Indiana’s national title defense will include back-to-back matchups with the schools that won the previous two championships.
The Big Ten released its 2026 conference schedule Tuesday. Indiana will host Ohio State on Oct. 17 and visit Michigan on Oct. 24.
Michigan won the national title in the 2023 season. Ohio State’s 2024 team won it all.
That Oct. 17 Indiana-Ohio State clash will be a rematch of this past season’s Big Ten championship game, which the Hoosiers won 13-10. Indiana then went on to win the College Football Playoff, defeating Miami 27-21 in the final.
There’s another intriguing Big Ten matchup Oct. 17, as Michigan State coach Pat Fitzgerald faces his former team when the Spartans host Northwestern. Fitzgerald posted a 110-101 record at Northwestern from 2006-22.
The Wildcats will open their conference schedule Sept. 26 at Indiana, while Illinois visits Ohio State the same day in its Big Ten opener.
Notably, Northwestern said in its release that it will announce “information pertaining to Northwestern’s home venues for 2026” at noon Feb. 3. The rebuilt Ryan Field is scheduled to open for the 2026 season.
The Wildcats begin the season with two nonconference home games against South Dakota State and Colorado, then host Penn State on Oct. 3 in their first Big Ten home game.
The first two conference games are scheduled for Sept. 19, when UCLA hosts Purdue and USC visits Rutgers. The Big Ten championship game is Dec. 5 in Indianapolis.
Some games currently scheduled to take place on a Saturday could end up getting shifted to a Friday or other days, including the Sunday before Labor Day or Black Friday, to accommodate television schedules.
Kickoff times will be announced later.
Illinois 2026 schedule
Dates subject to change; times TBA
- Sept. 5 vs. UAB
- Sept. 12 vs. Duke
- Sept. 19 vs. Southern Illinois
- Sept. 26 at Ohio State
- Oct. 3 vs. Purdue (homecoming)
- Oct. 10 at Michigan State
- Oct. 17 off
- Oct. 24 vs. Oregon
- Oct. 31 at Maryland
- Nov. 7 vs. Nebraska
- Nov. 14 at UCLA
- Nov. 21 vs. Iowa
- Nov. 28 at Northwestern
Northwestern 2026 schedule
Dates subject to change; times and home venues TBA
- Sept. 5 vs. South Dakota State
- Sept. 12 off
- Sept. 19 vs. Colorado
- Sept. 26 at Indiana
- Oct. 3 vs. Penn State
- Oct. 10 vs. Ball State
- Oct. 17 at Michigan State
- Oct. 24 vs. Rutgers
- Oct. 31 at Oregon
- Nov. 7 vs. Iowa
- Nov. 14 at Ohio State
- Nov. 21 at Minnesota
- Nov. 28 vs. Illinois
