Big Ten football will deliver a high-profile clash this week between the USC Trojans and the Indiana Hoosiers. USC and many other teams in the Big Ten will use Week 11 as a time to establish the resume needed to make the College Football Playoff.
Here is how Week 11 of the Big Ten football season will pan out:
Illinois at UCLA (Friday)
The UCLA Bruins will further prove their status as a contender in this game, steamrolling the Illinois Fighting Illini 48-10. The Bruins' defense will give Illinois no room to breathe, and Ty Dieffenbach will be a star.
Northwestern at Ohio State
No Aidan Chiles this week again for the Northwestern Wildcats; I think Ohio State gets back on the right track this week. Ohio State will win this game at home and finally get some confidence restored. Tavien St. Clair will be
the Buckeyes quarterback who leads Ohio State to a 31-17 win.
Wisconsin at Maryland
The Wisconsin Badgers have not been able to consistently play at a high level. Each week they look like a different team. That will open the door for the Maryland Terrapins to give them a scare. Malik Washington will be the reason this game is too close for comfort. Washington will be the best player on the field, but the Badgers, due to having more talent, will squeak out of this one, 30-27.
Nebraska at Rutgers
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights will be shorthanded this week with star receiver KJ Duff out for the rest of the season. You take away the NFL talent from Rutgers, and this team is legitimately the worst team in the conference. This game will reveal that once again. Anthony Colandrea and the Nebraska Cornhuskers will cruise past Rutgers 40-7.
USC at Indiana
USC Trojans are on the road this week, and I think they will put the road woes narrative to bed. This is the biggest game of the season for USC. If they can win this game, they will be taken seriously. Indiana Hoosiers have not had a domiant win since the start of the season. Every team has played them close; USC has too much talent for that same strategy to benefit Indiana. I like the Trojans to pull off the upset win 31-24.
Michigan at Oregon
The Michigan Wolverines are a loss this season; things are at rock bottom for them. The Oregon Ducks, on the other hand, are chasing a College Football Playoff bid. The Oregon Ducks will be the blow that has been a disastrous season for Michigan. Dylan Raiola and the Oregon Ducks will continue to heat up at the wrong time with a 28-14 win over Michigan.
Washington vs Michigan State
Demond Williams and the Washington Huskies, even with their road struggles this season, have way too much talent to fumble this game on the road. Demond Williams will end the season on a high note, getting a couple wins, starting this week. The Huskies will win 38-17.
Minnesota vs Penn State
There are not many places more high-stakes than the Penn State Nittany Lions on the road. Penn State still is not the team they used to be and has already lost a home game to the USC Trojans. The Minnesota Gophers already have a few upsets under their belt. They will add another one this week, knocking off Penn State 24-21 on the road. P.J. Fleck is having a very underrated season at Minnesota.
Purdue vs Iowa
The Iowa Hawkeyes are another Big Ten team headed for contention for the College Football Playoff. They will use a game like this to prove how truly dominant they are. The Hawkeyes' defense will stifle the Purdue Boilermakers, and I think Hank Brown has his best game of the season. This will be an all-around victory for the Hawkeyes. Iowa will win 49-14.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Big Ten Week 11: USC vs Indiana will define rest of the 2026 season
