston, Michigan, Junior, Psychology, Hawthorn Woods, Ill.
Katelyn Watkins, Michigan, Sophomore, LSA Undeclared, Midland, Mich.
Emily Bardwell, Michigan State, Graduate Student, Integrative Biology MS, Brunswick, Ohio
Julia Bockenstette, Michigan State, Sophomore, Special Education -Learning Disabilities, Powell, Ohio
Sophia Lucki, Michigan State , Graduate Student, Global Health MS, Toronto, Ontario
Charlotte Lange, Minnesota, Senior, Kinesiology B S, La Grange Park, Ill.
Ali Weimer, Minnesota, Graduate Student, Sport Management M Ed, Saint Michael, Minn.
Ali Bainbridge, Nebraska, Junior, Nutrition & Health Sciences, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Alea Hardie, Nebraska, Junior, Psychology, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Erin Boler, Northwestern, Junior, Economics, Niskayuna, N.Y.
Katie Clute, Oregon, RS Sophomore, Psychology, Olmsted Township, Ohio
Ali Ince, Oregon, Sophomore, Advertising, Bloomington, Ill.
Florence Caron, Penn State, Graduate Student, Hospital Health Systems, La Malbaie, Quebec, Canada
Paige Hazelrigg, Purdue, Junior, Biomedical Health Sciences, Noblesville, Ind.
Cassidy Kidd, Rutgers, Sophomore, Exercise Science, Union, N.J.
Sara Mlodik, Wisconsin, Sophomore, Biomedical Engineering, Weston, Wis.
Maggie Munson, Wisconsin, Graduate Student, Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis, Plymouth, Wis.

Field Hockey
Javiera Baeza, Indiana, Junior, Marketing, Shaker Heights, Ohio
Morgan Qualls, Indiana, Sophomore, Exercise Science, Randallstown, Md.
Lauren DeRose, Iowa, RS Sophomore, Human Physiology, Collegeville, Penn.
Carmen Maudlin, Michigan State, Sophomore, Kinesiology, Louisville, Ky.
Caro Schafer, Michigan State, Sophomore, Urban & Regional Planning, Hannover, Germany
Alexa Shaffer, Michigan State, RS Junior, Kinesiology, Hummelstown, Pa.
Maddie Zimmer, Northwestern, Graduate Student, Sports Administration, Hershey, Penn.

Football
Joe Taylor, Michigan, Graduate Student, Social Work, Chelsea, Mich.
Samuel Edwards, Michigan State, Graduate Student, Marketing Research & Analytics MS, Williamston, Mich.
Tate Crane, Northwestern, Graduate Student, Post Baccalaureate, Iowa City, Iowa
Aidan Hubbard, Northwestern, Graduate Student, Post Baccalaureate, Cleveland, Ohio
Yannis Karlaftis, Northwestern, Graduate Student, Post Baccalaureate, Athens, Greece
Liam Clifford, Penn State, Graduate Student, Education, Maineville, Ohio
Dominic DeLuca, Penn State, Graduate Student, Education, West Pittston, Penn.
Tyler Holzworth, Penn State, Graduate Student, Education, Milford, N.J.
Brandon Shepherd, USC, RS Junior, Human Biology, La Cañada, Calif.
Kerry Kodanko, Wisconsin, Graduate Student, Sports Leadership, Green Bay, Wis.

Men’s Soccer
Nolan Kinsella, Indiana, Sophomore, Biology, Munster, Ind.
Will Eby, Michigan State, Junior, Mechanical Engineering, Northville, Mich.
Josh Mason, Michigan State, Senior, Kinesiology, South Lyon, Mich.
Graham Kois, Rutgers, Sophomore, Finance, Scotch Plains, N.J.

Women’s Soccer
Charlotte Bien, Iowa, RS Freshman, Psychology, Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
Berkley Binggeli, Iowa, Sophomore, Human Physiology, Heber City, Utah
Danielle Gichner, Maryland, Sophomore, Letters and Sciences, Northbrook, Ill.
Beanie Harshe, Michigan, Sophomore, Economics, Dexter, Mich.
Taya Hjorth, Michigan State, Graduate, Kinesiology MS, Commerce Township, Mich.
Bella Najera, Michigan State, Junior, Marketing, St. Charles, Ill.
Kelsey Kwon, Northwestern, Graduate Student, Data Science, Redmond, WA
Ava Bramblett, Ohio State, Junior, Health Sciences, Noblesville, Ind.
Amanda Poorbaugh, Penn State, Senior, Sociology, Westerville, Ohio
Rachel Quigley, Rutgers, Graduate Student, Public Health, Columbus, N.J.
Eleanor Morrissey, USC, Sophomore, Psychology, Seattle, Wash.
Katie Park, USC, Sophomore, Accounting, Yorba Linda, Calif.
Ashley Martinez, Wisconsin, Special Student, Psychoactive Phmtcl Invstg Capstone, Wentzville, Mo.

Volleyball
Claire Ammeraal, Iowa, Senior, Exercise Science, Madison, Wis.
Gabriella Deery, Iowa, Junior, Marketing, Burlington, Iowa
Jenna Meitzler, Iowa, Sophomore, Journalism & Mass Communication, Barrington, Ill.
Sienna Noordermeer, Northwestern, Senior, Master in Management, Los Angeles, Calif.

Big Ten Recognizes Fall Academic All-Big Ten Honorees

Unknown — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Full Fall 2025 Academic All-Big Ten List

ROSEMONT, Ill. - The Big Ten Conference recognized a total of 1,852 students on fall sports rosters who have been named to the All-Big Ten Team Wednesday, Dec. 10.

Among the fall Academic All-Big Ten honorees, 65 had unblemished GPAs:

2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game Draws Record Viewership

Unknown — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The 2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game drew 18,332,000 viewers Saturday evening on FOX — the most-watched college football conference championship game of all time. At the broadcast’s peak, 19,993,000 viewers witnessed Indiana capture the program’s first Big Ten championship in 58 years.

With Saturday’s historic viewership, the Big Ten Conference is now home to the top three most watched college football games this season. In August, 16.62 million viewers watched the Buckeyes defeat Texas, 14-7, in Columbus.

Ohio State’s 27-9 win against Michigan was the most-watched game of the 2025 college football regular season, drawing an average of 18.4 million viewers and making this year’s edition of "The Game" the second-most-watched college football game ever on FOX.

Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon will continue their season in the 12-team College Football Playoff. The undefeated Hoosiers were ranked No. 1 by the College Football Playoff selection committee and clinched one of four first-round byes. Indiana will face the winner of No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 8 Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 at 4 p.m. ET at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif.

The Buckeyes were ranked No. 2 by the committee and earned a first-round bye to the quarterfinals. Ohio State will face the winner of No. 10 Miami vs. No. 7 Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl Classic on Dec. 31 at 7:30 p.m. ET at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

The Ducks earned a No. 5 ranking and will host No. 12 seed JMU in a first-round game at Autzen Stadium. The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Dec. 20 and will be televised by TNT. A win would send Oregon to the Orange Bowl against Texas Tech on Jan. 1 at noon ET at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

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Caleb Downs Awarded the Lott IMPACT Trophy

Ohio State Athletics — Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Matt Campbell Named 17th Penn State Head Football Coach

Penn State Athletics — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Twelve Big Ten Schools Slated for Postseason Action

Unknown — Mon, 08 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Twelve Big Ten schools were selected for postseason competition on Sunday, highlighted by invitations to the College Football Playoff for Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon.

The undefeated Hoosiers were ranked No. 1 by the College Football Playoff selection committee and clinched one of four first-round byes with their 13-10 win against Ohio State in the 2025 Discover Big Ten Championship Game. Indiana will face the winner of No. 9 Alabama vs. No. 8 Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 at 4 p.m. ET at Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, Calif.

The full Big Ten bowl lineup is as follows (final CFP rankings are listed):

Rose Bowl Game (College Football Playoff National Quarterfinal)

No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 9 Alabama or No. 8 Oklahoma
Jan. 1, 2026 – 4 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Pasadena, Calif. (Rose Bowl Stadium)
A Big Ten school will play in the Rose Bowl for the 76th time.
Indiana will make its second all-time appearance in the Rose Bowl, and its first since 1967.

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (College Football Playoff National Quarterfinal)

No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Miami or No. 7 Texas A&M
Dec. 31, 2025 – 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Texas)
A Big Ten school will play in the Cotton Bowl for the seventh time.
Ohio State will make its third all-time appearance in the Cotton Bowl, and its second in as many years.
Last season, the Buckeyes defeated Texas, 28-14, in the Cotton Bowl Classic when the game served as a College Football Playoff Semifinal.

Valero Alamo Bowl

No. 16 USC vs. TCU
Dec. 30, 2025 – 9 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Alamodome (San Antonio)
A Big Ten school will play in the Alamo Bowl for the 17th time.
This will be USC's first-ever appearance in the Alamo Bowl.
The Trojans are 2-3 all-time against TCU, most recently falling to the Horned Frogs 19-28 in the 1998 Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas.

Cheez-It Citrus Bowl

No. 18 Michigan vs. No. 13 Texas
Dec. 31, 2025 – 3 p.m. ET (ABC)
Camping World Stadium (Orlando, Florida)
A Big Ten school will play in the Citrus Bowl for the 34th time.
The Wolverines make their seventh appearance in the Citrus Bowl and will face the Longhorns for the second time in the postseason.

ReliaQuest Bowl

No. 23 Iowa vs. No. 14 Vanderbilt
Dec. 31, 2025 – 12 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Raymond James Stadium (Tampa, Florida)
A Big Ten school will play in the ReliaQuest Bowl for the 37th time.
The Hawkeyes will be making their 38th bowl game appearance and their seventh Reliaquest Bowl appearance, formerly known as the Outback Bowl.

Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl

Tennessee vs. Illinois
Dec. 30, 2025 – 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Nissan Stadium (Nashville, Tennessee)
A Big Ten school will play in the Music City Bowl for the 12th time.
Illinois qualified for the 22nd bowl game in program history and the third under head coach Bret Bielema.
The Fighting Illini will play in the Music City Bowl for the first time in program history.

Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl

Penn State vs. Clemson
Dec. 27, 2025 – 12 p.m. ET (ABC)
Yankee Stadium (Bronx, New York)
A Big Ten school will play in the Pinstripe Bowl for the 11th time.
This will be the second matchup between the Nittany Lions and the Tigers, who last met in the 1988 Citrus Bowl.
The Nittany Lions last played in the Pinstripe Bowl in 2014, earning a 31-30 overtime win over Boston College.

Rate Bowl

New Mexico vs. Minnesota
Dec. 26, 2025 – 4:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Chase Field (Phoenix)
A Big Ten school will play in the Rate Bowl for the third time.
This marks the 26th all-time bowl game for Minnesota and the first-ever meeting with New Mexico.
The Gophers most recently played in the Rate Bowl in 2021 when they beat West Virginia 18-6 on Dec. 28.

