No. 20 Oregon visits No. 12 Southern California in the biggest game of a huge weekend on the Big Ten schedule. Here's a rundown of things to watch this weekend in the Big Ten:
Game of the week
No. 20 Oregon (2-1, 0-0 Big Ten) at No. 12 Southern California (4-0, 1-0), 7:30 p.m. ET (NBC)
This game offers an opportunity for Oregon to reassert itself as a title contender two weeks after its stunning 39-31 loss at Oklahoma State. Although a second loss wouldn't necessarily knock Oregon out of College Football Playoff contention, it would put the Ducks in a must-win situation for the rest of the season.
Oregon has won its last four matchups with Southern California and hasn't lost a Big Ten road game since joining the conference in 2024. A USC victory would enable the Trojans to establish themselves as legitimate threats to earn their first playoff berth.
The undercard
Northwestern (2-0, 0-0) at No. 5 Indiana (3-0, 0-0), Friday, 8 p.m. ET (Fox)
The defending national champion Hoosiers are coming off consecutive shutout victories over Howard (55-0) and Western Kentucky (38-0), the first time since 1993 that they've blanked two straight foes. Indiana should face a tougher test from Northwestern, which pounded Colorado 41-7 last week.
No. 17 Iowa at No. 18 Michigan, Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (CBS)
This game features the two longest-tenured FBS coaches. Iowa's Kirk Ferentz is in his 28th season. Kyle Whittingham is in his first year at Michigan, but it's his 22nd season overall.
Wisconsin (2-1, 0-0) at No. 13 Penn State (3-0, 0-0), Saturday, 5 p.m. ET (Peacock)
Wisconsin running back Abu Sama III, an Iowa State transfer, is hoping to play Saturday after an injury kept him out of the Badgers' 54-10 victory over Eastern Michigan last week. Penn State features former Cyclones coach Matt Campbell and about two dozen guys who played for him at Iowa State.
Impact players
— In Northwestern's win over Colorado, QB Aidan Chiles became the first Big Ten player since Ohio State's J.T. Barrett against Nebraska in 2017 to have at least three touchdown passes and two touchdown runs in a game. The last Northwestern quarterback to do that was Zak Kustok against Bowling Green in 2001.
— Illinois WR Collin Dixon has a Bowl Subdivision-leading seven touchdown catches. He's the first Big Ten player to catch seven touchdown passes in the first three games of a season since Purdue's Taylor Stubblefield in 2004.
— UCLA LB Sammy Omosigho has forced a fumble in three consecutive games.
Inside the numbers
UCLA RB Wayne Knight has eight touchdown runs to match Florida’s Jadan Baugh for the Bowl Subdivision lead. ... Oregon set a school single-game record Saturday by scoring 12 touchdowns in its 84-0 blowout of Portland State. ... In Wisconsin's victory over Eastern Michigan, Colton Joseph became the first Badgers quarterback ever to have at least 300 yards passing in the first half of a game. Joseph had 302 of his 362 yards passing by halftime. ... Iowa's Xavier Williams, Braden Jackson and Nathan McNeil each rushed for over 100 yards in a 55-0 win over Northern Iowa last week. It was the first time the Hawkeyes had three 100-yard rushers in one game since Eddie Phillips, Owen Gill and Norm Granger did it in a 1983 victory at Minnesota. ... Nebraska is the school to rank in the top 10 in the FBS in both third-down conversion percentage (ninth) and third-down conversion defense (eighth).
Copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
