Thursday September 24th, 2026
Issue 30, Year 145
THE LANTERN
The Big Ten’s climb to the Championship
Thursday September 24th, 2026 | www.thelantern.com | 2
This 2026 Big Ten Edition would not have been possible without the help of our fellow student journalists across the conference. Their knowledge of the teams the Buckeyes will face this season and their dedication to covering them day in and day out helped make this edition possible. We are incredibly grateful to each of them for taking the time to contribute and help us make this the best edition it could be. - The Lantern Sports Staff Contributors: Illinois:
Ben Somerville, The Daily Illini Senior Sports Reporter Iowa:
Bryce Christian, Lantern Reporter Maryland:
Jake Kauderer, The Diamondback Sports Editor and Football Reporter Indiana:
Nathan Shriberg, Indiana Daily Student Football Reporter USC:
Dillon Zamperin, Daily Trojan Sports Editor Oregon:
Joe Krasnowski, The Daily Emerald Sports Editor Northwestern:
Andrew Little, The Daily Northwestern Assistant Sports Editor Nebraska:
Matthew Malloy, The Daily Nebraskan Assistant Sports Editor Michigan:
Jordan Klein, The Michigan Daily Reporter
Three consecutive national championship victories mark the Big Ten’s rise
Reilly Cahill Managing Sports Editor
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or the majority of the 21st century, the college football team who hoisted the national championship trophy at the end of the season was not part of the Big Ten Conference. Prior to the 2023 season, Ohio State was the only member of the conference to have won a national c h a mpi o n s h ip this century, capturing the title twice in 2002 and 2014. And while the Buckeyes made three other title game appearances in the span, no other Big Ten team had reached the national championship game. Since the 2023 season, the tide has turned. The last three national championships have been won by three different members of the Big Ten conference. In 2023, Michigan went undefeated in the regular season and won the Big Ten championship, becoming the first Big Ten school to earn the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff, which started in 2014. In the final year of the four-team playoff system, Michigan defeated Alabama 27-20 in the semifinal and went on to beat Washington, who joined the Big Ten conference the following year, 34-13 in the national championship game. The Wolverines’ championship game win completed their 15-0 season, and gave Michigan its 13th win of the season by two or more possessions. In 2024, Oregon, one of four new members of the Big Ten, along with
UCLA, USC and Washington, went undefeated in the regular season, won the Big Ten championship and earned the No. 1 seed in the playoff field. Meanwhile, Ohio State, who lost two regular season games and did not make the Big Ten championship game, earned the eighth-seed in the College Football Playoff bracket which expanded from four to 12 teams. Prior to the playoff expansion, no two-loss team had made the playoff field. The Buckeyes took advantage of the expanded tournament, winning all four of their playoff games by double digits, including taking down No. 1 Oregon in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal, en route to becoming the national champions. A season later, the Indiana Hoosiers, who had just three winning seasons in the 21st century prior to 2025, went 16-0 to become the second undefeated national championship team in the last three years, and the first time in their program history. Three years, three national championships won by different members of the Big Ten conference. Since 1998, the SEC has won 15 national championships, including the members of its conference winning seven consecutive national championships from 2006-2012 and four straight from 2019-2022. The Big Ten’s recent rise has challenged the SEC as the top conference in college football. With seven teams currently ranked in the AP top 25 poll, a Big Ten team could be the last team standing for the fourth straight season. CREDIT: LANTERN FILE PHOTO
Ohio State graduate wide receiver Emeka Egbuka (2) hoists up the National Championship trophy after the Buckeyes defeated Notre Dame 34-23 on Jan. 20, 2025 in Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
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College Football experts weigh in on Big Ten’s outlook with poor start to the season Dylan Buganski Sports Senior Writer
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ntering this season, teams in the Big Ten had not lost eight or more nonconference games through the first three weeks since 2018. This year, it lost eight through just two weeks. For a conference that has won the past three national championships, the early results could be an early sign of a down year. Yet national college football media experts remain confident in the conference’s top teams and say it is too early to determine whether the Big Ten will match the success it has produced in recent seasons. “It’s too early to determine [if they are having a down year],” Brett McMurphy, a college football writer for On3, said. “Every Big Ten team that finishes with at least 10 wins will get in the playoff. Is that two, three or half a dozen? We’ll find out.” Since the College Football Playoff expanded from four to 12 teams in 2024, the Big Ten has sent at least three teams to the playoff in each of the first two years. During that span, Ohio State and Indiana have both brought national championships home to the conference. As the season enters Week 4, only two Big Ten teams, Ohio State and Indiana, are currently in ESPN’s projected playoff field. Heather Dinich, a college football analyst and senior writer for ESPN, said that while the playoff picture currently looks that way, she still believes teams such as Penn State and USC can play their way into the field by the end of the season. “I certainly wouldn’t take a snapshot of what we’re seeing today and lock it in for selection day,” Dinich said. “Penn State has one of the most manageable schedules of any of these teams in the top 25, and I’m big on USC until they prove me wrong.”