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl

Nebraska vs. Utah
Dec. 31, 2025 – 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Allegiant Stadium (Las Vegas)
A Big Ten school will play in the Las Vegas Bowl for the fourth time.
This marks Nebraska’s first-ever appearance in the Las Vegas Bowl and the Huskers’ 55th bowl game in school history.
This will be the fifth meeting in school history with Utah and the first since 1992.
Nebraska holds a 4-0 advantage in the series with all four matchups played at Memorial Stadium between 1968 and 1992.

GameAbove Sports Bowl

Central Michigan vs. Northwestern
Dec. 26, 2025 – 1 p.m. ET (ESPN)
Ford Field (Detroit)
A Big Ten school will play in the GameAbove Sports Bowl, formerly the Quick Lane Bowl, for the sixth time.
This will be Northwestern's second trip to Detroit for a bowl game, with its last trip coming for the 2003 Motor City Bowl in which the Wildcats fell to Bowling Green, 28-24.
Northwestern has won five straight bowl games (2016 Pinstripe Bowl, 2017 Music City Bowl, 2018 Holiday Bowl, 2021 Citrus Bowl, 2023 Las Vegas Bowl), tied for the third-longest streak in the nation behind Minnesota (8) and Ohio (6).

L.A. Bowl

Boise State vs. Washington
Dec. 13, 2025 – 8 p.m. ET (ABC)
SoFi Stadium (Inglewood, Calif.)
A Big Ten school will play in the L.A. Bowl for the second time.
The game marks the Huskies' first-ever trip to the L.A. Bowl and will be the Dawgs' seventh game vs. Mountain West Conference champion Boise State.
The two have twice met in bowl games – the 2012 and 2019 Las Vegas Bowls.

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Three Big Ten Teams Earn Berths into College Football Playoff

Unknown — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Three Big Ten teams have been selected to participate in the 12-team College Football Playoff: Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon.

The full Big Ten bowl lineup will be announced on Sunday evening.

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Indiana Downs Ohio State, 13-10, in the Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game

Unknown — Sun, 07 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza made all the big plays Saturday night. Then his Hoosiers teammates and their fans celebrated like it was 1967.

Mendoza’s neatly tucked 17-yard pass to Elijah Sarratt gave the No. 2 Hoosiers the lead they needed and the defense shut down No. 1 Ohio State the rest of the way in a 13-10 win for their first Big Ten title in nearly half a century while likely locking up the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.

“We were never supposed to be in this position, but now we’re the flipping champs,” Mendoza shouted on television before he was selected the game’s MVP. “We are brothers, we know how to stick together and we’re the toughest glue ever.”

They did it in style — extending the best season in school history to 13-0, snapping a 30-game losing streak against the Buckeyes that stretched to 1988, ending major college football’s longest winning streak at 16 and moving to the precipice of earning the first No. 1 ranking in school history.

Heck, Mendoza could become the first Heisman Trophy winner to play for the Hoosiers, too. And they sealed it with a remarkable 33-yard pass from Mendoza to Charlie Becker on third down, a play that took the clock down to the 2-minute timeout.

“The Hoosiers are real and we are here,” Becker said after hauling in six passes for 126 yards.

Ohio State fell to 12-1 overall though its quest to win back-to-back national championships for the first time will likely begin with the No. 2 seed and a first-round bye.

The Buckeyes had a chance to retake the lead on fourth-and-1 from the Indiana 5-yard line late in the third quarter. But a replay review overturned the call on the field, determining Julian Sayin came up short. They also had a chance to tie the score with 2:48 to play, but Jayden Fielding missed a 29-yard field goal wide left.

“There’s going to be a lot of hard conversations over the next two weeks,” Buckeyes coach Ryan Day said. “It hurts, it stings.” Ohio State still hasn’t won a conference crown since 2020.

The two quarterbacks dueling for the Heisman Trophy essentially played to a draw.

Mendoza was injured on the first offensive play of the game but returned after missing one play and went 15 of 23 for 222 yards and the one TD and one interception. Sayin had his ankle retaped in the second quarter and was 21 of 29 for 258 yards, one TD and one interception.

But when the big plays needed to be made, Mendoza made them.

Indiana took a 3-0 lead after Sayin was picked off in the first quarter, but the Buckeyes turned Mendoza’s miscue into a 17-yard TD pass to Carnell Tate for a 7-3 lead late in the quarter.

The teams traded field goals in the second quarter as the Buckeyes took a 10-6 lead, but Mendoza neatly tucked a TD pass into Sarratt near the sideline on Indiana’s first possession of the third quarter and that was all they needed.

“A year late,” Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti said. “I’ve three weeks to get these guys humble and hungry."

Bob Chesney Named Head Coach of UCLA Football

UCLA Athletics — Sat, 06 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game and Partners Tackle Community Initiatives in Indianapolis

Unknown — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – As part of the celebration surrounding the 2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game, the Big Ten Conference is proud to support a variety of charitable initiatives to create a positive and lasting impact for the Indianapolis community. This year’s title game matches the top two teams in college football, No. 1 Ohio State versus No. 2 Indiana, at 8pm ET on Saturday, December 6, at Lucas Oil Stadium and broadcast on FOX.

The numerous charitable partners joining the Big Ten include Abbott, College Football Playoff Foundation, Indiana Sports Corp, Indianapolis Public Schools Foundation, School Specialty and USA Football. Organizations supported this week include Boys & Girls Club of America, Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent, James Lowell Elementary School #51 and Special Olympics.

Community initiatives this week include:

The “We Give Blood Drive"
Now in its second season, Abbott and the Big Ten Conference activated the passion and generosity of Big Ten communities nationwide with the “We Give Blood Drive”. The competition across all 18 Big Ten schools helped address a nationwide blood shortage, inspiring more than 80,000 donations that will save more than 240,000 lives. The Big Ten school with the most blood donations by end of day Friday will accept the “We Give Blood Drive" trophy during the 2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game on Saturday night, as well as $1 million from Abbott to advance student or community health.

Elementary School Renovation
The Big Ten Conference, College Football Playoff Foundation, Indianapolis Public Schools Foundation, Indiana Sports Corp and School Specialty worked together to renovate the media center and teacher’s lounge at James Russell Lowell Elementary School #51 in Indianapolis. Big Ten Commissioner Tony Petitti, James Lowell principal Christine Rembert and CFP Foundation’s Margaret Frank were joined at the school Thursday morning by students and staff to unveil and celebrate the new spaces. The Big Ten Conference also will host James Lowell Elementary School administrators and key district personnel at the 2025 Discover Big Ten Conference Football Championship Game on Saturday night.

In August of this year, the Big Ten announced it would provide a full year of support to the school. This has included renovation of an outdoor basketball/pickleball court open to the neighborhood on nights and weekends, and pairing classrooms with Big Ten student-athletes and administrators across the nation. James Lowell students had the chance to attend the 2025 Big Ten Field Hockey Championship in Bloomington in October, and will have additional enrichment opportunities in and around Indianapolis at the 2026 Big Ten Indoor Track & Field Championships, 2026 Allstate Big Ten Women’s Basketball Tournament, and 2026 Big Ten Rowing Championships.

Classroom Resource Grants for Teachers
Enjoying the 2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game this Saturday inside Lucas Oil Stadium are 15 educators from across the state of Indiana. In collaboration with the College Football Playoff Foundation, Big Ten Conference and Indiana Sports Corp, each of the 15 teachers received a grant to support classroom projects and resources at their school. For a total of $40,000, this grant aims to support and celebrate innovative teaching and learning. Educating children from kindergarten through seventh grade, the teachers hail from: Battle Ground, Bloomington, Dubois County, Elkhart, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, and Rossville.

Flag Football Clinic for Special Olympics and Boys & Girls Club of America
On Friday from 3-4pm ET, more than 350 students representing the Special Olympics and Boys & Girls Club of America will learn flag football thanks to the Big Ten Conference, USA Football and Indiana Sports Corp. Students will be instructed on the basics of the sport, receive four complimentary Fan Fest tickets, a football, and a clinic t-shirt.

Kid Captains from Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent
Two patients from Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent, Emerson (13) and Mikal (15), have been selected as the Honorary Kid Captains for the 2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game. Chosen by the Children’s Hospital’s care team to serve as honorary captains, each will receive special recognition on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Emerson has a rare disorder known as brittle bone disease (Osteogenesis) and has overcome 100+ broken bones. His surgeries have reduced the frequency and severity of bone fractures and has improved his overall quality of life. Today, Emerson enjoys coding and computer programming.

Mikal spent several months in the pediatric ICU following a car crash which resulted in severe head trauma and neuro-storming. Mikal had a bolt placed to measure the pressure on his brain, was placed on breathing support and had a feeding tube. Thanks to his hard work and many months of ongoing rehab therapy, Mikal is rebuilding his strength to walk and talk. He looks forward to returning to a full day of school with his friends and supporting his football team.

2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game - Game Notes

Unknown — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

BIG TEN FOOTBALL RELEASE - WEEK 15 | STANDINGS | SCHEDULE | MEDIA GUIDE | WE GIVE BLOOD DRIVE

Indiana and Ohio State have earned berths into the 15th Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game at 8 p.m. (ET) Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, with the game televised to a live nationwide audience on FOX and broadcast on radio via Compass Media Network. Indiana will be making its first appearance in the Discover Big Ten Championship Game in program history after its first-ever undefeated regular season, while Ohio State will be making its seventh appearance in the title contest and first since 2020. This is the first Big Ten championship game featuring unbeaten teams and the first national No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup
At the conclusion of Saturday’s game, one student-athlete will be chosen by a select media panel as the Grange-Griffin Most Valuable Player of the Big Ten Football Championship Game. Offensive players have earned the award 12 times (seven quarterbacks, four running backs, one wide receiver) in the game’s 14-year history, including the only two-time recipient, Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook (2013 and 2015). Michigan defensive back Mike Sainristil became the second defensive player to earn the award in 2023.
This will be the 99th all-time meeting between the Buckeyes and the Hoosiers. Ohio State leads the all-time series in wins, 81-12-5. This is the second consecutive meeting, including 2024, where Ohio State and Indiana are each ranked in the Top 5 of the Associated Press poll.
Ohio State is seeking its sixth Big Ten Football Championship Game title and first since 2020, when it beat Northwestern 22-10. Indiana is seeking its first Big Ten Football Championship Game title.
Ohio State earned its Big Ten Championship spot after beating Michigan 27-9 in Ann Arbor on Saturday. Ohio State was one of two FBS teams to finish the regular season unbeaten, and it marks the fourth 10+ win season for Ryan Day. The Buckeyes also hold the longest overall win streak in the nation with 16 straight wins.
Indiana secured a Big Ten Championship berth after a 56-3 win over Purdue on Saturday. The Hoosiers finished the regular season undefeated for the first time in program history and were one of two teams to go unbeaten in the regular season. Indiana’s regular season win streak of 13 games is the longest in the nation. Nine of the Big Ten’s 18 teams are mentioned in this week’s AP or US LBM Coaches Poll, announced on Sunday. The AP poll includes No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Indiana, No. 4 Oregon, No. 17 USC, and No. 18 Michigan with Iowa, Illinois and Washington receiving votes. At No. 1, Ohio State leads nine Big Ten teams in the coaches’ poll (No. 2 Indiana, No. 4 Oregon, No. 17 USC, and No. 18 Michigan); Iowa, Washington, Illinois, and Penn State also received recognition.
The Big Ten Conference remains firmly positioned within this week’s College Football Playoff (CFP) rankings: #1 Ohio State, #2 Indiana, #5 Oregon, #16 USC, #19 Michigan and #23 Iowa. The final CFP rankings will be released Sunday, Dec. 7 — later in the day, the matchups for the CFP national quarterfinals, semifinals, and the Big Ten’s other bowl destinations will be announced.
A record-tying 12 Big Ten Conference schools – Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, Oregon, USC and Washington – have clinched bowl berths by reaching six victories on the season.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin are both finalists for the Maxwell Award. Sayin leads the nation in passing efficiency (184.9) and Mendoza is second nationally (183.7).
Ohio State boasts one of the nation’s strongest defenses statistically; The Buckeyes are first in scoring defense (7.8 points per game), first in total defense (203 yards per game), and first in red zone defense.
On the other side of the ball, Indiana has one of the nation’s best offenses statistically. The Hoosiers are second in scoring offense (44.3 points per game), fifth in total offense (483.8 yards per game), and ninth in rushing offense (229.8 yards per game).
Indiana kicker Nicolas Radicic is 13-13 on the season and the only kicker in the nation to not miss a kick this season (min. 1 FGA per game).
This season’s CFP will consist of four rounds. The first round will be hosted by the higher seeds (5 vs. 12, 8 vs. 9, 6 vs. 11, and 7 vs. 10) on Friday, Dec. 20 and Saturday, Dec. 21. The remaining teams will advance to the quarterfinals to play the 1-4 seeds as part of the Cotton Bowl, Orange Bowl, Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. The semifinals will be hosted by the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 8 and Peach Bowl on Friday, Jan 9. The National Championship will be held on Monday, Jan. 19, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Fla.

