Unbeaten Squads, Trophy Defenses, and National Contenders

Big Ten action is officially here, with six matches on Friday kicking off an opening weekend that marks the first step in the Big Ten title race. From the battles of the undefeated to the defending NCAA champions bouncing back, there is plenty to watch with conference play rolling in. Here are Andrew McDevitt’s top storylines. 

1. Which Teams Will Stay Undefeated? 

Six programs enter conference play without a loss, all ranked in the upper half of the top 25: No. 2 Maryland, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 5 Indiana, No. 8 Wisconsin, No. 10 Michigan State, and No. 11 UCLA. Now, come conference play, which teams will keep rolling? 

The No. 8 Badgers face immediate tests with four consecutive matches against top-10 opponents, beginning with hosting No. 3 Ohio State in Madison on Friday. Also on September 11, No. 11 UCLA faces Rutgers in Piscataway, while both No. 2 Maryland and No. 5 Indiana go on the road for matchups against Northwestern and Michigan, respectively. 

With every point crucial in securing a Big Ten Tournament bid, we’ll see which rosters keep rolling through the first conference weekend.

2. Washington’s Title Defense  

Reigning national champion Washington holds a 3-2-1 mark entering conference play, but the Huskies are no strangers to early-season resets; in 2025, Washington started 2-2-2 before finishing the season at 16-6-2.  

The preseason No. 1 team enters Big Ten play on Friday night in Seattle against Penn State. Junior midfielder Zach Ramsey leads the nation with nine goals (and he's only played five of the team’s six matches!), giving head coach Jamie Clark the offensive engine needed to guide Washington into national championship contention.

3. MAC Hermann Trophy Contenders  

Two years after Ohio State’s Michael Adedokun captured the MAC Hermann Trophy, the Big Ten once again boasts top individual talent. Standouts on the national radar include Maryland goalkeeper Laurin Mack — who leads the conference with 18 saves — Indiana forward Collins Oduro, UCLA midfielder Jaime Amaro, and Michigan defender Matthew Fisher. 

Along with those faces, there are names who have broken onto the scene already, like Washington’s Ramsey or Ohio State forward Isaiah Chisolm, who has seven goals in his first year in Columbus (second nationally). With so much individual talent, the MAC Hermann Trophy could end up in Big Ten country once again. 

4. UCLA Defends Conference Tournament Crown  

After claiming the Big Ten Tournament title as a No. 4 seed last season, No. 11 UCLA enters conference play at 3-0-2. Led by junior defender Shakir Nixon’s team-high three goals, the Bruins face Rutgers and Michigan to open conference play before a pivotal clash with Maryland in College Park. 

The UCLA offense will look to keep clicking after scoring 10 goals in five matches and 2+ in three straight games. With momentum building on both ends of the pitch, the Bruins look well-positioned to defend their tournament championship. 

5. Pursuit of Back-to-Back National Titles  

With so many national contenders, will the NCAA Champion be from the Big Ten once again? 

The conference hasn't crowned back-to-back national champions since Indiana in 2003–04, but it has the firepower in 2026 to change that. The Terps, Buckeyes, Hoosiers, Badgers, Spartans and Bruins lead a stacked conference with a grueling slate that will forge whichever champion emerges into a battle-tested favorite for the College Cup. 

Ready for kickoff? Check out  the men’s soccer schedule . 

Photo via ohiostatebuckeyes.com