Overview
- Two independent preseason polls released before Media Days on July 27 put Ohio State first, with USA TODAY giving the Buckeyes 11 of 16 first-place votes and Cleveland.com awarding them the most points and 15 of 31 first-place votes.
- Big Ten Media Days began July 28 at the Hilton Chicago with coaches and players speaking live on the Big Ten Network to frame expectations for the 2026 season.
- USA TODAY named Ohio State receiver Jeremiah Smith the preseason Offensive Player of the Year and Indiana linebacker Rolijah Hardy the preseason Defensive Player of the Year while the conference’s preseason recognitions included Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin.
- Penn State, now coached by Matt Campbell, entered Media Days as a hard-to-predict team after a major roster overhaul driven by heavy transfer inflow and was generally projected around sixth in media rankings.
- The Big Ten’s recent run of national champions raises playoff stakes for multiple teams and makes coaching changes plus transfer movement key factors that could quickly reshape contenders during the season.