Big Ten Announces Football All-Conference Teams and Individual Awards

Unknown — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. - The Big Ten Conference announced its 2025 football All-Big Ten teams and individual award winners on Wednesday and Thursday live on the Big Ten Network’s “B1G Today” program. The full list of honorees can be found below.

2025 All-Big Ten Football Team
As selected by Big Ten coaches

OFFENSE	FIRST TEAM	SECOND TEAM	THIRD TEAM
Quarterback	Fernando Mendoza, Indiana	Julian Sayin, Ohio State	Jayden Maiava, USC
Running Back	Emmett Johnson, Nebraska	Bo Jackson, Ohio State	Justice Haynes, Michigan
Running Back	Kaytron Allen, Penn State	Antwan Raymond, Rutgers	Jordan Marshall, Michigan
Receiver	Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State	Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana	Hank Beatty, Illinois
Receiver	Carnell Tate, Ohio State	Elijah Sarratt, Indiana	Griffin Wilde, Northwestern
Receiver	Makai Lemon, USC	KJ Duff, Rutgers	Denzel Boston, Washington
Center	Logan Jones, Iowa	Iapani Laloulu, Oregon	Pat Coogan, Indiana
Guard	Beau Stephens, Iowa	Luke Montgomery, Ohio State	Gio El-Hadi, Michigan
Guard	Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon	Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State	Dave Iuli, Oregon
Tackle	J.C. Davis, Illinois	Caleb Tiernan, Northwestern	Gennings Dunker, Iowa
Tackle	Carter Smith, Indiana	Austin Siereveld, Ohio State	Trevor Lauck, Iowa
Tight End	Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon	Lake McRee, USC	Riley Nowakoswki, Indiana
Tight End	Max Klare, Ohio State	Lance Mason, Wisconsin	Max Bredeson, Michigan

OFFENSE HONORABLE MENTION
ILLINOIS: Josh Gesky, Luke Altmyer; INDIANA: Roman Hemby; IOWA: Hayden Large, Kade Pieper, Kamari Moulton; MARYLAND: Alan Herron, Dorian Fleming; MICHIGAN: Andrew Marsh, Andrew Sprague, Jake Guarnera, Marlin Klein; MICHIGAN STATE: Jack Velling, Nick Marsh; MINNESOTA: Jameson Geers; NEBRASKA: Luke Lindenmeyer, Rocco Spindler; NORTHWESTERN: Caleb Komolafe, Evan Beernsten, Ezomo Oratokhai, Hunter Welcing; OHIO STATE: Tegra Tshabola, Will Kacmarek; OREGON: Alex Harkey, Dakorien Moore, Dante Moore, Isaiah World, Jamari Johnson, Jordon Davison, Noah Whittington; PENN STATE: Drew Shelton, Khalil Dinkins, Nolan Rucci; RUTGERS: Ian Strong, Kwabena Asamoah; USC: Alani Noa, Ja'Kobi Lane, Justin Tauanuu,King Miller, Tobias Raymond, Walker Lyons; WASHINGTON: Carver Willis, Demond Williams Jr., Jonah Coleman.

DEFENSE	FIRST TEAM	SECOND TEAM	THIRD TEAM
Edge	Derrick Moore, Michigan	Gabe Jacas, Illinois	Teitum Tuioti, Oregon
Edge	Anthony Smith, Minnesota	Caden Curry, Ohio State	Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
Interior	Tyrique Tucker, Indiana	Aaron Graves, Iowa	Rayshaun Benny, Michigan
Interior	Kayden McDonald, Ohio State	Bear Alexander, Oregon	A'Mauri Washington, Oregon
Linebacker	Aiden Fisher, Indiana	Rolijah Hardy, Indiana	Mac Uihlein, Northwestern
Linebacker	Arvell Reese, Ohio State	Jimmy Rolder, Michigan	Mani Powell, Purdue
Linebacker	Sonny Styles, Ohio State	Bryce Boettcher, Oregon	Mason Posa, Wisconsin
Defensive Back	Louis Moore, Indiana	Zach Lutmer, Iowa	TJ Hall, Iowa
Defensive Back	D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana	Jalen Huskey, Maryland	Xavier Nwankpa, Iowa
Defensive Back	Caleb Downs, Ohio State	Robert Fitzgerald, Northwestern	Zeke Berry, Michigan
Defensive Back	Dillon Thieneman, Oregon	Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State	Koi Perich, Minnesota
Defensive Back	Bishop Fitzgerald, USC	Brandon Finney Jr., Oregon	Jermaine Mathews, Ohio State

DEFENSE HONORABLE MENTION
ILLINOIS: Dylan Rosiek, James Thompson Jr., Matthew Bailey, Miles Scott, Tomiwa Durojaiye, Torrie Cox Jr.; INDIANA: Amare Ferrell, Isaiah Jones, Mikail Kamara, Stephen Daley; IOWA: Karson Sharar, Koen Entringer, Max Llewellyn; MARYLAND: Cam Rice, Daniel Wingate, Dontay Joyner, Jamare Glasker, La'khi Roland; MICHIGAN: Brandyn Hillman, Ernest Hausmann, Jaishawn Barham, Jyaire Hill, TJ Metcalf; MICHIGAN STATE: Jordan Hall; MINNESOTA: Deven Eastern, Kerry Brown, Maverick Baranowski; NEBRASKA: Andrew Marshall, Ceyair Wright, Dasan McCullough, DeShon Singleton, Javin Wright; NORTHWESTERN: Josh Fussell, Michael Kilbane; OHIO STATE: Jaylen McClain, Kenyatta Jackson, Lorenzo Styles, Tywone Malone; OREGON: Jadon Canady, Matayo Uiagalalei; PENN STATE: A.J. Harris, Amare Campbell, King Mack, Zakee Wheatley, Zane Durant; PURDUE: Charles Correa, Tahj Ra-El; RUTGERS: Bo Mascoe, Jett Elad; UCLA: Andre Jordan Jr., Gary Smith III, JonJon Vaughns; USC: Anthony Lucas, Devan Thompkins, Eric Gentry, Kamari Ramsey; WASHINGTON: Alex McLaughlin; WISCONSIN: Christian Alliegro, Ricardo Hallman.

SPECIAL TEAMS	FIRST TEAM	SECOND TEAM	THIRD TEAM
Kicker	Sean O'Haire, Maryland	Nico Radicic, Indiana	Ryon Sayeri, USC
Punter*	Ryan Eckley, Michigan State	Bryce McFerson, Maryland	Gabriel Nwosu, Penn State
		Jack McCallister, Purdue
Return Specialist	Kaden Wetjen, Iowa	Jonathan Brady, Indiana	Kenneth Williams, Nebraska
Long Snapper	Mark Langston, Indiana	Luke Basso, Oregon	John Ferlmann, Ohio State

SPECIAL TEAMS HONORABLE MENTION
ILLINOIS: Hank Beatty; IOWA: Drew Stevens; MICHIGAN: Dominic Zvada; MINNESOTA: Tom Weston; NEBRASKA: Jacory Barney Jr.; NORTHWESTERN: Jack Olsen, Luke Akers; OHIO STATE: Brandon Inniss, Jayden Fielding; OREGON: Atticus Sappington; PENN STATE: Nicholas Singleton, Ryan Barker; PURDUE: Spencer Porath; RUTGERS: Jai Patel; UCLA: Will Karoll; WASHINGTON: Denzel Boston; WISCONSIN: Vinny Anthony.
*Additional honorees due to ties

2025 All-Big Ten Football Team
As selected by conference media

OFFENSE	FIRST TEAM	SECOND TEAM	THIRD TEAM
Quarterback	Fernando Mendoza, Indiana	Julian Sayin, Ohio State	Dante Moore, Oregon
Running Back	Emmett Johnson, Nebraska	Jordan Marshall, Michigan	Roman Hemby, Indiana
Running Back	Kaytron Allen, Penn State	Antwan Raymond, Rutgers	Bo Jackson, Ohio State
Receiver	Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State	Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana	Hank Beatty, Illinois
Receiver	Carnell Tate, Ohio State	Elijah Sarratt, Indiana	Ja'Kobi Lane, USC
Receiver	Makai Lemon, USC	KJ Duff, Rutgers	Denzel Boston, Washington
Center	Logan Jones, Iowa	Pat Coogan, Indiana	Carson Hinzman, Ohio State
Guard	Emmanuel Pregnon, Oregon	Beau Stephens, Iowa	Kade Pieper, Iowa
Guard	Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State	Luke Montgomery, Ohio State	Tegra Tshabola, Ohio State
Tackle	Carter Smith, Indiana	J.C. Davis, Illinois	Phillip Daniels, Ohio State
Tackle	Gennings Dunker, Iowa	Isaiah World, Oregon	Austin Siereveld, Ohio State
Tight End	Max Klare, Ohio State	Riley Nowakoswki, Indiana	Jack Velling, Michigan State
Tight End	Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon	Lake McRee, USC	Lance Mason, Wisconsin

OFFENSE HONORABLE MENTION
ILLINOIS: Josh Gesky; IOWA: Hayden Large, Jacob Gill, Kamari Moulton, Trevor Lauck; MARYLAND: Alan Herron, Dorian Fleming; MICHIGAN: Andrew Marsh, Andrew Sprague, Gio El-Hadi, Greg Crippen, Jake Guarnera, Justice Haynes, Marlin Klein, Max Bredeson; MICHIGAN STATE: Matt Gulbin, Nick Marsh, Omari Kelly; MINNESOTA: Greg Johnson, Jameson Geers; NEBRASKA: Luke Lindenmeyer, Rocco Spindler; NORTHWESTERN: Caleb Komolafe, Caleb Tiernan, Evan Beernsten, Griffin Wilde, Hunter Welcing; OHIO STATE: Will Kacmarek; OREGON: Alex Harkey, Dakorien Moore, Dave Iuli, Iapani Laloulu, Jamari Johnson, Malik Benson, Noah Whittington; PENN STATE: Drew Shelton, Khalil Dinkins, Nicholas Singleton, Nick Dawkins; RUTGERS: Ian Strong, Kwabena Asamoah; UCLA: Garrett DiGiorgio; USC: Alani Noa, Jayden Maiava, Justin Tauanuu, King Miller, Tobias Raymond; WASHINGTON: Carver Willis, John Mills, Jonah Coleman; WISCONSIN: Joe Brunner.

