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Big Ten Title Race
Can Northwestern reach the Big Ten Championship Game?
Yes, mathematically. Northwestern is 1-1 in conference play, 1 game back of the second title-game spot with 7 conference games left.
Where Northwestern stands
| # | Team | Conf | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Indiana Hoosiers | 2-0 | 5-0 |
| 2 |  Nebraska Cornhuskers | 2-0 | 5-0 |
| 3 |  UCLA Bruins | 2-0 | 4-0 |
| 4 |  Ohio State Buckeyes | 2-0 | 4-1 |
| 5 |  Wisconsin Badgers | 2-0 | 4-1 |
| 6 |  Minnesota Golden Gophers | 2-0 | 4-1 |
| 7 |  Oregon Ducks | 1-0 | 3-1 |
| 8 |  USC Trojans | 2-1 | 5-1 |
| 9 |  Iowa Hawkeyes | 1-1 | 4-1 |
| 10 |  Northwestern Wildcats | 1-1 | 3-1 |
| 11 |  Purdue Boilermakers | 1-1 | 2-3 |
| 12 |  Penn State Nittany Lions | 0-2 | 3-2 |
| 13 |  Washington Huskies | 0-2 | 3-2 |
| 14 |  Michigan Wolverines | 0-2 | 3-2 |
| 15 |  Illinois Fighting Illini | 0-2 | 2-3 |
| 16 |  Maryland Terrapins | 0-2 | 2-3 |
| 17 |  Michigan State Spartans | 0-2 | 2-3 |
| 18 |  Rutgers Scarlet Knights | 0-2 | 1-4 |
Source: CollegeFootballData via the CFB Data Hub, retrieved 2026-10-07. 7 conference games remaining for Northwestern.
What Northwestern needs
Northwestern is 1 game back of the second spot with 7 conference games left, so it needs to win and have the teams above it lose. Beating them head-to-head is the cleanest route.
Model every remaining game yourself with the Big Ten title race calculator, or track the live table on the standings page.
How Northwestern can reach the Big Ten Championship Game
The top two in the Big Ten standings play for the title, with head-to-head as the first tiebreaker. Here is the route for Northwestern.
- Win the conference games left Northwestern is 1-1 in conference play with 7 to go. Every conference win moves it up the table.
- Win the head-to-heads Head-to-head is the first Big Ten tiebreaker, so beating the teams level with Northwestern matters most.
- Track it live Model each remaining result in the title race calculator and watch the standings update week to week.
Will Northwestern reach the Big Ten Championship Game in 2026?
Tap your pick, it saves on this device.
The rest of the race
Check the other teams' paths: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Nebraska, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA, USC, Washington, Wisconsin.
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Can Northwestern reach the Big Ten Championship Game in 2026?
Yes, mathematically. Northwestern is 1-1 in conference play, 1 game back of the second title-game spot with 7 conference games left. The two teams with the best conference records meet in the Big Ten Championship Game, and head-to-head results break ties. This page updates from the live standings after every game.
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Frequently asked questions
Can Northwestern still reach the Big Ten Championship Game?
Yes, mathematically. Northwestern is 1-1 in conference play, 1 game back of the second title-game spot with 7 conference games left.
How does a team reach the Big Ten Championship Game?
The top two teams in the final Big Ten standings, by conference record, meet in the title game. Ties are broken by the conference's tiebreaker procedure, which starts with head-to-head results.
When did Northwestern last win the Big Ten?
Northwestern won the Big Ten in 1995.