Now that the chaos of the regular season and conference championships is in the rear-view, the fun begins. Bowl season is finally among us! It truly is the most wonderful time of the year. The Big Ten enters the bowl slate with an even dozen teams, the most of any conference. From the top-ranked Hoosiers to a pair of 6-6 teams, let’s take a look at where each Big Ten team is headed and their respective histories against those opponents.
A Dozen Big Ten Teams Head to the Postseason
CFP Top Seed and First-Round Bye: Indiana vs. Alabama/Oklahoma
The king of the Big Ten is the unbeaten Indiana Hoosiers. After passing every test in the regular season, including a successful trip to Oregon, the Hoosiers were able to stymie the Ohio State offense en route to a 13-10 win in the Big Ten Championship. That win marked the first win over Ohio State since 1988, the first Big Ten title since 1967, and the first outright title since 1945. Curt Cignetti’s squad has earned the top-overall seed and will get the opportunity to prove it in the Rose Bowl.
Led by Heisman Trophy favorite Fernando Mendoza, the Hoosier offense has been aggressive, gutsy, and efficient all year. Mendoza heads into the postseason with the most passing touchdowns in the nation. The Hoosier offense is the second-best scoring offense and is the fifth-best overall in terms of yardage. Defensively, Indiana creates havoc by way of turnovers. The secondary has hauled in 17 interceptions, while the entire defense forced seven fumbles.
If you’re a fan of the color pairing of crimson and cream, this bracket is for you. Indiana will face the winner of Oklahoma and Alabama.
All-Time Series: Indiana 0-0 Alabama; Indiana 1-0 Oklahoma
Last Meeting: N/A; Indiana won, 10-7 in 1929
CFB First-Round Bye: Ohio State vs. Texas A&M/Miami (FL)
For the first time in over a calendar year, Ohio State lost a game. The reigning national champions couldn’t get out of their own way in the loss to Indiana, but the committee decided that a three-point loss was only worth a one-spot demotion. While plenty of folks slotted the Buckeyes in the three or even four spot, Ohio State settled in as the number-two seed. As a result, it gets a bye.
Julian Sayin is expected to be a Heisman Trophy finalist, and for good reason. He has been surgically throwing the ball in his first season as a collegiate quarterback. The redshirt freshman is on pace to break the single-season completion percentage record as he’s entering the CFP with a ridiculout 78.6%. He has two of the best receivers in football out wide in Jeremiah Smith and Carnell Tate to make his job significantly easier.
Despite those weapons, the strength has been the defense. Ohio State is atop the statistical leaderboards in just about every category, led by future first-round picks Sonny Styles, Arvell Reese, and Caleb Downs.
The Buckeyes will be at home watching the first round matchup between Texas A&M and Miami (FL). They’ll get their shot at the winner in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Eve. Despite the loss to Indiana, the Buckeyes open as the betting favorite to win it all, if that’s your thing.
All-Time Series: Ohio State 4-0 Texas A&M; Ohio State 2-2 Miami (FL)
Last Meeting: Ohio State won, 24-14 in 1999 (Sugar Bowl); Miami (FL) won, 24-7 in 2011
CFP First-Round: James Madison at Oregon
One of the more controversial decisions this year was putting a second Group of 5 team into the field. James Madison, the champions of the Sun Belt, get to travel to Autzen Stadium to face Oregon. The Ducks have flown under the radar this year in the shadow of the top two in the Big Ten. However, Oregon should be expected to make a run.
Dante Moore has begun to play like the five-star talent everyone expected from him out of high school. There is legitimate first-round hype surrounding the Duck signal-caller, which continues to be impressive with how many injuries his weapons have had. Dan Lanning’s team has asked his true freshmen to step up, and they’ve responded.
The defense is just as strong with Teitum Tuioti leading the push up front and Bryce Boettcher once again commanding the linebackers. As a unit, Oregon finished the regular season eighth in scoring, third in passing, fourth in total defense, and 20th in rushing.
The Ducks are an under-the-radar choice to win it all. They have the talent to do it, but they did last year, too.
Oregon and James Madison have never faced off. If the Ducks advance, they’ll take on Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl.
All-Time Series: Oregon 0-0 James Madison
Last Meeting: N/A
Alamo Bowl: USC vs. TCU
It wasn’t the season Lincoln Riley envisioned, but it was solid. The 16th-ranked Trojans won their way into the CFP conversation but were ultimately dispatched by Oregon to be eliminated. There are plenty of positives about this team and reasons for hope moving forward. As for this year, Jayden Maiava led the Big Ten with 3,431 yards with 32 touchdowns. His top target, Makai Lemon, was incredible and is a rightful finalist for the Biletnikoff. If there is going to be someone to steal the award from the favorite from Columbus, it’s going to be Lemon. He nearly doubled up the next closest Trojan in receptions and led the conference with 1,156 yards, to go with 11 touchdowns.
All-Time Series: TCU 3-2 USC
Last Meeting: TCU won, 28-19 in 1998 (Sun Bowl)
Citrus Bowl: Michigan vs. Texas
This year’s Michigan team felt like it overachieved a little bit. Behind a true freshman quarterback who struggled to live up to his “you’ve never seen a freshman like me” preseason hype, the Wolverines fell to the three teams on their schedule with a pulse. Either way, Bryce Underwood showed flashes, and there should be hope in Ann Arbor, especially as his chemistry with fellow freshman Andrew Marsh continues to develop.