DEFENSE	FIRST TEAM	SECOND TEAM	THIRD TEAM
Edge	Gabe Jacas, Illinois	Derrick Moore, Michigan	Teitum Tuioti, Oregon
Edge	Caden Curry, Ohio State	Anthony Smith, Minnesota	Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
Interior	Tyrique Tucker, Indiana	Aaron Graves, Iowa	Rayshaun Benny, Michigan
Interior	Kayden McDonald, Ohio State	Bear Alexander, Oregon	A'Mauri Washington, Oregon
Linebacker	Aiden Fisher, Indiana	Rolijah Hardy, Indiana	Isaiah Jones, Indiana
Linebacker	Arvell Reese, Ohio State	Jimmy Rolder, Michigan	Ernest Hausmann, Michigan
Linebacker	Sonny Styles, Ohio State	Bryce Boettcher, Oregon	Mac Uihlein, Northwestern
Linebacker*			Amare Campbell, Penn State
Defensive Back	D'Angelo Ponds, Indiana	Amare Ferrell, Indiana	TJ Hall, Iowa
Defensive Back	Caleb Downs, Ohio State	Louis Moore, Indiana	Zach Lutmer, Iowa
Defensive Back	Davison Igbinosun, Ohio State	Jalen Huskey, Maryland	Robert Fitzgerald, Northwestern
Defensive Back	Dillon Thieneman, Oregon	Zeke Berry, Michigan	Jaylen McClain, Ohio State
Defensive Back	Bishop Fitzgerald, USC	Koi Perich, Minnesota	Brandon Finney Jr., Oregon

DEFENSE HONORABLE MENTION
ILLINOIS: Dylan Rosiek, James Thompson Jr., Juice Clarke, Matthew Bailey, Miles Scott, Tomiwa Durojaiye; INDIANA: Mikail Kamara, Stephen Daley; IOWA: Deshaun Lee, Jonah Pace, Karson Sharar, Max Llewellyn, Xavier Nwankpa; MARYLAND: Cam Rice, Daniel Wingate, Dontay Joyner, Jamare Glasker, Sidney Stewart, Zahir Mathis; MICHIGAN: Brandyn Hillman, Jaishawn Barham, Jyaire Hill, Trey Pierce; MICHIGAN STATE: Jordan Hall, Wayne Matthews; MINNESOTA: Kerry Brown, Maverick Baranowski; NEBRASKA: Andrew Marshall, Ceyair Wright, DeShon Singleton, Javin Wright; NORTHWESTERN: Anto Saka, Braden Turner, Carmine Bastone, Josh Fussell, Michael Kilbane; OHIO STATE: Eddrick Houston, Jermaine Mathews, Kenyatta Jackson, Lorenzo Styles, Payton Pierce, Tywone Malone; OREGON: Aaron Flowers, Jadon Canady, Matayo Uiagalalei; PENN STATE: A.J. Harris, Amare Campbell, Audavion Collins, King Mack, Zakee Wheatley, Zane Durant; PURDUE: Charles Correa, Mani Powell, Tahj Ra-El; RUTGERS: Bo Mascoe, Dariel Djabome; UCLA: Andre Jordan Jr., JonJon Vaughns, Rodrick Pleasant; USC: Devan Thompkins, Eric Gentry, Kamari Ramsey; WASHINGTON: Alex McLaughlin, Ephesians Prysock, Tacario Davis; WISCONSIN: Christian Alliegro, Darryl Peterson, Mason Posa, Mason Reiger, Ricardo Hallman.

SPECIAL TEAMS	FIRST TEAM	SECOND TEAM	THIRD TEAM
Kicker	Nico Radicic, Indiana	Sean O'Haire, Maryland	Drew Stevens, Iowa
Punter*	Ryan Eckley, Michigan State	Bryce McFerson, Maryland	Tom Weston, Minnesota
			Jack McCallister, Purdue
Return Specialist*	Kaden Wetjen, Iowa	Kenneth Williams, Nebraska	Jacory Barney Jr., Nebraska
			Jonathan Brady, Indiana
Long Snapper	Mark Langston, Indiana	John Ferlmann, Ohio State	Greg Tarr, Michigan

SPECIAL TEAMS HONORABLE MENTION
ILLINOIS: Hank Beatty, Lane Hansen, David Olano; IOWA: Rhys Dakin; MARYLAND: Ethan Gough; MINNESOTA: Alan Soukup; NORTHWESTERN: Luke Akers, Jack Olsen; OHIO STATE: Brandon Inniss; OREGON: Gary Bryant Jr., Luke Basso, Atticus Sappington; PENN STATE: Ryan Barker, Gabriel Nwosu, Nicholas Singleton, Tyler Duzansky; PURDUE: Luke Raab, Michael Jackson III, Spencer Porath; RUTGERS: Jakob Anderson; UCLA: Salem Abdul-Wahab, Mateen Bhaghani; USC: Hank Pepper, Ryon Sayeri; WASHINGTON: Denzel Boston; WISCONSIN: Vinny Anthony.
*Additional honorees due to ties

2025 Big Ten Individual Award Winners

Dungy-Thompson Humanitarian Award: Will Shields, Nebraska
Named for Minnesota’s Tony Dungy and Indiana’s Anthony Thompson
Ford-Kinnick Leadership Award: Jack Campbell, Iowa
Named for Michigan’s Gerald Ford and Iowa’s Nile Kinnick
Graham-George Offensive Player of the Year: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Named for Northwestern’s Otto Graham and Ohio State’s Eddie George
Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year: Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Named for Minnesota’s Bronko Nagurski and Michigan’s Charles Woodson
Thompson-Randle El Freshman of the Year: Julian Sayin, Ohio State
Named for Minnesota’s Darrell Thompson and Indiana’s Antwaan Randle El
Hayes-Schembechler Coach of the Year (coaches vote): Curt Cignetti, Indiana
Named for Ohio State’s Woody Hayes and Michigan’s Bo Schembechler
Dave McClain Coach of the Year (media vote): Curt Cignetti, Indiana
Named for Wisconsin’s Dave McClain
Griese-Brees Quarterback of the Year: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
Named for Purdue’s Bob Griese and Drew Brees
Richter-Howard Receiver of the Year: Jeremiah Smith, Ohio State
Named for Wisconsin’s Pat Richter and Michigan’s Desmond Howard
Ameche-Dayne Running Back of the Year: Emmett Johnson, Nebraska
Named for Wisconsin’s Alan Ameche and Ron Dayne
Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year: Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
Named for Penn State’s Ted Kwalick and Iowa’s Dallas Clark
Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year: Carter Smith, Indiana
Named for Nebraska’s Dave Rimington and Ohio State’s Orlando Pace
Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year: Kayden McDonald, Ohio State
Named for Michigan State’s Bubba Smith and Penn State’s Courtney Brown
Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year: Arvell Reese, Ohio State
Named for Illinois’ Dick Butkus and Northwestern’s Pat Fitzgerald
Tatum-Woodson Defensive Back of the Year: Caleb Downs, Ohio State
Named for Ohio State’s Jack Tatum and Purdue’s Rod Woodson
Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year: Nico Radicic, Indiana
Named for Wisconsin’s Jim Bakken and Michigan State’s Morten Andersen
Eddleman-Fields Punter of the Year: Ryan Eckley, Michigan State
Named for Illinois’ Dike Eddleman and Michigan State’s Brandon Fields
Rodgers-Dwight Return Specialist of the Year: Kaden Wetjen, Iowa
Named for Nebraska’s Johnny Rodgers and Iowa’s Tim Dwight

2025 Sportsmanship Honorees
Miles Scott, Illinois
James Bomba, Indiana
Mark Gronowski, Iowa
Ethan Gough, Maryland
Cole Sullivan, Michigan
Jordan Hall, Michigan State
Derik LeCaptain, Minnesota
Heinrich Haarberg, Nebraska
Cam Porter, Northwestern
Sonny Styles, Ohio State
Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
Zuriah Fisher, Penn State
Devin Mockobee, Purdue
Gus Zilinskas, Rutgers
Hudson Habermehl, UCLA
Tobias Raymond, USC
Jonah Coleman, Washington
Darryl Peterson, Wisconsin

Big Ten Conference Statement on Anticipated SCORE Act Vote

Unknown — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Big Ten Conference Statement on Anticipated SCORE Act Vote:

As the House prepares to vote on the SCORE Act, the Big Ten remains steadfast in its support of this landmark legislation. The SCORE Act enshrines important student-athlete protections into federal law, fortifies the educational mission of college sports, makes it possible for everyone to play by the same rules, and protects the ongoing funding structure for women's and Olympic sports, a Big Ten priority. Countless stakeholders have come together from a wide range of perspectives, sports, conferences, and institutions to make the SCORE Act a reality and we look forward to its passage in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Your 2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game Preview

Unknown — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

The scene is set in Indianapolis for the 2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game. On one side stands No. 1 Ohio State, the perennial powerhouse, a program accustomed to the brightest lights and biggest stages, now looking to reclaim its throne. On the other, No. 2 Indiana, the ultimate turnaround tale, storms into Indianapolis with a perfect 12-0 record for the first time in school history.

This isn't just a game; it's history in the making. Here, we'll dive deep into the stats, the epic quarterback duel, exclusive locker room insights from the coaches and players, and the key matchups that will define the Indiana vs. Ohio State showdown.

(Oh – and you can win tickets to next year's game by playing Big Ten Championship Bingo)!

More Than Just Hardware

The stakes for this game are immense, and the opponents have created unprecedented territory for the conference. Never before have two undefeated teams – or the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country – met in the Big Ten Football Championship Game.

The winner not only captures the conference crown, but likely secures the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff and the path of least resistance to the national championship. The loser, while certain to still clinch a CFP berth, will have to grapple with the sting of a championship loss. Pride, momentum, and legacy are all on the line.

