We’re still three months away from the start of the 2026 college football season, but that time will fly faster than a gnat in a tornado. From now until then, we’ll see plenty of predictions and previews of the season come across our feeds, and it’s no different with ESPN.
The “worldwide leader” and its resident analytics guru, Bill Connelly, recently provided a preview of what we can expect in the Big Ten, and there are some interesting nuggets in there, namely with what teams will contend for the conference championship. According to Connelly, there’s three teams that should be in position to contend for a Big Ten title and, ultimately, get into the College Football Playoff.
Big Ten football title and CFP contenders
According to Connelly and his SP+ Rankings, Ohio State is the favorite to win the Big Ten and a CFP contender along with Oregon and defending CFP national champion Indiana. The Buckeyes are first in SP+iin all of FBS heading into the season with the top projected defense and No. 2 projected offense in the conference.
Big Ten football best games of 2026
On the way to that, Connelly also identified the five best games in the Big Ten, with Ohio State included in two of those — Ohio State at Indiana on Oct. 17 and Oregon at Ohio State on Nov. 7. The other three games in the lot of five include USC at Penn State (Oct. 10), Indiana at Michigan (Oct. 24), and Indiana at Washington (Nov. 21).
Big Ten football best transfers
Connelly also identified his ten favorite transfers in the Big Ten and had Duke turned Ohio State safety Terry Moore included. He also likes the following transfers now making their homes in the Big Ten:
Josh Hoover, Indiana | Quarterback
Colton Joseph, Wisconsin | Quarterback
Wayne Knight, UCLA | Running Back
Koi Perich, Oregon | Safety
John Henry Daley, Michigan | Defensive End
Marcus Neal Jr., Penn State | Safety
Lendon Phillips Jr., Iowa | Running Back
Sahir West, UCLA | Defensive End
Mister Clark, Purdue | Defensive Back
We’ll have plenty more of what the national media is saying and our own slant on how things line up for Ohio State, the Big Ten, and the nation in the coming months, so come along with us for the ride.
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This article originally appeared on Buckeyes Wire: ESPN picks top 3 finishers in Big Ten football. Where is Ohio State?
Reporting by Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire / Buckeyes Wire
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By Phil Harrison, Buckeyes Wire | USA TODAY Network
