Why Ohio State Is The Big Ten’s Best Chance To Dethrone Indiana In 2026

While talking to my guy Danny Parkins on FOX Sports’ First Things First on Tuesday, we discussed a number of topics around my Ultimate 138 College Football Rankings ahead of the 2026 season. I found his questions both poignant and timely. From whether I believe Indiana can repeat as national champs, to who my sleeper pick is for the national championship, it was all there in the conversation. If you missed it, here’s what we talked about. Danny Parkins: Before we really dig into it, can you just take us through what ranking 138 football teams actually entails? RJ Young: This ranking reflects the reverence the sport (and I) has for winning every game you play and winning against the rate of perceived exertion — aka strength of schedule — since we began pitting the “haves” against the “have-even-mores.” Parkins: We may as well stay right at the top where you seem to be higher than most on Indiana. You’ve got them at No. 1 on your preseason rankings, are you picking the Hoosiers to repeat? Young: I’m not picking them to repeat. But could they go back-to-back? They’re as capable as UGA was in 2022, especially if the defense can be stingy again — No. 2 scoring defense. The Hoosiers were as good at protecting the ball this year as last. IU didn’t commit a single turnover during their run through the CFP. Running back Turbo Richard was a 1,000-yard back at BC last year. Curt Cignetti earned that — not just this last year but the year before. They’re 27-2 over the last two years with a Big Ten title, a Heisman winner, a national title and the No. 1 pick in this year’s draft because Cignetti coaches that team. They returned both coordinators, installed a talented passer in Josh Hoover and have formed their habits for winning. Now their habits have formed them into winners. Parkins: Let’s stay in state. You seem to be lower than most on Notre Dame ranking them sixth, but they’re tied for the best odds to win the national title, their quarterback, CJ Carr, has the best odds to win the Heisman. What’s stopping the Fighting Irish this season? Young: Notre Dame gave up 17.6 a game and just 313 yards. It’ll be stout again with cornerback Leonard Moore acting like a personified surface-to-air missile. The firm of Love and Price were each first round picks in this year’s NFL Draft, and both were first-round picks. That duo was more dynamic than Batman and Robin: over 2,000 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground. Notre Dame tailback Aneyas Williams isn’t a household name, and he’ll have to be for this team to win its first national title since 1988. The magic number is 140. Notre Dame was 10-0 when it rushed for at least 140 yards in a game last season. Finally, Notre Dame lost to Miami last year. Means you gotta prove you can beat the Hurricanes this year. Parkins: Ohio State came in at No. 1 in the AP’s preseason poll, No. 2 on yours. They’ve got two guys ranking in the top seven for Heisman odds in quarterback Julian Sayin and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith. Are the Buckeyes the No. 1 pick to stop Indiana from winning the Big Ten again? Young: Without question. On Oct. 17th, the Buckeyes will walk into the loudest, fullest stadium in Hoosier history with an embarrassing Big Ten title loss to avenge, and IU will be out to show one more time who really runs things above the Mason-Dixon Line. It will be absolute cinema, and I am seated. Parkins: Curt Cignetti called out the rest of college football at media day saying the “Big Ten is the best league in football.” Do you agree with him? Young: Yes, I agree with him. Three national titles in three years while the SEC hasn’t even been represented in the national title game since the 2022 season. The SEC is looking up at the Big Ten, and that could be the order of the conferences for the foreseeable future. Parkins: Arch Manning might be the most polarizing player in college football and the hype train is back on for Texas. Only Notre Dame and Ohio State have better title odds and Arch is No. 2 in Heisman odds. Will Arch live up to the hype this year? Young: Fear that man. He’s not getting worse, and he was damn good to finish the last half of the season in 2025. He’s got size. He’s got speed, and he’s accurate with that supersoaker water cannon he calls an arm. Parkins: Last year’s Indiana Hoosiers entered the college football season with 100-to-1 odds to win the title then proceeded to do so. Who ya got as this year’s dark-horse title candidate? Young: (Lincoln) Riley had the best offense in the Big Ten last year with 465 and change. But the magic number is 130: USC was 8-0 when it rushed for 130 yards or more in a game last year. Running backs King Miller and Waymond Jordan is the best duo Riley has had in the backfield since Joe Mixon and Samaje Perine. It’s one of the best offensive play-callers the sport has ever seen in Lincoln Riley and one of the best defensive play-callers the sport has ever seen in Gary Patterson. They essentially have eight home games and the toughest road game is at Indiana. USC has to go through Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon. Parkins: Lane Kiffin’s been making headlines all offseason, but we’re getting close to his LSU Tigers finally opening their season against Clemson. What are realistic expectations for his first in Baton Rouge? Young: Make the CFP. After making Kiffin one of the highest-paid coaches in the sport — one of just three making $13 million or more annually — and spending a reported $40 million on the 2026 roster, the Tigers must be one of the 12 teams selected for the CFP to justify such an expense. Parkins: You said we’re about to watch the most competitive season of college football ever and that it’s never been harder to win. Why is that? Young: Two words: Skilled labor. As I wrote at the top of the 138, NIL- and portal-driven parity, rosters are capped at 105, teams play more games than ever and players are getting experience earlier than ever, and the ever-spinning coaching carousel among the contributors. With more money than ever invested in the sport and a flattening of the talent across the board, this will be the most competitive season of the sport we’ve ever seen.