The game also represents a collision of program trajectories. Ohio State is a blue-blood program chasing its 40th Big Ten title and its first since a dominant four-year run from 2017 to 2020. For Indiana, this is a chance to capture its first outright conference title since 1945 (its 1967 championship was shared with Purdue and Minnesota), making Saturday's game a moment that could redefine the program for years to come.

Immovable Object vs. Unstoppable Force

Both teams have steamrolled their opponents this season, building their undefeated records on foundations of sheer dominance. The tale of the tape for Saturday? The Buckeye defense vs. the Hoosier offense.

Ohio State boasts the nation's top scoring defense, allowing a paltry 7.75 points per game. Their total defense is also ranked first, giving up just 203 yards per contest. They play a suffocating, mistake-free brand of football that has stifled every opponent they have faced.

Indiana counters with the No. 2 scoring offense in the country, averaging an explosive 44.3 points per game. But don't mistake them for a one-dimensional team. The Hoosiers also rank fourth nationally in total defense (251.8 yards per game), proving they can win on both sides of the ball.

We're specifically excited to see how OSU's defense handles Indiana's passing game, and vice versa. Fernando Mendoza leads the country in passing touchdowns (32), while Ohio State allows the fewest passing yards per game nationally (121.3). We highlight some key position matchups below.

Potential pivot points?

The turnover battle will be critical. Indiana’s defense is opportunistic, leading the the nation in turnover margin (+17) while OSU sits at just +5. That said, both squads take care of the ball on offense; they’re in the top four nationally with eight or fewer lost possessions. Can the Hoosiers force their agenda?
Who can get to the quarterback? With how impressive both QBs have been this season (we'll get to them in a moment), making them uncomfortable will be huge for both defensive lines and secondaries.

Will the prowess on both sides show under the lights? We'll find out on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

Quarterback Duel between Heisman Hopefuls

At the heart of this championship clash is a battle between two of the nation's elite (and arguably, the two best) quarterbacks: Ohio State’s Julian Sayin and Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza.

Julian Sayin, just a redshirt freshman, has been a model of efficiency and precision. He shattered the NCAA record for regular-season completion percentage, connecting on an astounding 78.9% of his passes for 3,065 yards, 30 touchdowns, and only five interceptions. After the win against Michigan, Ohio State coach Ryan Day said Sayin is “such a smart player” who "knows how to win.”

Across the field, Fernando Mendoza has authored his own legendary season, sparking the "Heismendoza" narrative. He leads the nation with 32 touchdown passes and boasts an impressive 72% completion rate. His high football IQ and quick decision-making have been the catalysts for Indiana’s historic run, as has his "outstanding leadership" according to coach Cignetti. Despite the upcoming battle, Mendoza has immense appreciation for his counterpart. "I really respect Julian," Mendoza said. "His completion percentage is out of this world."

This matchup frames a classic quarterback duel: Sayin’s surgical precision and efficiency against Mendoza’s anticipatory, cerebral approach. Both of these quarterbacks have shown poise in big moments – whoever can maintain it on the championship stage will likely lead his team to victory.

Key Matchups: Where the Game Will Be Won

Beyond the quarterbacks, several individual battles will shape the contest.

D'Angelo Ponds (IU) vs. Jeremiah Smith (OSU)

Former high school teammates will face off as Indiana’s All-American cornerback D'Angelo Ponds lines up against Ohio State’s generational sophomore talent, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. Cignetti didn't mince words when describing Smith, comparing him to NFL legend Julio Jones, saying he's "in a league of his own." This one-on-one battle will be a must-watch showcase of elite talent.

The Chess Match: Caleb Downs (OSU) vs. Fernando Mendoza (IU)

Indiana’s QB knows where his focus needs to be. "As a quarterback, your eyes are always on the safeties," Mendoza explained. He'll be locking eyes with one of the best in the country in Ohio State All-American Caleb Downs. Downs, a cerebral and versatile defender who's already named a finalist for four national awards, is prepped for the mental warfare. Downs acknowledged that Mendoza is "playing at an elite level" and said he’s “excited” for a “test for the defense.”

Trench Warfare

As is often the case in championship football, the battle at the line of scrimmage will be decisive.

Ohio State’s offensive line is coming off a physically dominant performance against Michigan, where they didn’t allow a single sack. The Buckeyes have let up just six sacks all season, which is second in the country.

Indiana's defensive front, however, is built to disrupt. Led by Stephen Daley, who's second nationally with 18 tackles for loss, and Rolijah Hardy, the team's leading tackler, the Hoosiers will look to disrupt the Buckeyes' rhythm. Perhaps this is one area Cignetti hopes to test OSU.

On the flip side, the Buckeye defense is armed with everything it needs to put pressure on Fernando Mendoza and the Hoosier offense. Between Caden Curry (top 15 nationally with 9.0 total sacks) and Caleb Downs (regarded as the best safety in the country), IU’s powerhouse offense will take on its biggest challenge yet.

Inside the Locker Room: Exclusive Insights

Ryan Day: Checking off the List

Ohio State head coach Ryan Day isn't letting the Buckeyes take their foot off the gas. Fresh off a rivalry win over Michigan , Day made it crystal clear in his press conference that the job isn't finished. "We're playing for the hardware," Day said. "We want to be the one seed [in the College Football Playoff]." For this "businesslike" squad, the trip to Lucas Oil Stadium isn't just an exhibition—it's a chance to check a massive box on their list of season goals.

Day had high praise for the upcoming opponent, acknowledging the incredible turnaround Curt Cignetti has engineered at Indiana. He noted that the Hoosiers are "well coached" and aggressive, specifically pointing out how Cignetti has successfully overhauled the roster through modern talent acquisition.

Despite the high stakes, Day feels confident in his team's maturity, noting that this year's group is "talented, tough, smart, and they care about each other."

Key insights from Day's availability include:

Title Focus: Day emphasized that winning the Big Ten is a critical step toward being the number one seed. As he put it, "We got our gold pants last week, and now we're looking to get the Big Ten Championship."
Dominant O-Line Play: Day revealed a stunning stat from The Game, noting the offensive line racked up 43 knockdowns—a number he admitted he’d "never heard of before."
Defensive Adjustments: He offered glowing praise for defensive play-caller Matt Patricia, calling his in-game problem solving "elite" and highlighting his ability to use technology on the sidelines to fix issues instantly.

Watch coach Day's full interview .

Curt Cignetti: The "No Handouts" Mindset

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti is ready for the moment. During his press conference, Cignetti addressed the challenge of facing the powerhouse Ohio State Buckeyes and the rapid turnaround of the Indiana program under his leadership. This isn't just another game for Indiana; it pits Cignetti's disciplined, process-driven philosophy against one of the nation's elite rosters.

Despite the high stakes, Cignetti emphasized a business-as-usual approach. When asked about balancing playoff preparation with the championship game, he was clear: "We're treating this like a one-game season." He acknowledged the experience gap and the hostility of the environment from last year's loss to the Buckeyes , but doubled down on his team's development and resilience.

When asked about CFP seeding, Cignetti refused to rest on his laurels, stating firmly, "I don't expect any handouts. We've earned everything up to this point, and we've got to earn it on Saturday."

The Players' Perspective

The coaches' mentality resonates throughout their locker rooms.

Fernando Mendoza attributes Indiana's success in clutch moments this season to an "unwavering belief" and a powerful sense of "brotherhood." He’s excited to compete in what he believes will be a “great quarterback matchup.” See Mendoza's interview here .
For Ohio State's Caleb Downs, the drive comes from a different place. Drawing a comparison between Ryan Day and his former coach, Nick Saban, Downs spoke of the "anxiousness" that "somebody's going to take it from you." This urgency fuels a defense that sought to “prove themselves” this season. Watch Downs' presser .

Watch more player interviews from OSU and IU here .

Who Will Claim the Crown?

The Big Ten title game is a collision of a historic powerhouse and a rising juggernaut, a battle of coaching philosophies, and a showcase of a dozen future NFL stars. Whether you are rooting for Indiana or Ohio State, this game represents the absolute pinnacle of the 2025 college football season.

Don’t miss a second of the action. Tune in to FOX at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday for the 2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game.

Play Big Ten Championship Bingo to win tickets to the 2026 title game !

Michigan State, Minnesota, Oregon and Penn State Earn Weekly Football Honors

Unknown — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Following Week 14 contests, the Big Ten Conference Football Players of the Week Presented by IFS.ai were announced Monday. Below are this week’s honorees:

Offensive Player of the Week
Kaytron Allen, Penn State
RB – Sr. – Norfolk, Va. – IMG Academy

Rushed for a career-high 226 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries in Penn State’s 40-36 win over Rutgers on Saturday
Allen’s 226 yards are PSU’s most in a game since Larry Johnson’s 279 against Michigan State in 2002
Had runs of 55, 43, and 50 yards, and became the 23^rd Big Ten player in history to reach the 4,000 career rushing yards mark on his 55-yard run in the first quarter
Scored his 39^th career rushing touchdown in the second quarter, breaking a tie for third all-time at Penn State
Last Penn State Offensive Player of the Week: Kaytron Allen (Nov. 24, 2025)

Defensive Player of the Week
John Nestor, Minnesota
DB – Jr. – Chicago, Ill. – Marist

Recorded nine tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions and one fumble recovery in Minnesota’s 17-7 win over Wisconsin
Both of Nestor’s interceptions came in the third quarter, making him the first Gopher with multiple picks in a quarter since Tyler Nubin versus Rutgers in 2022
Joins Antoine Winfield Jr. (2019) as the only Gopher since at least 2000 to have multiple games in a season with two interceptions
Last Minnesota Defensive Player of the Week honoree: Koi Perich (Oct. 14, 2024)

Co-Special Teams Players of the Week
Alante Brown, Michigan State
KR/WR – Gr. – Chicago, Ill. – Simeon

Sparked Michigan State with a 92-yard kickoff return in the third quarter to help the Spartans defeat Maryland, 38-28
It was the Spartans’ first kick return TD since R.J. Shelton against Penn State in 2014
Missed the previous nine games due to injury and had a chance to play in his final collegiate game, serving as Michigan State’s honorary team captain
Last Michigan State Special Teams Player of the Week honoree: Jonathan Kim (Oct. 21, 2024)

Atticus Sappington, Oregon
K – R-Sr.– Portland, Ore. – Central Catholic

Accounted for 14 points in Oregon’s 26-14 win over Washington by going a career-best 4-for-4 on field goals and 2-for-2 on extra points
In the third quarter, the redshirt-senior made a career long 51-yard field goal, the longest field goal by a Duck since Oct. 25, 2008 (Matt Evensen, 52 yards vs. Arizona State)
Also made field goals from 32, 37 and 46 yards throughout the game
Becomes the first Duck with four made field goals in a game since Aidan Schneider did on Oct. 29, 2016
Last Oregon Special Teams Player of the Week honoree: Atticus Sappington (Nov. 10, 2025)

