Ranking the Big Ten’s Most Challenging and Easiest Schedules
The Oregon Ducks have unveiled their football schedule for the 2026 season, generating significant discussion regarding its challenges and matchups. Notably absent is the traditional rivalry game against the Oregon State Beavers, yet the strength of opponents stands out, particularly in the latter part of the season. Key games include an away matchup against the Ohio State Buckeyes on November 7 and a home game against the Michigan Wolverines shortly thereafter.
Evaluating the Big Ten’s Toughest Schedules
The assessment of the strength of schedules within the Big Ten Conference is informed by early rankings from various college football analysts. Analysts from ESPN, NCAA.com, Sports Illustrated, CBS Sports, and Pro Football Focus contributed to this evaluation. The cumulative rankings allowed for a comprehensive view of where Oregon ranks in terms of schedule difficulty.
Analysts’ Rankings Overview
Using a point system for ranking teams, a total of 14 teams were evaluated based on their preseason rankings. The results are as follows:
- 1. Ohio State Buckeyes & Texas Longhorns (tie)
- 2. Oregon Ducks
- 3. Georgia Bulldogs
- 4. Indiana Hoosiers
- 5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- 6. Texas Tech Red Raiders
- 7. Texas A&M Aggies
- 8. BYU Cougars & LSU Tigers (tie)
- 9. Miami Hurricanes
- 10. Oklahoma Sooners
- 11. USC Trojans & Michigan Wolverines (tie)
- 12. Ole Miss Rebels
- 13. Louisville Cardinals & Mississippi (tie)
- 14. Houston Cougars & Alabama Crimson Tide (tie)
Ranking Criteria for Toughness
To rank the schedules of Big Ten teams, the number of ranked opponents from the aggregated list was considered. Home and away games, alongside the respective strengths of the opponents, played a crucial role in determining the rankings. The hardest schedules in the Big Ten for 2026 are as follows:
- Ohio State (5 ranked opponents, including away games against Texas, Indiana, and USC)
- Michigan (4 ranked opponents, with away challenges against Oregon and Ohio State)
- Northwestern (3 ranked opponents, all away games)
- Oregon (3 ranked opponents, away games against USC and Ohio State)
- Michigan State (3 ranked opponents, including away contests against Notre Dame and Michigan)
- Washington (3 ranked opponents, away games against Oregon and USC)
- UCLA (3 ranked opponents, with games against Oregon and Michigan)
- Nebraska (3 ranked opponents, one away game against Oregon)
- Indiana (3 ranked opponents, one away game against Michigan)
- Rutgers, USC (3 ranked opponents, all at home)
- Maryland (2 ranked opponents, both away)
- Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa (2 ranked opponents each)
- Purdue, Penn State, Wisconsin (1 ranked opponent each)
Conclusion
A detailed analysis suggests the Oregon Ducks will face one of the toughest schedules in the Big Ten for the 2026 season, ranked fourth overall. The encounter at Ohio State’s renowned stadium poses a significant challenge for the team and head coach Dan Lanning. Given the overall difficulty faced by their opponents, including a grueling start for the Buckeyes, the Ducks must be prepared for a challenging season ahead.
