New year, new opportunity to win the Big Ten.
That’s right. Everyone’s favorite college basketball conference in back in force with tons of loaded matchups to come in 2026, one of which even happens today! Lucky us.
Let’s get into the hoops:
No. 24 USC Trojans at No. 9 Michigan State Spartans
- Tip time/TV channel: 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PST on FS1
- KenPom spread: Spartans by 9
So, USC got blown out by Michigan but that’s happening to literally everyone these days so there’s really not much to take from that game. The Trojans’ reward for spending a few days in the mitten state is a date with, ah, Michigan State at the Breslin Center. That’ll
be great.
USC has been hurt by injuries quite a bit, so it’s not all on the Trojans, but they’ll have to find ways to overcome that while scoring on a tough Michigan State defense, which is never easy.
Michigan State’s offense does enough and the Trojan defense hasn’t proven nearly as stifling. The Spartans have homecourt advantage and a better team, it’s hard to see a path to victory for USC here.
No.13 Nebraska Cornhuskers at Ohio State Buckeyes
- Tip time/TV channel: 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT on FS1
- KenPom spread: Huskers by 1
Nebraska is the breakout story of the Big Ten, and maybe college basketball as a whole, this season.
The Huskers own the nation’s longest winning streak at 18 games, dating all the way back to their run in the College Basketball Crown last season. They’ve played some tough teams in the process with wins over Wisconsin, Oklahoma, Illinois and Michigan State to their name.
They’ve already proven it on the road against the Illini. The Buckeyes offer something of a trap game possibility. Ohio State isn’t bad by any means, but leans more toward offense than defense. Bruce Thornton is good enough to make this a game on his own, so that’s something to watch for.
Oregon Ducks at Rutgers Scarlet Knights
- Tip time/TV channel: 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PST on Peacock
- KenPom spread: Ducks by 4
Oregon has had a disappointing start to the 2025-26 season that’s been maligned by injury trouble. They’ll need an outrageously good finish in Big Ten play to feel at all good about this year, so you can’t afford to drop games like this.
Rutgers is pretty in the mud right now. The Scarlet Knights are in a program reset and need direction. There’s time to establish it, but things are looking grim in New Jersey. The Knights put up a fight against Ohio State, but couldn’t close out that game.
Oregon, despite its woes, should win here.