Freshman of the Week
Alessio Milivojevic, Michigan State
QB – Naperville, Ill. – St. Francis

Threw a career-high four touchdowns, with a career-best 27 completions, for 27-of-39 passing for 292 yards in the Spartans’ 38-28 win over Maryland
Connected on touchdown passes of one yard, nine yards, 10 yards and 15 yards
Milivojevic found Omari Kelly in the end zone with under two minutes remaining on fourth down to seal the win for the Spartans
Last Michigan State Freshman of the Week: Nick Marsh (Oct. 21, 2024)

2025 Big Ten Football Players of the Week (presented by IFS.ai)

Sept. 1
O: Jayden Maiava, USC
O: Jonah Coleman, WASH
D: Preston Zachman, WIS
ST: Hank Beatty, ILL
F: Malik Washington, MD
Sept. 8
O: Aidan Chiles, MSU
O: Jonah Coleman, WASH
D: Jordan Hall, MSU
ST: Spencer Porath, PUR
F: Julian Sayin, OSU
Sept. 15
O: Omar Cooper Jr., IND
D: Jerry Mixon, ORE
ST: Kaden Wetjen, IOWA
F: Bryce Underwood, MICH
Sept. 22
O: Fernando Mendoza, IND
O: Demond Williams Jr., WASH
D: Daniel Wingate, MD
ST: Kaden Wetjen, IOWA
ST: Dominic Zvada, MICH
F: Malik Washington, MD
Sept. 29
O: Luke Altmyer, ILL
O: Dante Moore, ORE
D: Caden Curry, OSU
ST: David Olano, ILL
F: Drake Lindsey, MINN
Oct. 6
O: Nico Iamaleava, UCLA
D: DeShon Singleton, NEB
ST: David Olano, ILL
F: Julian Sayin, OSU
Oct. 13
O: Demond Williams Jr., WASH
D: Aiden Fisher, IND
ST: Jack Olsen, NU
F: King Miller, USC
Oct. 20
O: Julian Sayin, OSU
D: Xavier Nwankpa, IOWA
ST: Mateen Bhaghani, UCLA
F: Julian Sayin, OSU
Oct. 27
O: Justice Haynes, MICH
O: Denzel Boston, WASH
D: Jimmy Rolder, MICH
ST: Kenneth Williams, NEB
ST: Jai Patel, RU
F: Jordon Davison, ORE
Nov. 3
O: Luke Altmyer, ILL
O: Jordan Marshall, MICH
D: Arvell Reese, OSU
ST: Ryon Sayeri, USC
F: Julian Sayin, OSU
Nov. 10
O: Emmett Johnson, NEB
D: Cooper Catalano, WIS
ST: Atticus Sappington, ORE
F: TJ Lateef, NEB
F: Mason Posa, WIS
Nov. 17
O: Fernando Mendoza, IND
O: Kaytron Allen, PSU
D: Dani Dennis-Sutton, PSU
ST: Ryon Sayeri, USC
F: Andrew Marsh, MICH
Nov. 24
O: Preston Stone, NU
O: Kaytron Allen, PSU
D: Darryl Peterson, WIS
ST: Kaden Wetjen, IOWA
F: Bo Jackson, OSU
Dec. 1
O: Kaytron Allen, PSU
D: John Nestor, MINN
ST: Alante Brown, MSU
ST: Atticus Sappington, ORE
F: Alessio Milivojevic, MSU

Pat Fitzgerald Named Michigan State Head Football Coach

Michigan State Athletics — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Ohio State Earns 2025 Discover® Big Ten Football Championship Game Berth

Unknown — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

CHAMPIONSHIP GAME CENTRAL | CHAMPIONSHIP GAME CREDENTIALS

ROSEMONT, Ill. - With a 27-9 victory against Michigan on Saturday, the Ohio State Buckeyes have clinched a berth into the 2025 Discover® Big Ten Football Championship Game. Ohio State finishes the 2025 regular season 12-0 overall and 9-0 in conference play and will appear in the title game for the seventh time in program history.

The 2025 Discover® Big Ten Football Championship Game will be played on Saturday, December 6, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and will feature the top two teams in the conference standings and national rankings: No. 1 Ohio State vs. No. 2 Indiana.

The contest will be televised nationally on FOX, with Compass Media Networks providing national radio coverage. The winner will earn the Amos Alonzo Stagg Championship Trophy and an automatic berth into the College Football Playoff.

The Ohio State ticket block and general public tickets for the 2025 Discover® Big Ten Football Championship Game have been sold out, but verified resale tickets are still available on Ticketmaster.

Every 2025 Discover® Big Ten Football Championship Game ticket comes with a ticket for free admission into Big Ten Fan Fest presented by Dr Pepper at the Indiana Convention Center Friday, Dec. 5, from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m. ET and Saturday, Dec. 6, from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. ET. More than 200,000 square feet in the Indiana Convention Center will be dedicated to interactive games, entertainment, Big Ten merchandise, giveaways, food and beverages, and much more.

For more information on the Big Ten Football Championship Game, visit bigten.org/FCG .

#B1GFootball

Indiana Earns 2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game Berth

Unknown — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. - With a 56-3 victory against Purdue on Friday, the Indiana Hoosiers have clinched a berth into the 2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game for the first time in program history. Indiana finishes the 2025 regular season 12-0 overall and 9-0 in conference play and currently holds the No. 2 spot in the College Football Playoff top 25 rankings.

The 15th annual title game will be played on Saturday, December 6, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and will feature the top two teams in the standings. The contest will be televised nationally on FOX, with Compass Media Networks providing national radio coverage. The winner will earn the Amos Alonzo Stagg Championship Trophy and an automatic berth into the College Football Playoff.

The Indiana ticket block for the 2025 Big Ten Football Championship Game has been sold out, but general public tickets are still available on Ticketmaster.

For more information on the Big Ten Football Championship Game, visit bigten.org/FCG .

#B1GFootball

2025 Week 14 Football Release

Unknown — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

BIG TEN FOOTBALL RELEASE - WEEK 14 | STANDINGS | SCHEDULE | MEDIA GUIDE | WE GIVE BLOOD DRIVE

• All 18 Big Ten teams will take the field in the final week of the regular season. The slate begins with Iowa traveling to Nebraska on Black Friday at noon ET on CBS and concludes with an in-state matchup between Illinois and Northwestern on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET/6:30 p.m. CT on FOX.

• Entering the final week of play, four Big Ten teams remain in contention for berths in the 2025 Discover Big Ten Championship Game: Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State, and Oregon. The 15th annual title game will be played on Saturday, December 6, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and will be broadcast by FOX. The winner will represent the conference as the Automatic Qualifier (AQ) to the College Football Playoff. A full list of tiebreakers can be found on page 4.

• Nine of the Big Ten’s 18 teams are mentioned in this week’s AP or US LBM Coaches Polls, announced on Sunday. The AP poll includes No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Indiana, No. 5 Oregon, No. 15 Michigan, and No. 19 USC, with Washington, Iowa and Illinois receiving votes. At No. 1, Ohio State leads eight Big Ten teams in the coaches’ poll (No. 2 Indiana, No. 5 Oregon, No. 15 Michigan, and No. 20 USC); Washington, Iowa, Penn State and Illinois also received recognition.

• The Big Ten had five teams included in the College Football Playoff’s fourth rankings of the season on Nov. 25: No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Indiana, No. 6 Oregon, No. 15 Michigan and No. 17 USC. The CFP will release its next top 25 rankings on Tuesday, Dec. 2.

• The Big Ten has two of the remaining three undefeated teams in the FBS heading into the final week of regular season play: Ohio State (11-0) and Indiana (11-0). Indiana plays in-state rival Purdue on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Ohio State travels to Ann Arbor to take on rival Michigan on Saturday at noon E.T on FOX.

• The Big Ten announced its Football Players of the Week, presented by IFS.ai on Monday, with Northwestern’s Preston Stone and Penn State’s Kaytron Allen sharing Co-Offensive Players of the Week.

• Stone went a perfect 15-15 passing in the second half to overcome a 15-point deficit as the Wildcats defeated Minnesota 38-35 to reach bowl eligibility. He also had two touchdowns on the day.

• Allen recorded his second-straight offensive player of the week after recording 160 yards rushing and two touchdowns in Penn State’s 37-10 win against Nebraska. Allen eclipsed 3,954 career yards to become the all-time career rushing yards leader at Penn State, passing Evan Royster (3,932).

• Wisconsin’s Darryl Peterson won Defensive Player of the Week honors after accumulating six tackles, three sacks a forced fumble, two PBUs and two QB hurries in Wisconsin’s win against No. 21 Illinois.

• Iowa’s Kaden Wetjen claimed Special Teams Player of the Week after recording a 62-yard punt return for a touchdown in Iowa’s 20-17 win against Michigan State. This marked his third punt return touchdown, tied for the third-most in Big Ten history.

• Ohio State running back Bo Jackson garnered Freshman of the Week honors, as he recorded 110 rushing yards and two touchdowns in a 42-9 victory over Rutgers. It marked his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game.

• Ten Big Ten Football student-athletes were announced as Institution Winners for the Big Ten Jackie Robinson Award presented by Discover last week. Each winner will dawn a Jackie Robinson Award patch on their jersey, and overall winners will be announced this spring.

• Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza and Ohio State’s Julian Sayin were two of three finalists who were on the shortlist for the Maxwell Award, awarded to the college football’s player of the year. The award will be announced on December 11, 2025.

• Ohio State’s Caleb Downs was named one of three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award, given to the nation’s best defensive back. The award will be announced on December 12, 2025.

• Two Big Ten players were named finalists for the Biletnikoff Award, the award for the nation’s best wide receiver. Ohio State’s Jeremiah Smith and USC’s Makai Lemon were two of the three players on the shortlist. The award will be announced on December 12, 2025.

• Iowa’s Logan Jones was named one of three finalists for the Outland Trophy, given to the nation’s best interior lineman on offense or defense. The award will be announced on December 12, 2025.

• Ohio State’s rushing defense is second best in the nation and only allows 80 yards per game, while Michigan’s rushing offense is 10th best with 223.5 yards per game. It will be the 121st meeting between the two on Saturday, with Michigan having won four straight.

• Seven Big Ten teams rank among the top 25 nationally in Relative Scoring Offense, the statistic most closely correlated with winning over the last ten years. Indiana leads the nation and the conference (175.83%), followed by Oregon at No. 3 (173.53%), No.6 USC (161.11%), No. 11 Penn State (155.26%), No. 13 Ohio State (152.35%), No. 22 Washington (136.64%) and No. 23 Illinois (134.32%).

• Four Big Ten quarterbacks rank in top ten nationally for passing efficiency. Ohio State’s Julian Sayin (185.4) leads the nation and is followed closely by Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza in second (184.8). Oregon’s Dante Moore is sixth in the NCAA (167.8) and Washington’s Demond Williams Jr. sits seventh (165.1).

