You gotta be kidding me with what UCLA is pulling off halfway through this 2026 college football season. Under first-year coach Bob Chesney, these Bruins have aced every single test, and I mean *every single one*. This squad is vying for a spot in Indianapolis, and they’ve earned it, full stop.
UCLA’s Unstoppable Roll Has the Big Ten On Notice
Seriously, this UCLA team is built different. You think a road trip to Eugene would be tough? Nope, they won it. Hosting Wisconsin with backup Ty Dieffenbach starting for an injured Nico Iamaleava? Still a win. The defense, man, that unit has taken immense strides, setting UCLA up to do some real damage down the stretch. They are legit, and it’s awesome to see. And hey, shoutout to Northwestern and Iowa, who are also overachieving like crazy, making some noise where nobody expected it.
Penn State’s Season Is Officially Stuck in the Mud
But then you swing to the other side of the country and the conference, and it’s a completely different vibe. First-year coach Matt Campbell at Penn State is having the exact opposite experience. This dude is still looking for his first Big Ten win, which is just wild. The Nittany Lions have totally squandered what looked like one of the softest schedules in the Power Four. What a mess. Fifth-year senior Rocco Becht was supposed to provide a high floor at quarterback, but the offense has been absolutely stuck in the mud for weeks now. It’s rough to watch. And it’s not just them, even marquee brands like Michigan, Oregon, and Washington haven’t impressed one bit.
Illinois’ Defensive Woes and Indiana’s Unanswered Questions
Let’s dig into some of the other teams. Illinois, sitting at 3-3 overall and 1-2 in conference play, has a defense that’s just a major problem. We’re talking bottom-five in the Big Ten for yards allowed per game (375.2), passing yards per game (248.3), and points allowed per game (27.8). And get this, they rank 111th nationally in yards allowed per play at a whopping 6.46. I mean, they gave up 37 points to Michigan State! To make things even worse, their offense could be limited moving forward with Katin Houser undergoing hand surgery. Right now, getting three more wins for a bowl game is a serious question mark for them. They’re looking at a D+.
Then you have No. 6 Indiana, who are 6-1 overall and 3-1 in the Big Ten. They’ve only got one blemish, a four-point loss to Ohio State. Honestly, if Nick Marsh just gets his foot in bounds, they’re undefeated! Talk about a game of inches. But even with that record, they still face questions. Their offense went absolutely wild in the first five games against overwhelmed opponents, but they’ve only scored 35 points in their last two games combined. Josh Hoover has missed some throws, and the run game has really leveled off after a hot start. They’re sitting pretty at 6-1, but the second half of the season will show us if they can keep it up. They’re rocking a B+.
This second half of the season is going to be wild. Can UCLA keep this incredible run going and lock down a spot in Indianapolis? Will Matt Campbell and Penn State *ever* get a Big Ten win? And can Illinois scrape together enough wins to even sniff a bowl? We’re all watching to see how this shakes out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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