CREDIT: LANTERN FILE PHOTO
The Big Ten officially added four new members — USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington — on July 1, 2024.
Of the eight losses the conference suffered through two weeks, perhaps the most surprising came when Oregon lost on the road 39-31 to unranked Oklahoma State. Oregon entered the matchup ranked No. 6 in the nation and was viewed as a legitimate national championship contender, but has since slid to No. 20. Adam Rittenberg, a senior college football writer for ESPN, said there is reason for concern surrounding the Ducks, which will travel to play No. 12 USC this week in a game with significant implications for both teams as they try to build their playoff résumés. “Oregon just hasn’t looked good at all against non-FCS teams so far,” Rittenberg said. “This will be a big week, as USC is another team that may enter that playoff conversation, and they’ve
got to start winning games like Oregon at home.” Ohio State had not lost either of its first two games to start a season since 2021, when it lost at home to Oregon. In a top-five matchup at Texas in Week 2, Ohio State saw a 20-3 lead crumble in the second half before losing to the Longhorns, 24-23. Experts are not out on Ohio State, though, believing the loss will not deter the Buckeyes’ season or expectations to the same degree as Oregon’s loss. “I think Ohio State [having] a onepoint loss on the road in Austin isn’t going to derail their season,” Nicole Auerbach, a college football insider for NBC Sports, said. “I think back to 2014, when Ohio State lost to Virginia Tech, and things rebounded as they
ended up making the playoff and then winning a national title.” Although there is still overall belief in the conference and its chances of winning a national championship, there is concern about its depth after seven teams suffered losses to nonconference opponents through Week 2. Chip Patterson, a writer for CBS Sports, said in an email the losses could affect how the College Football Playoff selection committee views strong conference wins later in the season. “Those nonconference losses to power conference opponents can lessen the chances of a high-end Big Ten team being able to potentially count on [mid-tier] teams providing opportunities for ranked wins,” he said.
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Opinion: The Ohio State-Texas matchup shows why marquee nonconference games are important Bridget Lombardo Sports Senior Writer Three games into Ohio State’s 2026 football season, the Buckeyes have twice won by more than 50 points and lost by one point. It’s the 24-23 collapse against Texas that reveals the most about this team. Wins over Ball State and Kent State did not require the Buckeyes to protect a fourth-quarter lead. They didn’t have to quiet more than 100,000 opposing fans, or figure out how to respond when another national championship contender cut into a lead. All of this occurred Sept. 12 in Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. The loss dropped Ohio State’s playoff probability from 83.14 percent to 74.44 percent, according to the ESPN Football Power Index.
But history has shown that a team’s perfect record does not tell the story on if they are prepared when the postseason comes. Look at the 2025 Ohio State season. The Buckeyes cruised to a 12-0 record in the regular season and never faced a second-half deficit, but lost the Big Ten championship to Indiana and the College Football Playoff quarterfinal to Miami to end its season. If anything, September should be when teams start figuring out what they actually have before conference play begins. Blowout wins aren’t entirely worthless. Teams still have things they can work on, younger players get opportunities and a win is still a win. At least one Big Ten program has already started scheduling less challenging nonconference games. In August, Indiana canceled its 2030-31 home-and-home series with Notre Dame, leaving the Hoosiers
CREDIT: CASSANDRA D’ANGELO | SPORTS PHOTO EDITOR
Running back Bo Jackson (25) dodges defenders. Ohio State lost to Texas 24-23 on Sept. 12.
