2026 Big Ten Preview - Alex Wilcox Hoops

The Tale of the Tape

The Big Ten enters this season with a fascinating three-team race at the top, as Ohio State, Oregon and reigning national champion Indiana all have legitimate championship aspirations. Even typing “reigning national champion Indiana” still feels surreal after the Hoosiers completed an unbelievable 16–0 season and captured the first national championship in program history. Curt Cignetti has built something unique to the history of American sports, while Ohio State remains the conference’s standard in terms of sheer talent. But as I look across the league, I keep coming back to Oregon. The Ducks have come agonizingly close since joining the Big Ten, and with Dante Moore returning to lead what may be Dan Lanning’s most complete roster yet, this feels like it could finally be Oregon’s year of destiny—the season when the Ducks break through, capture college football’s ultimate prize and add their name to the Big Ten’s remarkable championship run. We’ll see if they can finally do it, or if they will come up oh so short once again.

Ohio State and Oregon are the two most talented teams in this league. While it’s hard to project Cignetti and company to lose three times, I see more of a logjam behind the Buckeyes and the Ducks than a clear third best team. Indiana will certainly be a formidable foe that plays disciplined, tough football, but I think that the schedule is tough enough for them to lose three times. USC is a very talented team, but the schedule is a bear. The Wolverines will be rock solid in their first season under long time Utah bench boss Kyle Whittingham, but a loss to their arch rival in the final game of the season will keep them out of the playoff field.