Big Ten slate has No. 2 Oregon hosting Boise State, and No. 6 Indiana opening title defense
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore (5) throws a pass during the second half of the Peach Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game against Indiana, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Atlanta. Credit: AP/Brynn Anderson
Things to watch this weekend in the Big Ten:
Game of the week
Boise State (0-0) at No. 2 Oregon (0-0), Saturday, 3:30 p..m. EDT (CBS)
Oregon, the only Bowl Subdivision team to win at least 13 games each of the last two seasons, carries an FBS-leading 38-game nonconference home winning streak into its season opener Saturday.
The Ducks have three preseason Associated Press All-America first-team selections in QB Dante Moore, DT A'Mauri Washington and S Koi Perich. CB Brandon Finney made the second team.
Boise State gave Oregon all it could handle before falling 37-34 two years ago, and both teams went on to make the College Football Playoff. The Broncos are coming off a 9-5 season.
The undercard
Wisconsin (0-0) vs. No. 4 Notre Dame (0-0) at Lambeau Field, Green Bay, Wisconsin, Sunday, 7:30 p.m. (NBC)
Former Old Dominion QB Colton Joseph is one of 34 transfers Wisconsin added as it attempts to bounce back from two straight losing seasons, including a 4-8 finish last year. The Badgers are three-touchdown underdogs against a Notre Dame team featuring QB CJ Carr and All-America CB Leonard Moore.
Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti watches during warm ups before the College Football Playoff national championship game between Miami and Indiana, Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Credit: AP/Rebecca Blackwell
North Texas (0-0) at No. 6 Indiana (0-0), Saturday, noon (Fox)
Indiana begins its national title defense against a North Texas team that went 12-2 last year, though much has changed for the Mean Green since. Former North Texas coach Eric Morris left for Oklahoma State and has nearly two dozen former Mean Green players on his roster, including 2025 passing yardage leader Drew Mestemaker.
Impact players
— Indiana QB Josh Hoover has the challenge of stepping in for Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, who led the Hoosiers to their first national title before the Las Vegas Raiders took him with the No. 1 pick in the draft. Hoover, a three-year starter at TCU, has thrown for 9,629 career yards with 71 touchdowns and 33 interceptions.
— Southern California QB Jayden Maiava is the reigning AP national player of the week after going 25 of 29 for 286 yards with two touchdowns and rushing for a third score in the 14th-ranked Trojans' 42-26 victory over San Jose State.
Wisconsin head coach Luke Fickell watches during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Indiana, Saturday, Nov. 15, 2025, in Bloomington, Ind. Credit: AP/Darron Cummings
— Ohio State WR Jeremiah Smith enters this season as arguably the nation's top player regardless of position. He has the most yards receiving (2,558) and touchdown catches (27) of any FBS player over the last two seasons.
Inside the numbers
No. 1 Ohio State has won its last 26 season openers for the longest active streak of any FBS team. The Buckeyes host Ball State on Saturday. ... The Big Ten has four new head coaches in Penn State's Matt Campbell, UCLA's Bob Chesney, Michigan State's Pat Fitzgerald and Michigan's Kyle Whittingham. ... The Big Ten has eight teams in the Top 25: Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, Southern California, No. 16 Michigan, No. 17 Washington, No. 18 Penn State and No. 22 Iowa. ... Iowa has allowed fewer than 20 points per game in an FBS-leading nine consecutive seasons. ... This marks the first year that the Apple Cup between Washington and Washington State has served as a season opener. ... UCLA has a Big Ten-leading 45 transfer newcomers this season.
Get to know him
USC already is getting contributions from the freshmen who were part of the nation's top-ranked recruiting class. WR Trent Mosley perhaps made the best first impression of all by catching seven passes for 118 yards and a touchdown in his college debut.
