Ohio State, Oregon, USC and Indiana open as Big Ten contenders

Big Ten football enters its second week with Ohio State, Indiana, Oregon and USC among the conference’s strongest early contenders. Ohio State opened with a 56-3 win over Ball State but faces a major test at Texas, while Oregon narrowly defeated Boise State, USC moved to 2-0, and Indiana again showcased a potent offense. Penn State began the Matt Campbell era with a 45-0 victory over Marshall, though the Nittany Lions enter the season as a second-tier contender after a difficult 2025 campaign and rank behind several Big Ten rivals in national championship and College Football Playoff odds. Individual conference honors went to USC quarterback Jayden Maiava after a record-setting performance against Fresno State, Penn State defensive end Caleb Bacon, UCLA defensive back Ta’Shawn James and Minnesota returner Javon Tracy, who scored two punt-return touchdowns in one game.