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Ohio State has been selected as the favorite to win the Big Ten football championship in the 2026 Cleveland.com Preseason Big Ten Football Poll. The Buckeyes received 15 first-place votes, narrowly edging out Oregon, which garnered 11 first-place votes. Defending national champion Indiana secured third place with five first-place votes, followed by USC and Michigan.
The poll, which has been conducted by Cleveland.com since 2011, involved 31 media members who cover the Big Ten. This marks the 10th time Ohio State has been picked as the preseason favorite. Despite this, the Buckeyes have only won the conference three times when selected as the top team. The poll's accuracy has been mixed, with only four correct predictions in its 15-year history.
Ohio State enters the season under the leadership of head coach Ryan Day, now in his eighth year. The team boasts a strong offense led by quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. On defense, Matt Patricia returns for his second season as defensive coordinator. The Buckeyes face high expectations as they aim to reclaim the Big Ten title.
The Big Ten Media Days will take place in Chicago from Tuesday (July 28) to Thursday (July 30), where coaches and players will discuss the upcoming season. The conference will also release a watch list of players but will not provide a predicted finish.