Ohio State vs. Indiana blockbuster Big Ten title game rematch 2026 date revealed

The narrative in college football has shifted almost entirely. For the last three years, the Big Ten has dominated the sport, and Monday night saw the Indiana Hoosiers' turn to join the party with a 27-21 national title win vs. the Miami Hurricanes.

This also validates the Ohio State Buckeyes' season. Although the Buckeyes didn't win a national title for the second straight season, they did lose to the two teams that played each other in the national title game, meaning Ohio State was close to glory but failed to ultimately secure it.

Next Tuesday marks the official release of the Big Ten football schedule for the 2026 season, and there is already some way-too-early buzz about where the Buckeyes stand entering the fall.

Even though the full schedule isn't released yet, the Big Ten announced Tuesday morning that the Hoosiers would host the Buckeyes Oct. 17 in Bloomington.

Indiana will host Ohio State on Oct. 17. Remainder of Big Ten schedule will be released next Tuesday
— Brett McMurphy (@Brett_McMurphy) January 20, 2026

Why The Big Ten Title Game Rematch Could Define The Season

It's clear the conference is capitalizing on the upcoming season's momentum. The Hoosiers took down Ohio State in the conference title game, officially earning them the No. 1 ranking in college football to set up an historic run of dominance that included wins in the Rose Bowl vs. Alabama (38-3) and Peach Bowl vs. Oregon (56-22) to set up the title game vs. the Hurricanes.

Meanwhile, Miami's Cotton Bowl upset against the Buckeyes marked a costly upset for Ryan Day's team, marked by inconsistency and what should have, or could have, been.

Wiping the slate clean, the Buckeyes return quarterback Julian Sayin and star wideout Jeremiah Smith, as Smith enters his junior season as a highly-touted prospect attempting to make waves ahead of the 2027 NFL Draft.

It is unknown what network will air the game at this time, as fans speculated under Brett McMurphy's tweet that it could go to "FOX Big Noon Kickoff" or see it take the mid-afternoon route with CBS broadcasting the game.

It isn't out of the question to consider "Big Ten Saturday Night Football" on NBC either, as Bloomington was rocking when the Hoosiers dominated the Illinois Fighting Illini 63-10 in front of a national TV audience in mid-September. It was the first time the college football community really raised eyebrows and thought, 'Oh, Indiana might be legit."

Sure enough, it was. A 16-0 season with an upset of the defending champs was validation enough. Now it's Ohio State's turn to regain it.