Ohio State Tops Big Ten Rankings as Nebraska Faces Oregon

Ohio State and Indiana remain at the top of the Big Ten football standings after Week 6, while Nebraska and Oregon enter their next matchup looking to recover from narrow losses. The latest conference rankings, published by 247Sports on October 11, 2026, place Ohio State first and Indiana second, with both teams preparing for a crucial contest that could reshape the conference race.

Ohio State improved to 5-1 overall and 3-0 in conference play after defeating Maryland 45-16. Indiana remained unbeaten at 6-0 overall and 3-0 in the Big Ten, having escaped Nebraska with a 20-17 victory. The Hoosiers are scheduled to face Ohio State next, while Nebraska travels to Oregon.

Nebraska fell to 5-1 overall and 2-1 in conference play after its three-point defeat to Indiana. Despite the setback, the Cornhuskers retained sixth place in the 247Sports rankings. Oregon dropped from third to fifth after losing 17-15 at home to UCLA, leaving the Ducks at 3-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play.

The Oregon defeat also raised questions about the quarterback position. According to the Free Press, Dan Lanning benched starter Dylan Raiola after he completed six passes for 43 yards and threw two interceptions. Third-string quarterback Brock Thomas completed 11 of 15 passes for 156 yards after entering the game.

Oregon previously strengthened its standing with a 14-point road victory over USC. However, its inconsistent performances and loss to UCLA have increased the importance of the upcoming game against Nebraska, according to 247Sports' conference analysis.

UCLA also gained national recognition following its victory in Eugene. The Bruins moved to 12th in the Coaches Poll and 12th in the AP Top 25, according to the Free Press report published October 11. Their win over Oregon followed a strong performance that further complicated the conference rankings.

USC defeated Penn State 31-23 in the Nittany Lions' White Out game, improving to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in conference play, according to the 247Sports rankings. The Trojans' victory came after a 31-23 win at Penn State and helped maintain their position among the conference's stronger teams, although narrow wins against Washington and Rutgers raised questions about their consistency.

Purdue emerged as another team gaining ground after a 41-13 victory over Minnesota. The Boilermakers improved to 3-3 overall and 2-1 in the Big Ten, moving from 14th to 10th in the 247Sports rankings. Minnesota, which had recently defeated Michigan, fell to 4-2 overall after the loss.

Elsewhere, Iowa defeated Washington 41-24, while Illinois edged Michigan State 38-37 in overtime. Northwestern beat Ball State 45-14, and Ohio State's victory over Maryland reinforced its position at the top of the conference rankings.

The Free Press also reported that Indiana ranked fourth in the Week 7 Coaches Poll and fifth in the AP Top 25. Ohio State placed fifth in the Coaches Poll and fourth in the AP rankings. Oregon appeared 25th in the Coaches Poll and received additional votes in the AP poll, while Nebraska received votes in both rankings without entering either top 25.

The next schedule features several important conference matchups, including Ohio State at Indiana, Nebraska at Oregon, and Wisconsin at UCLA. Wisconsin enters its game with a 4-1 overall record and a 2-0 conference mark in the 247Sports rankings, while UCLA seeks to extend its momentum after beating Oregon.