What the Big Ten Standings Show is Ohio State's Biggest Concern Moving Forward

The Big Ten football standings are beginning to take shape as October begins, with direct implications for Ohio State.

Oct 3, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day looks on during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Week 6 in college football, specifically in the Big Ten, kicked off Friday night with the Iowa Hawkeyes, the Ohio State Buckeyes' previous opponent, beginning a road swing with the Washington Huskies in Seattle.

But that isn't the only Big Ten game worth noting.

The top half of the league is beginning to pull away from the bottom. Of course, Ohio State is squarely in the top-tier conversation as it enters Saturday's game against Maryland (4:15 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network) as a 30-plus-point favorite and a possible Big Ten title contender.

Reviewing the standings, though, the Buckeyes aren't quite out of the woods toward an undefeated regular-season.

Big Ten Standings & Ohio State's Impact

An Ohio State Buckeyes football helmet sits on the sideline prior to the NCAA football game against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal–Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas on Sept. 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Buckeyes will face the Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington next Saturday for a Big Ten title rematch. Whoever wins will take the head-to-head tiebreaker and show the College Football Playoff Committee that elite status is still possible.

Shifting to November, a banged-up Oregon Ducks team heads to Columbus, with quarterback Dante Moore possibly out on Saturday, Nov. 7. The following week, a rising contender in the Northwestern Wildcats heads to Columbus with arguably nothing to lose following an outright upset this past Friday against the Penn State Nittany Lions.

Making matters shakier, the Michigan Wolverines could be in freefall following back-to-back losses to Iowa and Minnesota. Sitting at 2-3, the Wolverines may have to run the table or drop one game to save their season. Or, better yet, first-year coach Kyle Whittingham's reputation in Ann Arbor going forward.

That game, better known as "The Game," is scheduled for Thanksgiving weekend as the Buckeyes look to continue their momentum from rivalry week. However, the game is in Columbus, as the Buckeyes silenced Michigan Stadium last year with a 27-9 victory.

With the Big Ten's first month complete, the general consensus is that any team can beat anyone. A prime example is last week's Cannon Trophy game. The Illinois Fighting Illini were upended by the Purdue Boilermakers in a 24-17 stunner after dropping back-to-back rivalry games.

The game gave Barry Odom his first Big Ten win, as Purdue improved its record to 2-3 while the Illini dell to 2-3 with back-to-back losses.

Better yet, upsets are bound to happen in college football, as are field storms. Unfortunately, the Buckeyes know the feeling all too well. The simple narratives going into October are clear: no lead is safe, and home-field advantage isn't either.