without a Power Four nonconference opponent scheduled in future seasons. The move came a year after Indiana canceled its 2027-28 series with Virginia, replacing the Cavaliers with Kennesaw State and FCS opponent, Austin Peay. Indiana shouldn’t become the blueprint for the rest of the conference. Ohio State is scheduled to host Alabama in 2027 before traveling to Tuscaloosa in 2028, and the Buckeyes will travel to Georgia to face the Bulldogs in 2030. Michigan will travel to Texas in 2027 and has a home-and-home series with Notre Dame scheduled for 2033 and 2034. Michigan State will play the Fighting Irish in 2027 and Oklahoma
State in 2028 and 2029. Those are the kind of games that members of the Big Ten conference should keep on its future schedules. Games like that come with a chance of losing, but that should be the point. If Big Ten teams are going to schedule some of the best teams in the country, not every one of those games is going to end in a win, but a loss can show a team a lot more than just another September blowout. Yes, Ohio State lost to Texas. But after beating Ball State and Kent State by a combined 109 points, the Buckeyes know a lot more about themselves because of the one game they didn’t win.
Stay updated through the Ohio State Buckeyes football season with our Instagram! Check out @thelanternosu!
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Buckeyes’ Season Schedule
Sept. 26 vs Illinois Home Oct. 3 vs Iowa Away Oct. 10 vs Maryland Home Oct. 17 vs Indiana Away Oct. 31 vs USC Away
Nov. 7 vs Oregon Home
Big Ten Championship game Lantern staff predictions Indiana will defeat Ohio State Reilly Cahill Managing Sports Editor
Indiana w
ill defeat Oregon
Ally Wolfe Sports Editor
Ohio State will defeat Ind iana
Ava Dublikar LTV Assistant SportsProducer Dylan Buganski Sports Senior Writer
Ohio State will defeat Pen n State
Avi Schoenberg LTV Sports Producer
Bridget Lombardo Sports Senior Writer
Nov. 14 vs Northwestern Home Oregon w
Nov. 21 vs Nebraska Away
Nov. 28 vs Michigan Home
ill defeat Ohio State
Liam Ahern Managing Photo Editor
Ohio State will defeat Or egon
Cassandra D’Angelo Sports Photo Editor
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is o n li
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Illinois’ explosive offense overcoming flat defense
Ben Somerville, Senior Sports Reporter The Daily Illini
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he two biggest storylines coming into the season for Illinois were quarterback play and a new defensive scheme. Through three games, new starting quarterback Katin Houser has been a dependable starter. Houser has thrown for 758 yards and eight touchdowns while completing over 70 percent of his passes. The quarterback has already built a strong connection with senior wide receiver Collin Dixon. Through three games, Dixon has 25 catches for 367 yards and seven
a Iow
opponent in conference play like the last few years. CREDIT: COURTESY OF ILLINOIS ATHLETICS
Quarterback Katin Houser (4) prepares to throw the ball. Illinois beat Southern Illinois 48-10 on Sept. 19, 2026.