• The Big Ten paces other conferences for teams ranked within the top 25 in total defense, claiming eight. Ohio State leads the FBS with 206.6 yards per game, followed by three other teams within the top ten: Oregon (3rd, 248.7), Indiana (4th, 249.0), and Iowa (8th, 267.9).

• The Big Ten claimed back-to-back national championship titles for the first time since 1942 last season as Ohio State defeated Notre Dame, 34-23, in the 2024 College Football Playoff at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The Buckeyes brought home their sixth national championship to the Horseshoe in Columbus and first since the inaugural CFP National Championship in the 2014-15 season.

• Abbott and the Big Ten Conference are kicking off Season 2 of the We Give Blood drive. Students, fans, alumni and communities across the country are backing their favorite Big Ten schools by donating blood. Every donation can help save up to three lives - and bring your school one step closer to winning $1 million to advance student or community health. The top school will be announced at the 2025 Discover® Big Ten Football Championship Game on December 6, 2025.

Rivalry Games Determine Championship Berths

Unknown — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

Welcome to the final, crucial weekend of the Big Ten Football regular season. This isn't just another Saturday slate of games; four teams—Ohio State, Indiana, Michigan, and Oregon—are still in the hunt for a coveted spot in the Big Ten Football Championship Game, with a dizzying seven possible ways things could shake out. Oh – and it's rivalry weekend.

The stakes extend far beyond school pride. Massive College Football Playoff implications loom over every snap, especially for top-ranked teams whose perfect seasons could be defined or derailed in these final 60 minutes.

Get ready for a thrilling weekend of Big Ten football. This breakdown will guide you through the key rivalry games, untangle the championship scenarios, and analyze everything on the line.

The Path to Indianapolis: B1G Championship Scenarios

The goal is simple: punch a ticket to Indianapolis. We've got four teams still in the running for a championship game bid, and the top two will have a shot at the Big Ten title.

Clear Control

Two teams control their destiny. For Ohio State and Indiana, the formula is as clear as it gets: win, and you're in.

Ohio State (vs. Michigan)
Indiana (vs. Purdue)

If both teams take care of business, they will face each other for the Big Ten crown.

Tiebreaker Scenarios

This is where it gets interesting. If either Ohio State or Indiana stumbles, the door swings wide open for Michigan and Oregon.

A loss by one of the frontrunners triggers a cascade of tiebreaker scenarios, including a web of head-to-head results and strength of schedule calculations that will ultimately determine the final conference standings.

How can Michigan or Oregon make the Big Ten Championship Game? Defeating Ohio State and Washington (respectively) is the first step. The tiebreakers determine the rest. See all the championship game scenarios here .

Rivalry Game Spotlight: The Road to the Title

The path to the championship runs straight through some of the fiercest and most storied rivalries in college sports.

The Game: Ohio State at Michigan

This is the pinnacle of Big Ten Football rivalries and, arguably, the greatest in all of college sports. The animosity is legendary, stretching back to the "10-Year War" between coaching icons Woody Hayes and Bo Schembechler. In 26 of their matchups, both teams have entered ranked in the top 10, a testament to the perpetual high stakes.

For Ohio State (8-0 B1G), a victory not only clinches a spot in Indianapolis, but also preserves its perfect season and potentially its top standing in the College Football Playoff rankings. Not to mention breaking a four-game losing streak to the Wolverines. Everything the defending CFP Champions have worked for is on the line.

For Michigan (7-1 B1G), who won last year's game at OSU, this is the ultimate opportunity. An upset would be a massive spoiler, strengthen its claim to the national stage, and could catapult the Wolverines into the 2025 Discover Big Ten Football Championship Game. There is no bigger stage for a season-defining moment. Plus, they'll have the home field advantage.

While Ohio State and its top-ranked defense (7.64 points allowed per game) are certainly the favorites here, Michigan currently leads the league with 32 rushing touchdowns. According to QB Bryce Underwood, the Wolverines may be "peaking at the perfect time."

We'll see who claims "The Game" on Saturday at 12 p.m. ET on FOX.

Old Oaken Bucket: Indiana at Purdue

The stakes have rarely been higher in this classic in-state clash. Indiana (8-0 B1G) is on the brink of history. With a win (or an Ohio State win over Michigan), the Hoosiers will secure their first-ever appearance in the Big Ten Football Championship Game. It’s a monumental opportunity for a program seeking to reach the conference's – and the nation's – summit.

Standing in their way is Purdue, who's embracing the ultimate spoiler role. For the Boilermakers, nothing would be sweeter than shattering their rival's dream season, redeeming their 66-0 loss in Bloomington last year, and getting their first conference W of 2025. This is one of the oldest Big Ten Football rivalries, and this season, it has championship weight.

We'll see if QB Fernando Mendoza, who leads the NCAA with 30 passing touchdowns, can close it out for the Hoosiers. See for yourself on Friday at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.

The New Frontier: Oregon at Washington

A fierce rivalry forged in the Pac-12 now has massive Big Ten Championship implications. The intense border battle between Oregon (7-1 B1G) and Washington (5-3) has become one of the West Coast’s premier events.

For the Ducks, the defending Big Ten Champions, a win is non-negotiable to keep their title defense alive. They need a victory over the Huskies and a Michigan win over Ohio State.

For the Huskies, who have won three of the last four meetings with Oregon, this is a chance to end the conference season and enter their bowl game on a high note. Ending Oregon's championship aspirations would be a major victory for a proud Washington program.

This is familiar territory for Oregon. The Ducks are coming hot off a 42-27 victory over USC, which was dubbed a "College Football Playoff elimination game" for both teams. Will the Dante Moore-Kenyon Sadiq combo reign again? Find out Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on CBS.

More Than Bragging Rights: Other Key Rivalries

The intensity isn't limited to the title contenders. The entire Big Ten Football schedule is packed with historic clashes where pride is actually everything.

USC vs. UCLA: LA's battle for the Victory Bell brings its West Coast flair and deep-seated animosity.
Wisconsin vs. Minnesota: The most-played rivalry in FBS history, these teams battle for the legendary Paul Bunyan's Axe.
Iowa vs. Nebraska: What started as a manufactured Black Friday game has blossomed into the heated Heroes Trophy rivalry.
Illinois vs. Northwestern: The Land of Lincoln Trophy is on the line in this all-Illinois showdown.

The National Picture: College Football Playoff Ramifications

The Big Ten results this weekend will be felt across the national landscape, directly impacting the College Football Playoff:

A loss for undefeated Ohio State or Indiana would throw the top of the CFP rankings into chaos, potentially knocking one of the nation's premier teams out of a top spot and opening the door for other contenders.
Wins for the Buckeyes and Hoosiers could solidify their spots as the nation's top two teams and their first-round byes in the CFP.
With an upset over OSU, Michigan might have a strong enough national resume for an at-large CFP bid.
Oregon, who's already in a strong position for a spot in the playoffs, could secure home field advantage with a win in Seattle.

Furthermore, a surprise winner in the Big Ten Football Championship Game would force some tough decisions for the selection committee, possibly changing an automatic bid or forcing close calls between multiple one-loss teams.

For fans analyzing potential College Football Playoff teams, this weekend is a critical piece of the puzzle. The Big Ten Champion will be a major player, but who that champion will be is still very much up in the air.

Get Ready for the Big Ten Football Finale

Rivalry weekend is a pressure cooker of historic tensions, championship dreams, and national title aspirations. It’s the culmination of a grueling season. By the time the dust settles Saturday night, the Big Ten Football Championship Game matchup will be set, and the CFP selection committee will start to narrow down its choices.

Think this year's game will crack the 7 Best Big Ten Football Championship Games of All Time ?

Want more special features like this? Click here .

Big Ten Announces Humanitarian and Leadership Awards

Unknown — Tue, 25 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Nebraska’s Will Shields was selected as this year’s recipient of the Big Ten’s Dungy-Thompson Humanitarian Award, while Iowa’s Jack Campbell received the Ford-Kinnick Leadership Award, the conference announced on Tuesday. These awards recognize Big Ten football student-athletes who have achieved success in the areas of humanitarianism and leadership following their academic and athletic careers at a Big Ten university.

Shields was an offensive lineman for Nebraska from 1989-92, leading the Huskers to consecutive conference titles in 1991 and 1992. A member of both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame, Shields was a 1991 All-American selection, a three-time First-Team All-Conference selection from 1990-92 and was named the 1992 Outland Trophy winner. Shields went on to spend 14 years with the Kansas City Chiefs, a career that included seven All-Pro selections. His efforts off the field earned him the 2003 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year award.

Shields and his wife, Senia, are the founders of the Will to Success Foundation, which facilitates programs and provides assistance and resources to individuals, families and other charitable organizations who have little to no access to other aid. The Foundation has helped over 100,000 individuals and has raised millions of dollars since its inception in 1993. The Shields’ take particular interest in mentoring the women and children who benefit most from their contributions.

Campbell was a linebacker for the Hawkeyes from 2019-22, leading Iowa to a Big Ten West Division Championship in 2021 and two bowl victories, including the 2019 Holiday Bowl and the 2022 Music City Bowl. A consensus All-American, two-time All-Big Ten selection and the Butkus Award winner as the top linebacker in the nation, Campbell finished his Hawkeye career with 305 tackles before being selected by the Detroit Lions in the 2023 NFL Draft. Campbell was the recipient of the 2022 William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes the nation’s top scholar-athlete.

Campbell has worked diligently in the Detroit community, participating in various community initiatives, including the Salute to Service Care Package Event, the Rookie Readiness Enrichment Program and the Adaptive Warrior Home Remodel project in partnership with the Stronger Warrior Foundation.

Campbell also spent time with Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (T.A.P.S) families during the Lions’ practice facility visits in 2023 and 2024, honoring the organization through his My Cause My Cleats campaign in 2024. T.A.P.S. offers care and resources to those who are grieving the loss of a military loved one.

At Iowa, Campbell volunteered at the Stead Family Children’s Hospital, the Football Legacy Weekend Kids Camp, the Community Crisis Services Food Bank and the Iowa Football Blood Drive, accumulating over 70 hours of community service as a Hawkeye.

The Dungy-Thompson Humanitarian and Ford-Kinnick Leadership Awards are part of the Big Ten’s annual awards program. The Dungy-Thompson Humanitarian Award is named for Minnesota’s Tony Dungy and Indiana’s Anthony Thompson. The Ford-Kinnick Leadership Award is named for Michigan’s Gerald Ford and Iowa’s Nile Kinnick. For more information on these awards, including biographical information on the namesakes, visit bigten.org.

