If you were hunting for a massive slate of Big 10 football scores yesterday, you probably noticed the silence was a bit deafening. We are deep in the "calm before the storm" phase of the postseason. Yesterday, January 12, 2026, was a transition day. The dust has barely settled from the absolute demolition we saw in the semifinals, and every fan from Bloomington to Eugene is currently staring at the calendar waiting for the National Championship.
The Big Ten isn't just "in" the conversation this year. It's the conversation.
With the 12-team playoff format now fully integrated into our lives, the rhythm of January has changed. We don't have ten games on a Saturday anymore. We have high-stakes, "loser-goes-home" chess matches that have left the rest of the country wondering how the Midwest suddenly became the epicenter of the football universe.
The Reality of Big 10 Football Scores Yesterday
Honestly, there were no live Big Ten games yesterday. I know, it's a bummer if you were looking for a Monday night fix. But the reason is significant: Indiana and Oregon have effectively cleared the schedule.
We are currently in the gap between the CFP Semifinals and the National Championship. The most recent "real" scores involve the Hoosiers' absolute clinic against Oregon in the Peach Bowl and Miami's narrow escape against Ole Miss. If you’re checking the wire for scores from yesterday, you’re mostly going to find people arguing about Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza or debating if Oregon’s season was a "failure" despite making the final four.
The Scores That Still Matter
Since yesterday was a recovery day for the athletes (and the fans' livers), these are the most recent results that are actually dictating the conversation right now:
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- CFP Semifinal (Peach Bowl): #1 Indiana 56, #5 Oregon 22
- CFP Semifinal (Fiesta Bowl): #10 Miami 31, #6 Ole Miss 27
- Quarterfinal Flashback (Rose Bowl): #1 Indiana 38, #9 Alabama 3
- Quarterfinal Flashback (Cotton Bowl): #10 Miami 24, #2 Ohio State 14
The Big Ten technically went 1-1 in the semifinals because, well, they were playing each other. That Indiana vs. Oregon game was supposed to be a heavyweight bout. Instead, it was a track meet where Oregon forgot their shoes.
Why Indiana is Breaking Everyone's Brain
Nobody—and I mean nobody—predicted Curt Cignetti would have the Hoosiers at 15-0. If you told a Vegas shark two years ago that Indiana would beat Alabama by 35 in the Rose Bowl and then hang 56 on Dan Lanning’s Ducks, they’d have had you committed.
Mendoza has been surgical. He’s not just a "Miami native playing his former hometown team" in the upcoming final; he’s a guy who looks like he’s playing a video game on Easy mode. In that last game against Oregon, he threw five touchdowns. Five. Against a secondary that was supposed to be elite.
It’s weird to say, but the Big Ten is currently being headlined by a school known for basketball and soccer. The "Old Guard" of Michigan and Ohio State are watching from the sidelines. Ohio State fans are particularly salty because they had to watch Miami (the ACC's last hope) take them out 24-14 in the Cotton Bowl.
The Oregon Paradox
Oregon's 2025-2026 campaign is a weird one to digest. They beat Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl, looking like world-beaters. Then they ran into the Indiana buzzsaw. It’s their second year in the Big Ten, and they’ve already made the playoff semifinals. Most programs would kill for that. But in Eugene, "almost" doesn't sell jerseys. The 56-22 scoreline is going to haunt Dan Lanning all offseason.
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What Most People Get Wrong About the New Schedule
A lot of folks are still getting used to the "NFL-style" playoff schedule. They expect games every Saturday and Monday. But the CFP National Championship isn't until January 19, 2026.
That leaves a massive 10-day gap. Yesterday was just Day 3 of that gap.
During this "dead period," the Big Ten isn't playing, but they are winning the transfer portal. While you were looking for scores, Nebraska and Wisconsin were busy locking down four-star defensive linemen. The "scores" that happened yesterday were mostly in the recruiting offices.
Recruiting and Portal "Scores" from Yesterday
- Wisconsin added Jayden Everett to the coaching staff, a move meant to bolster a run game that looked sluggish in their bowl loss.
- Minnesota is still riding the high of an OT win against New Mexico in the Rate Bowl (20-17).
- Michigan is reportedly looking at the portal for a veteran QB after their Citrus Bowl disappointment against Texas (27-41).
The Big Ten's Stranglehold on 2026
The conference finished the regular season with seven teams in the Top 25. That’s absurd.
We saw Iowa beat Vanderbilt 34-27 in the ReliaQuest Bowl, proving that even a "down" year for the Hawkeyes involves a trophy. Penn State handled Clemson 22-10 in the Pinstripe Bowl. Even Northwestern got in on the action, beating Central Michigan 34-7.
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When you look at the collective Big 10 football scores from this bowl season, the narrative that the SEC is the only "power" conference is officially dead. The Big Ten is deeper, richer, and—at least this year—way more dominant at the top.
Actionable Insights for the National Championship
Since there were no games yesterday, your focus should shift to the betting lines and roster health for the 19th.
- Watch the Spread: Indiana opened as an 8.5-point favorite against Miami, but that has moved. Some books have it at -7.5 now. People are starting to buy into the Carson Beck/Miami "Team of Destiny" narrative.
- Mendoza’s Health: Keep an eye on the Hoosiers' injury report. Fernando Mendoza took a couple of hard hits late in the Oregon game. If he’s even at 90%, Indiana is dangerous. If he’s less, Miami has a window.
- The "Home" Field Trap: The game is at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. It’s a home game for the Hurricanes, but Mendoza is a Miami native. He’s going to have a massive local cheering section, which might neutralize the crowd noise advantage.
The best thing you can do right now is stop looking for yesterday's scores and start scouting the matchup for next Monday. The Big Ten is on the verge of its third straight national title (after Michigan and Ohio State’s recent runs). If Indiana pulls this off, it's the greatest turnaround in the history of the sport. Period.
Check back later this week as we get closer to kickoff. The practice reports coming out of Bloomington and Coral Gables are going to be way more telling than any scores from a quiet Monday in January.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Review the Indiana vs. Oregon tape to see how the Hoosiers' defense forced three first-half turnovers.
- Monitor the transfer portal entries for Michigan and Ohio State; both programs are expected to be aggressive this week.
- Lock in your viewing plans for January 19—kickoff is set for 7:30 PM ET on ESPN.