Hawkeyes look for passing attack to lift team to new heights
Bryce Christian Lantern Reporter
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touchdowns. He’s just four touchdown catches away from breaking the single -season program record. Things are less electric on the other side of the ball. Head coach Bret Bielema hired new defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck in the offseason, bringing a new 3-3-5 scheme to the defense. According to Bielema, the new defense would be the most aggressive in program history. The 3-3-5 brings a lot of pre-snap motion to throw off the offense. It utilizes heavy blitzing and strong pass coverage to overpower opposing offenses. However, the defense hasn’t been all it was chalked up to be. In the first two games, Illinois’ opponents rushed for 194 yards and 170 yards, respectively. While it was better against SIU, the run defense will likely be tested in Big Ten play. If Illinois can build off that performance, it could prove to be a difficult
owa’s football program has solidified itself as a consistent Big Ten contender over the past decade. The No. 17 Hawkeyes have had a winning record each season since 2013, but despite their team success, Iowa’s passing game has struggled in recent years. The Hawkeyes have ranked last or second to last in each of the last four seasons in passing yards per game in the Big Ten. Iowa looked to change that this season, giving the keys to the offense to a new signal caller. After a drawn-out quarterback battle, head coach Kirk Ferentz named
redshirt junior transfer Hank Brown the starter over redshirt sophomore transfer Jeremy Hecklinski before the start of the season. Through the Hawkeyes’ first three games, they have two blowout wins against Northern Illinois and Northern Iowa, and a 16-13 Cy-Hawk Trophy victory over rival Iowa State, a game in which kicker Caden Buhr made a 42yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining. Iowa has leaned on its defense and rushing attack as the start of the season. The Hawkeyes’ defense posed problems for their first three opponents, allowing the fewest points and yards per game among Big Ten teams, while forcing four turnovers. The Hawkeyes’ run game ranks second in the Big Ten, led by senior running back Kamari Moulton. Despite the 3-0 start, Iowa will quickly be tested as a three-game gauntlet in conference play awaits.
The Hawkeyes will head to Michigan Stadium to face the No. 18 Wolverines this Saturday. They will then host No. 7 Ohio State before traveling to the West Coast to take on Washington. If the Hawkeyes are able to put together its passing attack, it may be the spark the team needs to move from a winning season to a berth in the College Football Playoff. Otherwise, the Hawkeyes could put together another above-average season.
CREDIT: COURTESY OF IOWA ATHLETICS
Tight end Addison Ostrenga (87) celebrates with offensive lineman Trevor Lauck (59). The Hawkeyes beat Northern Iowa 55-0 on Sept. 19, 2026.
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Marylan
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Early-season loss sparks doubt about Maryland football in key season
Jake Kauderer, Sports Editor and Football Reporter The Diamondback
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he stage was set for Maryland football to finally break through. The Terrapins had outscored opponents 100-14 over their first two games of their 2026 season — securing a pair of easy wins over Hampton and UConn. They then welcomed Virginia Tech and its new head coach James Franklin to College Park for one of the most anticipated games at SECU Stadium under eighth-year head coach Michael Locksley. The result was an all-too familiar one for Maryland in big games under Locksley. The Terrapins lost to the Hokies, 35-26, to snap a nation-best
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son-opening shutout win over Hampton before turning in a strong outing on the road against UConn, but it surrendered 445 yards against Virginia Tech. Maryland’s highly-touted defensive line notched only one sack, while star edge rushers Sidney Stewart and Zion Elee combined for just three tackles. Stewart boasts a teamhigh eight hurries. Elee, a freshman who is the highest-ranked recruit in Maryland football history, ranks second with four. Much of the defense’s success will likely hinge on that duo’s performance in conference play, especially as fellow-star edge rusher Zahir Mathis is out for the season. The secondary will need to step up, too. Cornerbacks Jamare Glasker and Amari Jackson have endured challenging starts to the season,
each grading below average via Pro Football Focus. After consecutive 4-8 campaigns, the loss to Virginia Tech puts an immediate damper and question mark on the rest of Maryland’s season.
CREDIT: KIM HAIRSTON/STAFF VIA TNS
Maryland QB Malik Washington looks down field before running the ball for a touchdown in the first half against Towson University at SECU Stadium.