Dungy-Thompson Humanitarian Award Recipients:

2011: George Taliaferro, IND

2012: Chris Spielman, OSU

2013: Drew Brees, PUR

2014: Brian Griese, MICH

2015: John Shinsky, MSU

2016: Trent Green, IND

2017: Chad Greenway, IOWA

2018: Jake Wood, WIS

2019: J.J. Watt, WIS

2020: Vincent Smith, MICH

2021: Malcolm Jenkins, OSU

2022: Nate Sudfeld, IND

2023: Dick Butkus, ILL

2024: Madieu Williams, MD

2025: Will Shields, NEB

Ford-Kinnick Leadership Award Recipients:

2011: Archie Griffin, OSU

2012: Jon Runyan, MICH

2013: Gene Washington, MSU

2014: Mike Hopkins, ILL

2015: Brian Griese, MICH

2016: Reggie McKenzie, MICH

2017: Troy Vincent, WIS

2018: Antwaan Randle El, IND

2019: Doug Schlereth, IND

2020: Napoleon Harris, NU

2021: Pat Richter, WIS

2022: Ron Guenther, ILL

2023: Richard Coachys, IND

2024: Russell Wilson, WIS

2025: Jack Campbell, IOWA

Iowa, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin Earn Weekly Football Honors

Unknown — Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Following Week 13 contests, the Big Ten Conference Football Players of the Week Presented by IFS.ai were announced Monday. Below are this week’s honorees:

Co-Offensive Players of the Week

Preston Stone, Northwestern

QB – Gr. – Dallas, Texas – Parish Episcopal

Went 15-for-15 passing in the second half to overcome a 15-point deficit and 25-of-30 overall for 305 yards and two touchdowns as the Wildcats defeated Minnesota 38-35 to reach bowl eligibility
Completed 83.3% of his passes, which is tied for the best single-game completion percentage in school history (min. 30 attempts), equaling Mike Kafka (35-42) against Syracuse in 2009
He is the only Big Ten quarterback to complete at least 15 passes in the second half of a game without an incompletion since at least 2015
Set a season-high throwing for 305 yards, becoming the first NU quarterback with at least 30 passing attempts, 300 passing yards, an 80% completion rate and no interceptions since Brett Basanez on Nov. 11, 2005, against Illinois
Last Northwestern Offensive Player of the Week: Bryce Kirtz (Sept. 25, 2023)

Kaytron Allen, Penn State

RB – Sr. – Norfolk, Va. – IMG Academy

Recorded 25 carries for 160 yards and two touchdowns in Penn State’s 37-10 win against Nebraska
Finished the game with 160 yards and 3,954 career yards to become the all-time career rushing yards leader at Penn State, passing Evan Royster (3,932; 2007-10)
Allen is now 46 yards away from becoming the 23rd Big Ten player, since 1956, to reach 4,000 career rushing yards
Scored on a three-yard rushing touchdown in the third quarter and added a 13-yard touchdown rush in the fourth quarter
With 38 career rushing touchdowns, Allen is tied with Lydell Mitchell (38; 1969-71) for third all-time at Penn State
Last Penn State Offensive Player of the Week: Kaytron Allen (Nov. 17, 2025)

Defensive Player of the Week

Darryl Peterson, Wisconsin

OL – Gr. – Akron, Ohio – Archbishop Hoban

Recorded six tackles, three sacks, a forced fumble, two PBUs and two QB hurries in Wisconsin’s win against No. 21 Illinois
Peterson’s three-sack performance was the first for a Badger player since Nick Herbig in 2021 and he’s the first to notch three sacks and a forced fumble
He’s the first FBS player since 2023 (Andrew Chatfield, UCLA) to post 3+ sacks, 2+ PBUs and force a fumble
Now has 5.5 sacks over the last two games, which is the most of any FBS player
Last Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Week honoree: Cooper Catalano (Nov. 10, 2025)

Special Teams Player of the Week

Kaden Wetjen, Iowa

KR/WR – Gr. – Williamsburg, Iowa – Williamsburg

Recorded a 62-yard punt return for a touchdown in Iowa's 20-17 win against Michigan State, his third punt return touchdown this season
His three punt return touchdowns are tied for the third-most in Big Ten history and it is his sixth career return touchdown, the most in Iowa history
Finished the game with 165 combined return yards, his sixth career game with 100+ yards, including a 40-yard return to set up Iowa's game-tying touchdown
Wetjen is the first player in Big Ten history with three punt return touchdowns and a kick return touchdown in a single season
Last Iowa Special Teams Player of the Week honoree: Kaden Wetjen (Sept. 15, 2025)

Freshman of the Week

Bo Jackson, Ohio State

RB – Cleveland, Ohio – Villa Angela-St. Joseph

Rushed for 110 yards and scored two touchdowns to lead a 254-yard, four-touchdown ground assault by the Buckeyes in their 42-9 victory over Rutgers
Had a career-high 19 carries and scored from 15 and 10 yards out
Marked his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game, third in his last four games and fifth on the season
Last Ohio State Freshman of the Week: Julian Sayin (Nov. 3, 2025)

2025 Big Ten Football Players of the Week (presented by IFS.ai)

Sept. 1

O: Jayden Maiava, USC

O: Jonah Coleman, WASH

D: Preston Zachman, WIS

ST: Hank Beatty, ILL

F: Malik Washington, MD

Sept. 8

O: Aidan Chiles, MSU

O: Jonah Coleman, WASH

D: Jordan Hall, MSU

ST: Spencer Porath, PUR

F: Julian Sayin, OSU

Sept. 15

O: Omar Cooper Jr., IND

D: Jerry Mixon, ORE

ST: Kaden Wetjen, IOWA

F: Bryce Underwood, MICH

Sept. 22

O: Fernando Mendoza, IND

O: Demond Williams Jr., WASH

D: Daniel Wingate, MD

ST: Kaden Wetjen, IOWA

ST: Dominic Zvada, MICH

F: Malik Washington, MD

Sept. 29

O: Luke Altmyer, ILL

O: Dante Moore, ORE

D: Caden Curry, OSU

ST: David Olano, ILL

F: Drake Lindsey, MINN

Oct. 6

O: Nico Iamaleava, UCLA

D: DeShon Singleton, NEB

ST: David Olano, ILL

F: Julian Sayin, OSU

Oct. 13

O: Demond Williams Jr., WASH

D: Aiden Fisher, IND

ST: Jack Olsen, NU

F: King Miller, USC

Oct. 20

O: Julian Sayin, OSU

D: Xavier Nwankpa, IOWA

ST: Mateen Bhaghani, UCLA

F: Julian Sayin, OSU

Oct. 27

O: Justice Haynes, MICH

O: Denzel Boston, WASH

D: Jimmy Rolder, MICH

ST: Kenneth Williams, NEB

ST: Jai Patel, RU

F: Jordon Davison, ORE

Nov. 3

O: Luke Altmyer, ILL

O: Jordan Marshall, MICH

D: Arvell Reese, OSU

ST: Ryon Sayeri, USC

F: Julian Sayin, OSU

Nov. 10

O: Emmett Johnson, NEB

D: Cooper Catalano, WIS

ST: Atticus Sappington, ORE

F: TJ Lateef, NEB

F: Mason Posa, WIS

Nov. 17

O: Fernando Mendoza, IND

O: Kaytron Allen, PSU

D: Dani Dennis-Sutton, PSU

ST: Ryon Sayeri, USC

F: Andrew Marsh, MICH

Nov. 24

O: Preston Stone, NU

O: Kaytron Allen, PSU

D: Darryl Peterson, WIS

ST: Kaden Wetjen, IOWA

F: Bo Jackson, OSU

2025 Discover® Big Ten Football Championship Game Tiebreakers

Unknown — Sun, 23 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMT

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Entering the final week of the regular season, four different teams have the opportunity to clinch a berth in the 2025 Discover® Big Ten Football Championship Game: Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State and Oregon. The full list of clinch scenarios can be found below.

Potential 2025 Discover® Big Ten Football Championship Game Matchups

*Seeding will be determined on Nov. 29

Scenario #1 – Ohio State (9-0) vs. Indiana (9-0)

Scenario #2 – Indiana (9-0) vs. Oregon (8-1)

Scenario #3 – Indiana (9-0) vs. Michigan (8-1)

Scenario #4 – Ohio State (9-0) vs. Indiana (8-1)

Scenario #5 – Oregon (8-1) vs. Michigan (8-1)

Scenario #6 – Michigan (8-1) vs. Ohio State (8-1)

Scenario #7 – Ohio State (9-0) vs. Indiana (8-1)

*************************

Scenario #1 – Ohio State (9-0) vs. Indiana (9-0)

Indiana def. Purdue

Ohio State def. Michigan

Ohio State and Indiana clinch berths

Scenario #2 – Indiana (9-0) vs. Oregon (8-1)

Indiana def. Purdue

Michigan def. Ohio State

Oregon def. Washington

IND 9-0

MICH 8-1

OSU 8-1

ORE 8-1

Tiebreaker Step #1 No head-to-head among 3 tied teams

Tiebreaker Step #2 2-0 vs. common opponents (WASH and WIS)

Tiebreaker Step #3 N/A

Tiebreaker Step #4 Oregon confirmed to have best overall record of conference opponents

among tied teams and clinches berth

Scenario #3 – Indiana (9-0) vs. Michigan (8-1)

Indiana def. Purdue

Michigan def. Ohio State

Washington def. Oregon

IND 9-0

OSU 8-1

MICH 8-1

ORE 7-2

Tiebreaker Step #1 Michigan def. Ohio State head-to-head; Michigan clinches berth

Scenario #4 – Ohio State (9-0) vs. Indiana (8-1)

Ohio State def. Michigan

Purdue def. Indiana

Oregon def. Washington

OSU 9-0

IND 8-1

ORE 8-1

Tiebreaker Step #1 Indiana def. Oregon head-to-head; Indiana clinches berth

Scenario #5 – Oregon (8-1) vs. Michigan (8-1)

Purdue def. Indiana

Michigan def. Ohio State

Oregon def. Washington

IND 8-1

OSU 8-1

MICH 8-1

ORE 8-1

Tiebreaker Step #1 No head-to-head among tied teams

Tiebreaker Step #2 1-0 vs. common opponent (WIS)

Tiebreaker Step #3 N/A

Tiebreaker Step #4 Oregon confirmed to have best overall record of conference opponents

among tied teams and clinches berth

Proceed to three-way tiebreaker between OSU/MICH/IND at 8-1

Tiebreaker Step #1 No head-to-head among tied teams

Tiebreaker Step #2 OSU and MICH 2-0 vs. common opponents, IND 1-1 (PUR and WIS)

Indiana removed from tiebreaker, revert to two-way tiebreaker between OSU and MICH

Tiebreaker Step #1 Michigan def. Ohio State head-to-head; Michigan clinches berth

Scenario #6 – Michigan (8-1) vs. Ohio State (8-1)

Purdue def. Indiana

Michigan def. Ohio State

Washington def. Oregon

IND 8-1

OSU 8-1

MICH 8-1

ORE 7-2

Tiebreaker Step #1 No head-to-head among tied teams

Tiebreaker Step #2 OSU and MICH 2-0 vs. common opponents, IND 1-1 (PUR and WIS)

Indiana removed from tiebreaker; Ohio State and Michigan clinch berths

Scenario #7 – Ohio State (9-0) vs. Indiana (8-1)

Purdue def. Indiana

Ohio State def. Michigan

Washington def. Oregon

OSU 9-0

IND 8-1

MICH 7-2

ORE 7-2

Ohio State and Indiana clinch berths