Big Ten Championship 2026 Preview
The Big Ten Championship Football game between the number one-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes and the number two-ranked Indiana Hoosiers will most likely be the best football game of the year. The two teams in this Big Ten Championship game are evenly matched. In fact, the Big Ten Championship game is a de facto national championship.
There is more at stake in this Big Ten Championship game. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin are, like their teams, ranked number one and number two in the Heisman Trophy race. Who do you think will win the 2026 Big Ten National Championship?
Big Ten Championship Facts
The Big Ten Championship game will be very entertaining, with two evenly matched teams. It will also be a game of firsts. This is the first-ever appearance in the Big Ten Championship game, and the Indiana Hoosiers will attempt to win the program’s first outright league title since 1945.
Both teams are 12-0, and the game will take place Saturday at 8 p.m. ET inside Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The game will be televised on FOX. The game marks the first number 1 vs. number 2 game involving Big Ten teams since 2006 (when Ohio State beat Michigan in probably the greatest football game ever played.)
Enter Ohio State
Although they are undefeated and the defending national champions, the Buckeyes are making their first appearance in the Big Ten Championship game since 2020. The losses to rival Michigan hurt. Indiana trails the all-time series against Ohio State 81-12-5. The Hoosiers have lost 30 in a row and have not defeated the Buckeyes since 1988. This may appear one-sided, but this is a different Indiana team than in the past.
There is not much difference in the records; in fact, they are nearly identical. Ohio State has played two teams currently ranked in the Associated Press top-25, No. 14 Texas and No. 18 Michigan. ESPN‘s Football Power Index says Ohio State has played the 46th-most difficult schedule in the nation, compared to IU’s No. 45. The Hoosiers have the No. 1 strength of record, while Ohio State is No. 2.
Ohio State comes into the Big Ten Championship game ranked number 13 nationally in scoring offense. They score 37 points per contest. Against national top-25 scoring defenses, Ohio State averaged 21.7 a contest. Indiana is the nation’s No. 2 scoring defense at 10.9 points allowed per game.
How The Buckeyes Defense Held Up
The Buckeyes are No. 1 in scoring defense, allowing just 7.8 an outing. The most points scored by any team against Ohio State this season was 16 by Illinois. Pro Football Focus grades Ohio State as having the No. 2 offense, the No. 4 defense, and the No. 23 special teams in the country. Indiana is right there with the Buckeyes.
As far as quarterbacks go, Ohio State sophomore quarterback Julian Sayin has completed 78.9% of his throws for 3,065 yards, with 30 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza has completed 73% of his passes for 2,758 yards, and he has 32 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Virtually every position is like this. The teams are evenly matched.
Conclusion: How it may Play Out
For the first time since their game at Oregon, the Hoosiers are underdogs, as of Monday, by 5.5 points. ESPN’s FPI model gives Indiana a 50.6% chance to win the Big Ten Championship Game. However, ESPN’s SP+ model projects a 26-25 Ohio State win. This game will be close, and since both defenses are good, expect a low-scoring contest. The weather is expected to be bad outside, but inside Lucas Oil Stadium will be 72 degrees and climate controlled.