Indiana dominates nonconference, awaits Big Ten tests
Nathan Shriberg, Football Reporter Indiana Daily Student
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20-game nonconference win streak. Major questions — and pressure — loom over the Terps as they begin Big Ten play against an undefeated UCLA team on Saturday. The team’s offense has been a mixed bag under first-year offensive coordinator Clint Trickett. Quarterback Malik Washington boasts six touchdowns to no interceptions, with Wyoming transfer Chris Durr Jr. emerging as the sophomore signal caller’s top target. Durr has 28 receptions for 256 yards and three touchdowns across his first three games as a Terp — becoming the first Maryland receiver this century with consecutive 10-catch games. But the Terps, who were the Big Ten’s worst rushing team in 2025, have again struggled to run the ball. They compiled just 64 rushing yards on 21 carries against the Hokies. Their defense has also endured inconsistencies. The unit dominated in a sea-
ndiana football is off to a 3-0 start to its first ever title defense. The No. 5 Hoosiers are on a nation-leading 19-game winning streak and have beaten their opponents by an average of 43 points to begin the 2026 season. Entering Big Ten play, the Cream and Crimson have shutout their opponent in back-to-back weeks for the first time since 1993. However, Week 3 marked the end of what head coach Curt Cignetti deemed “exhibition season.” With wins over the University of North Texas, Howard University and Western Kentucky University, the Hoosiers have yet to face
an opponent reflective of the Big Ten’s strength. That doesn’t mean they’re unprepared. After losing a program record eight players to the 2026 NFL Draft, Indiana reloaded with 17 transfers. So far, the newest Hoosiers have maintained Cignetti’s high standard. Redshirt senior quarterback Josh Hoover is Cignetti’s third signal caller in as many years as he has been in Bloomington. Hoover has been efficient so far, throwing for 649 yards, 10 touchdowns and no interceptions with a 72.5% completion rate through three games. Junior running back Turbo Richard has emerged as a leader in the backfield with 7.7 yards per carry, 315 yards and four touchdowns in nonconference play. Marquee transfer junior wide receiver Nick Marsh got off to a slow start to the season but caught seven passes against Western Kentucky. On
the defensive side, redshirt senior defensive lineman Tobi Osunsanmi leads the team with 4.5 tackles for loss and two sacks. In addition to the newcomers, Indiana returned plenty of key talent from its championship-winning 2025 season. Redshirt senior linebacker Isaiah Jones has a team-high 22 tackles while junior linebacker Rolijah Hardy boasts 21 tackles and three tackles for loss. Junior wide receiver Charlie Becker — a projected first-round NFL Draft pick — broke out in the back-half of 2025 and picked up right where he left off. Six of Becker’s 12 catches have been touchdowns, and the 6-foot-4 contested catch machine has never dropped a pass in his career. Despite its dominance on the scoreboard, Indiana is not without potential faults. Injuries to redshirt senior cornerback Jamari Sharpe and senior cornerback A.J. Harris has forced the Hoosiers to turn to redshirt senior Ry-
land Gandy and sophomore Jaylen Bell in relief. A depleted secondary won’t go unnoticed in the Big Ten. Indiana begins its conference slate Friday night at home against Northwestern. CREDIT: KATIE NEWETT / INDIANA DAILY STUDENT
Sophomore wide receiver Lebron Bond (6) and junior wide receiver Charlie Becker (80) chest bump in celebration of Becker’s second touchdown against the University of North Texas on Sept. 5, 2026, at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.
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US
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USC looks to make first College Football Playoff behind strong start
Dillon Zamperin, Sports Editor Daily Trojan
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n a career-defining year for head coach Lincoln Riley, the No. 12 USC Trojans (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) entered the 2026 season with high hopes and even higher expectations. The return of redshirt senior quarterback Jayden Maiava has proven critical, recording 1,173 passing yards and 12 touchdown passes, through the team’s first four games, which each lead college football. On the ground, the pairing of redshirt sophomore running back King Miller and redshirt senior running back Waymond Jordan have proved to be more than enough, carving up op-
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Urlacher. Pierce, a senior, recorded his first interception of the season against Rutgers (0-3, 0-1) with a one-handed catch. Meanwhile, Urlacher, a junior, has double-digit tackles for the year and two sacks, both in a shutout win over Fresno State (2-1). However, perhaps the best player in the defensive backfield has been senior cornerback Prophet Brown. In Brown’s latest game against the Scarlet Knights, he picked off Rutgers’ quarterback and brought it back to the house for a 99-yard picksix — his second interception of the season. With pressure mounting from fans, USC reaching the College Football
Playoff would be a defining moment in Riley’s tenure with the Trojans.
CREDIT: MATTHEW DIEDERICH | DAILY TROJAN
USC quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) reads the defense before taking the snap against the University of Louisiana-Lafayette.