The strength for this team has been its defense. Against Ohio State, Michigan fared well enough, but it was overmatched. Now, the biggest question will be whether or not Texas’s star quarterback officially decides that he’s returning and will play, or if he will head to the NFL. Michigan has its hands full with this one.
All-Time Series: Texas 2-0 Michigan
Last Meeting: Texas won, 31-12 in 2024
ReliaQuest Bowl: Iowa vs. Vanderbilt
We are in year 27 of Kirk Ferentz leading the Iowa Hawkeyes (and he’s coming back for 28 next year!). In those 27 seasons, the Hawkeyes have been bowl-eligible in 24. This will be Ferentz’s 22nd bowl as his 6-6 squad in 2007 was not selected for a game, and the 2020 bowl game was cancelled due to COVID issues at Missouri, Iowa’s bowl opponent.
It was a frustrating season for Iowa, but at least Mark Gronowski was fun to watch. While he accounted for 1,529 yards and eight touchdowns through the air, he added 491 yards and a Big Ten-best 15 touchdowns on the ground. Defensively, the Hawkeyes were up and down, but the secondary is nothing to mess around with. Diego Pavia (assuming he plays) will be up against the seventh-best pass defense in college football.
All-Time Series: Iowa 0-0 Vanderbilt
Last Meeting: N/A
LA Bowl: Washington vs. Boise State
The Huskies underachieved a bit this year under Jedd Fisch. With an offense loaded with talent, one would think Washington could have challenged for a CPF spot. Either way, Demond Williams Jr., Jonah Coleman, and Denzel Boston are a solid group.
Last Word on College Football‘s Nick Lemkau has a much better write-up of what to expect than this author ever could. If you want more Washington content, check out all of his fantastic work.
All-Time Series: Washington 4-2 Boise State
Last Meeting: Washington won, 56-19 in 2023
Music City Bowl: Illinois vs. Tennessee
The Fighting Illini entered this year as a dark horse to crash the College Football Playoff. After a disappointing 8-4 season, instead of playing for a title, Illinois gets to face Tennessee in Nashville…Tennessee.
Luke Altmyer played like one of the best quarterbacks in the conference, again. His running backs, Kaden Feagin and Ca’Lil Valentine, managed 1,048 yards and 11 touchdowns between them. Losing to Indiana and Ohio State did not decide this season; it was the losses to Washington and Wisconsin.
All-Time Series: Illinois 0-0 Tennessee
Last Meeting: N/A
Rate Bowl: Minnesota vs. New Mexico
P.J. Fleck has been rowing the boat in Minneapolis since 2017, and the Golden Gophers have made a bowl game in every season but two (and one was in 2020, so you can’t hold that against them). After another 7-5 season, Minnesota locked Fleck in with a massive contract extension and heads to the Rate Bowl. Against a solid New Mexico team, the Golden Gophers should be able to get a win.
Drake Lindsey has had an impressive redshirt freshman season, but has struggled down the stretch. With a solid performance, look for Lindsey to take off and develop into a legitimate threat in 2026.
All-Time Series: Minnesota 0-0 New Mexico
Last Meeting: N/A
Las Vegas Bowl: Nebraska vs. Utah
Needless to say, this year has not gone as Matt Rhule had anticipated. While the Huskers did manage a 7-5 record, they lost four of their last six games. Dylan Raiola was lost due to injury in the loss to USC, effectively sending the season spiraling. Is he going to be a Husker next year?
This offense had one bright spot in the form of the Big Ten Running Back of the Year, Emmett Johnson. He has already opted out of this one and will prepare for the NFL Draft, so Kwentin Ives will have to step up in his first real bit of action.
All-Time Series: Nebraska 4-0 Utah
Last Meeting: Nebraska won, 49-22 in 1992
GameAboveSports Bowl: Northwestern vs. Central Michigan
The Wildcats started off the year 5-2 with losses to two CFP teams. Then, it all fell apart. Northwester dropped four of its final five games to finish at 6-6. This year’s bowl in Detroit will be David Braun’s second as the head coach.
All-Time Series: Northwestern 1-0 Central Michigan
Last Meeting: Northwestern won, 30-25 in 2010
Pinstripe Bowl: Penn State vs. Clemson
If there is any Big Ten bowl team with the most disappointed fans, it has to be Penn State’s. The Nittany Lions started the year as one of the national title favorites. Now, Penn State fired James Franklin, hired Matt Campbell in what looked to be an absolute cluster of a hiring process, Drew Allar was lost due to injury, and the entire season was a dumpster fire.
At 6-6, considering how the middle of the year went, the Nittany Lions look to get into 2026 with a fresh slate. There may be some tough times ahead in State College. That’s not a shot at Campbell; this author loved the hire and even thought he could be the Ohio State head coach before Day’s hiring. The Penn State 2026 recruiting consisted of two players and is solidly the worst at the FBS level.
All-Time Series: Clemson 1-0 Penn State
Last Meeting: Clemson won, 35-10 in 1988 (Citrus Bowl)
Main Image: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images
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