Big Ten Media Days Opens in Chicago With Ohio State Atop Preseason Poll

Big Ten football media days opened Tuesday in Chicago, marking the unofficial start of the 2026 college football season. The three-day event features press conferences with coaches and player representatives from across the conference, with full coverage provided by the Big Ten Network beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET each day. Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti was scheduled to open proceedings with a media availability at 11:45 a.m. Eastern.

The backdrop for the gathering is a preseason poll compiled by Cleveland.com that installed Ohio State as the favorite to win the Big Ten Championship. The Buckeyes received 540 points and 15 votes to win the conference title. Oregon sits second with 527 points and 11 championship votes, while defending national champion Indiana checks in third at 509 points — earning just five championship votes despite last season's title run.

Poll Standings and Storylines

Penn State, which was picked to finish sixth in the poll, sent new head coach Matt Campbell to Chicago along with player representatives Rocco Becht, Anthony Donkoh, and Tony Rojas. Campbell was the third coach scheduled to speak Tuesday, with his podium time set for 1:00 p.m. ET. Nebraska, projected 11th with 246 points, also made the trip. Head coach Matt Rhule arrives with a 19-19 overall record and a 10-17 conference mark through three seasons, though he recently received a two-year contract extension tying him to the program through 2032. Under Rhule, Nebraska ended a nearly decade-long bowl drought and posted back-to-back winning seasons for the first time in over ten years.

Nebraska's outlook for 2026 centers heavily on quarterback Anthony Colandrea, a transfer from UNLV who earned Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year honors. Wisconsin sits 12th in the poll with 207 points, while Minnesota ranks 10th at 268 points. The bottom of the standings features UCLA, Northwestern, Maryland, Michigan State, Rutgers, and Purdue, with the Boilermakers last at 45 points.

The full three-day schedule includes coaches and player breakout sessions throughout each day, with each scheduled press conference running approximately 15 minutes. Coverage is available on the Big Ten Network and via Fubo for those streaming the event.