Wake-up call? Oregon looks to bounce back after a shaky start to the season
oe Krasnowski, Sports J Editor The Daily Emerald
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posing defensive lines on a weekly basis. Miller has run away with the title of lead running back, however, recording 100-yard rushing games in three of the first four matchups this year. True freshman wide receivers Trent Mosley and Kayden Dixon-Wyatt have eclipsed over 250 receiving yards, and have combined for seven touchdowns. Defensively, the pairing of freshman defensive end Luke Wafle and junior defensive tackle Jide Abasiri have made an impact, as Wafle has tallied 15 total tackles and Abasiri has over 10 tackles and a sack. While the secondary has struggled to keep points off the board — 10 of 13 opposing drives in the red zone have resulted in scores — there have been several standout players, including safeties Christian Pierce and Kennedy
regon football entered the season with national championship aspirations as the No. 2 ranked team in the country. But after a stunning upset in a week two 39-31 loss to Oklahoma State, a team which had previously lost 12 straight games dating back to last season, the Ducks have had a shaky 2-1 start to the season. Hey, at least things are never boring in Eugene. The Ducks’ week 4 showdown against USC in the LA Memorial Coliseum to begin conference play will be a true measuring-stick contest for fans to gauge the Ducks’ legitimacy. Win, and everything Oregon wants is still in front of it. Lose, and questions swirling about the Ducks’ season will
continue. Quarterback Dante Moore hasn’t quite had the Heisman-caliber performance most expected since deciding to return to Oregon instead of declaring for the 2026 NFL Draft. The blame stretches much farther than him. No side of Oregon’s performance has been good enough, from an offense that has struggled to establish the run to a defense tagged with missed assignments galore. With a defensive line touted as one of the best in the country, the Ducks have been largely ineffective against Power 4 opponents, and Oregon’s defensive backs have struggled at times, too. The question remains as to whether the Ducks, who made the College Football Playoff semifinal a year ago, CREDIT: SEAN MEAGH VIA TNS will be able to shake off their rocky Oregon defensive lineman Aydin Breland (42) celebrates after his sack as the No. 21 Ducks face the Portland State Vikings in a non-conference college start to the season. football game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026.
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Nor t
estern Northwestern ready to prove it can survive Big Ten gauntlet in new era w h boldly proclaiming a “new era” for the Gavin Sawchuk. All three backs are caThe final scores have looked more
Andrew Little, Assistant Sports Editor The Daily Northwestern
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ith a new, state-of-the-art stadium set to open, new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly running the offense and a promising transfer quarterback, things look very different for Northwestern in 2026. Those changes prompted head coach David Braun to enter the season
Wilcats. Through two games, Northwestern has backed it up, scoring 75 points, the program’s most since 2013. Senior quarterback Aidan Chiles has been a dynamic addition after transferring from Michigan State, throwing for four touchdowns and rushing for three more. Chiles has developed quick chemistry with 2025 All-Big Ten Third Team senior wide receiver Griffin Wilde, who leads the Wildcats in receiving yards. Northwestern’s running game is its true offensive strength, led by a three-headed monster of redshirt junior Caleb Komolafe, graduate student Joseph Himon II and graduate student
pable of taking over games, as demonstrated by Himon’s recent three-receiving touchdown performance against Colorado. Defensively, the Wildcats have forced five turnovers. They have also been stellar in the red zone, allowing just one touchdown in eight chances. Graduate student safety Robert Fitzgerald is the leader of that group, and he currently leads the Big Ten with 12.5 tackles per game. The Wildcats opened with a 34-18 win over South Dakota State, pulling away late, before a Week 2 bye. Northwestern then trounced Colorado 41-7, in one of the most lopsided games of the Braun era.
dominant than the games have felt, and there are certainly areas for improvement. After being one of the least penalized teams in the country the past two years, the Wildcats have racked up 17 penalties already. Upcoming in-conference tests will reveal just how legit Northwestern’s offensive revival is, starting with Friday’s matchup on the road at No. 5 Indiana. The rest of the schedule is brutal, but the Wildcats have a lot to be excited about as they prepare to open new Ryan Field.
