Indiana, Michigan and USC are the most challenging matchups for the Scarlet Knights, who will entertain each of those preseason top-15s at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. Rutgers has a favorable shot at getting off to a hot start in September against UMass, Boston College and Howard before reality sets in for Greg Schiano's team.

Some of these matchups go head-to-head against the best games on the SEC’s 2026 schedule, such as Georgia at Alabama on Oct. 10, Ole Miss at Texas on Oct. 24 and Alabama at LSU on Nov. 7. But the Big Ten’s schedule should be deep enough to counter its rival conference on most weeks.

The Iowa Hawkeyes football team has its three toughest games of the 2026 season in back-to-back-to-back weeks, starting in late September.

A delay in the rollout of the Big Ten schedule seems to have helped the league create a slate devoid of dud Saturdays and configured to optimize fan interest and media attention.