The Iowa Hawkeyes have a chance to reach greater heights this season, as do the UCLA Bruins. Both teams are legitimate Big Ten contenders. The Big Ten is proving that what happens in one season doesn't easily get replicated in the next. The 2026 season is different from 2025 on multiple levels. With the win against Penn State, the USC Trojans
are being taken more seriously as a contender in the Big Ten.Here is what we learned following Week 6 in the Big Ten:
UCLA is here to stay
The Bruins won a physical game that gave both teams a ton of adversity. The Bruins lost their starting quarterback in the first half; still, it did not matter, as Wayne Knight took the burden off the backup quarterback. The Bruins' defense also played lights out. They took care of business
against their toughest opponent on the schedule; they could be headed towards an Indiana-level season.
Northwestern is a dangerous Big Ten team
Northwestern is no longer a team just taking advantage of their schedule. This is a well-balanced, good football team. The run game meets the criteria for a winning football team. However, this past week against Ball State, it was Aidan Chiles who lit up the opposing defense all game long. He threw for 272 yards and 3 touchdowns. This is the perfect time for the Wildcats to be relevant again, as they have the best stadium in Chicago now. Oregon and Iowa both need to bring their A game when it comes time to face the Wildcats.
Indiana is not as good as we thought
Indiana has been in 2 really close battles, and that is understandable, seeing how good those teams have looked to start the year. However, this Hoosiers team is not nearly as dominant as it was last year or the year before. They have not been winning games convincingly. They have been getting outperformed by their opponents for a lot of the game, and then they prevail in the end because they are the better team. That will not cut it against Ohio State and maybe not even USC.
Matt Rhule has done a good job at Nebraska this season
Matt Rhule and the Cornhuskers were big beneficiaries of an easy schedule to start the season. They proved they are a quality team against Indiana. Anthony Colandrea proved himself worthy as well, as he gave the Hoosiers quite the scare. Nebraska looks more like a contender than they have previously, and for that, Rhule deserves some credit.
The Iowa Hawkeyes are a top-echelon team in the Big Ten
The only team that made Iowa look less than was the Ohio State Buckeyes this season. For the rest of their schedule, there is no other Big Ten juggernaut. There is a real shot that this team can head for a very special season. They have the defense, and with Kamari Moulton running the ball, this team has the perfect winning formula. They will finish at the top of the Big Ten this season.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: 5 key takeaways from Big Ten football after Week 6