CREDIT: RYAN MALVEY | THE DAILY NEBRASKAN
CREDIT: AANYA GUPTA|THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN
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Northwestern quarterback Aidan Chiles (0) runs with the ball during the Wildcats’ 41-7 win over Colorado on Sept. 19.
raska b e
Nebraska breezes though nonconference, hopes of best start since 2016 in reach
Matthew Malloy, Assistant Sports Editor The Daily Nebraskan
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Nebraska’s running back Mekhi Nelson (13) runs onto the field followed by his teammates during the game against North Dakota at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in Lincoln.
ebraska football is undefeated through its nonconference schedule, but a challenging Big Ten gauntlet lies ahead. The Cornhuskers defeated Ohio, Bowling Green and North Dakota at home by at least four scores each, but head coach Matt Rhule knows those were only quizzes. The real tests are the nine conference games awaiting him in his fourth season as Nebraska’s head coach. Last year, Nebraska went 4-5 in Big
Ten play and lost to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl to finish 7-6 overall. This season’s schedule is considerably tougher, but Nebraska fans hope new faces on both sides of the ball will lift the Huskers into the upper echelon of Big Ten programs. During Nebraska’s offseason a question on who would replace Dylan Raiola at quarterback loomed. Raiola, who was the starting quarterback for two seasons, missed the team’s final four games last season after suffering an injury against USC on Nov. 1, 2025. He then transferred to Oregon. Senior Anthony Colandrea, who previously played at Virginia and UNLV, emerged as the answer. He transferred to Nebraska after being named Mountain West Player of the Year last season, and his dual-threat ability has already made him a fan fa-
vorite. Through three games as a Husker, Colandrea has thrown eight touchdowns to just one interception while averaging 230 passing yards per game. He has added two rushing touchdowns and 75 rushing yards as well. True freshman Jamal Rule has quickly earned a lead role, averaging 110 rushing yards per game and leading the team with five rushing touchdowns, the third most in the Big Ten. Sophomore Mekhi Nelson has scored just once but adds 55 yards per game to complement the young Rule. Juniors Jacory Barney Jr. and Kwazi Gilmer, a UCLA transfer, have emerged as Colandrea’s top targets. The pair has combined for five touchdowns and 133 receiving yards per game. On defense, senior linebacker Owen
Chambliss followed first-year defensive coordinator Rob Aurich from San Diego State to Lincoln and has become a vocal leader for the Blackshirts. The unit has played well despite a shaky start against the Ohio Bobcats, but its true measure will come against Big Ten offenses. It’s hard to say which conference game will be the toughest. Nebraska hosts No. 5 Indiana, the reigning national champion, and No. 7 Ohio State, the preseason AP No. 1. It also travels to No. 20 Oregon and closes the regular season in Iowa City against rival No. 17 Iowa. For now, though, Rhule’s focus is on staying undefeated. The Huskers haven’t started 4-0 since 2016, but have the chance to do so when they open Big Ten play on the road at Michigan State on Saturday, Sept. 26.
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MICHIGAN
Michigan survives rough opener, remains undefeated in nonconference
Jordan Klein, Football Beat Reporter The Michigan Daily
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he Michigan football team has gotten off to a 3-0 start under firstyear head coach Kyle Whittingham, yet it hasn’t all been smooth sailing. To beat Western Michigan in their first game of the season, the Wolverines needed a last-second hail mary that created a firestorm of controversy throughout college football. Michigan followed up their 13-12 uninspiring win with an emphatic ranked victory against then-No. 11 Oklahoma the following week and destroyed Texas at El Paso in their nonconference finale. Through three games, Michigan’s calling card has been its defense — and that starts up front. The Wolverines’ defensive front has been dominant, tallying up 25 sacks and 10 tackles for loss through three games, marks that raised them to second in the Big Ten in both categories. Their defensive line is led by ends Dom Nichols and Utah transfer John Henry Daley, who have both recorded four tackles-for-loss thus far. Entering the season, the Wolverines’ linebackers were questionable, as their top four producers from last year did not return. However, three weeks in, their linebackers have shown promise. Troy Bowles leads the team with 25 total tackles. In the secondary, new defensive coordinator Jay Hill likes to play a lot of man coverage, and his cornerbacks have embraced the role. Jyaire Hill — who recorded a key interception against the Sooners — and Utah transfer Smith Snowden have been stellar thus far. At safety, sixth-year Rod Moore is
the captain of Michigan’s defense. Yet Moore tore his ACL in spring 2024 and hasn’t played meaningful snaps since. On offense, however, there are more question marks. The Wolverines’ offense looked shaky against Western Michigan and Oklahoma but took a step forward against UTEP scoring 52 points. Simply put, the offense goes as quarterback Bryce Underwood goes. After a shaky year last season, Michigan’s coaches raved about his performance in training camp. However, he didn’t get much going through two games before a strong performance against UTEP. He’s made plays with his legs as well and is the Wolverines’ leading rusher to date. In the passing game, wide receivers JJ Buchanan — another Utah transfer — and Andrew Marsh are the Wolverines’ top weapons. Buchanan caught the 47-yard hail mary touchdown to beat Western Michigan and already has 266 yards on the year. Marsh has gotten off to a slower start, but he and Underwood established a strong connection last season, which he finished with 651 yards. On the ground, Jordan Marshall and Savion Hiter have gotten off to slow starts. Marshall rushed for 981 yards last year while Hiter — a true freshman and five-star recruit — received praise from coaches and teammates alike throughout training camp. Through three games, it’s clear that the Wolverines’ will have a stellar defense. However, the question on offense is Underwood. If the No. 1 re-
cruit in the 2025 class can meet expectations, Michigan very well could be in the College Football Playoff at season’s end. CREDIT: HOLLY BURKHART | THE MICHIGAN DAILY
Quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) warming up before a game.
Thursday September 24th, 2026 | @thelanternosu | 11
OHIO
Ohio State looks to redeem preseason expectations heading into Big Ten Play
Ally Wolfe Sports Editor
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hroughout the offseason, Ohio State football head coach Ryan Day emphasized finishing in the fourth quarter. Yet when the Buckeyes traveled to Austin for their second game of the 2026 season on Sept. 12, they did everything but that. Going into the fourth quarter, the Buckeyes had a 20-point lead. But when the clock read 0:00, the scoreboard read 24-23, with Texas giving Ohio State its first loss of the season and first nonconference defeat since Sept. 11, 2021 against Oregon, before the Ducks joined the Big Ten. Ohio State, now 2-1 in nonconference play, with 56-3 and 59-3 victories over Ball State and Kent State, respectively, will head into its first Big Ten matchup against Illinois Saturday in Ohio Stadium.
Despite large wins over the two MAC opponents, the one point loss to the Longhorns has dropped the Buckeyes from No. 1 to No. 7 in the AP top 25 poll heading into the fourth week of the college football season. With standout wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, who just captured Ohio State’s career receiving-yards record
and is 22 receptions and six touchdowns shy of the two other program receiving records, second-year starting quarterback Julian Sayin and a veteran offensive line, Ohio State’s offense does not seem to be short on production. However, the Buckeyes have converted just 36.4 percent of their third downs on offense, which ranks last in the Big Ten. On the defensive side, the Buckeyes have allowed just 10 points per game through three games, with Texas accounting for all but six of the points. Ohio State’s defense has only allowed a touchdown in one of the team’s 12 quarters played this season. However, the final quarter in Austin proved Ohio State will need to improve at the end of games. Despite losing to the current No. 1 ranked team in the country, Texas, there are more tests left on the Buckeyes’ remaining schedule. Ohio State will face five more oppo-
CREDIT: CASSANDRA D’ANGELO | SPORTS PHOTO EDITOR
Wide receiver Jeremiah Smith (4) makes a catch in bounds next to the sidelines. Ohio State beat Kent State 59-3 on Sept. 19, 2026.
nents that are currently ranked in the AP top 25 poll, No. 17 Iowa, No. 5 Indiana and No. 12 USC on the road, with No. 20 Oregon and No. 18 Michigan at home. If the Buckeyes expect to return to the College Football Playoff at the end of the regular season, Ohio State will have little room for error as they enter conference play. No team with three losses has made the playoff, making each game more crucial for the once ranked No. 1 Buckeyes.
Read more about the Buckeyes online at www.thelantern.com
Thursday September 24th, 2026 | www.thelantern.com | 12
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