Honestly, if you told a college football fan three years ago that we’d be sitting here in mid-January 2026 talking about the Indiana Hoosiers as the undisputed kings of the Big Ten, they’d have laughed you out of the room. But here we are. Yesterday, January 13, didn't feature a live whistle on the gridiron, but the "scores" were settled in the court of public opinion and the national rankings.
The Big Ten has basically vacuumed up the oxygen in the room. While the official Big Ten football scores yesterday show a goose egg because the season is currently in that tense, week-long breath before the National Championship, the impact of what happened over the weekend is still reverberating through every sports bar in the Midwest.
The score that actually matters: Indiana 55, Oregon 26
You've probably seen the highlights by now. If you haven't, you're missing out on a masterclass. In the Peach Bowl semifinal, No. 1 Indiana didn't just beat No. 5 Oregon; they dismantled them. It was 55-26. A blowout.
This win was massive for a few reasons:
- It booked Indiana’s first-ever trip to the National Championship.
- It proved that Curt Cignetti wasn't just "talking a big game" when he took the job.
- It solidified the Big Ten’s claim as the premier conference in the country.
Yesterday was all about the fallout from that score. While there were no games played on Tuesday, January 13, the news cycle was dominated by the fact that the SEC has officially been shut out of the title game. Paul Finebaum, the guy who usually bleeds SEC territory, actually went on air yesterday and admitted the Big Ten is now the "supreme power." That’s a score in itself, isn't it?
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Why Indiana is the story everyone is chasing
It’s kinda wild to think about. Indiana finished their regular season 12-0, then took down Ohio State 13-10 in a defensive slugfest for the Big Ten Championship. Then they demolished Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl.
Thirty-eight to three. Against Alabama.
That score from the quarterfinals is still the one people are talking about at the water cooler. It signaled a shift. The "old guard" of the SEC is currently at home watching film, while the Big Ten prepares to take over Miami.
What happened with the other Big Ten teams?
You might be wondering about the rest of the conference. Since we’re in the postseason, the "scores" are final for almost everyone else. Oregon, despite the loss to Indiana, finished a stellar season. They had that 23-0 shutout against Texas Tech earlier in the bowl cycle, which was actually the largest postseason shutout for a Big Ten school since the late 90s.
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Then you have Ohio State. They lost a heartbreaker to Miami (the Florida version, not the Ohio one) 24-14 in the Cotton Bowl. That’s why we’re looking at a Miami vs. Indiana final. It’s a bit of a weird feeling for Buckeyes fans, seeing their "little brother" from Bloomington representing the conference on the biggest stage while they sit on the sidelines.
The playoff expansion drama heating up
Yesterday, January 13, also brought some heavy behind-the-scenes news regarding how these scores will look in the future. Reports surfaced that the Big Ten is using its current leverage to push for a 24-team playoff.
Think about that for a second.
The conference is essentially saying, "We have so much depth that a 12-team field isn't enough." They want more. Tony Petitti is reportedly playing hardball with the SEC, suggesting that the Big Ten might only agree to a 16-team format if there’s a guaranteed path to 24 teams shortly after. They know they have the upper hand right now because, frankly, the results on the field back it up.
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Looking ahead to Monday night
Since there were no Big Ten football scores yesterday to report in a "live" sense, all eyes are pinned on January 19. That’s the big one.
No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 10 Miami.
It’s being played at Hard Rock Stadium. If Indiana wins, they become only the second Big Ten team to ever win 15 games in a single season. The only other team to do it? The 2023 Michigan squad.
What you should do next:
- Check your local listings for the National Championship watch parties. If you’re in Bloomington, Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall is hosting a massive event on Monday.
- Keep an eye on the transfer portal. Yesterday was a big day for coaching staff moves, with Wisconsin adding Jayden Everett and Robert Steeples to their ranks as they try to keep pace with the Hoosiers' explosion.
- Monitor the CFP negotiations. The deadline for the new format is January 23, so the next ten days will determine if we see even more Big Ten teams in the postseason next year.
The Big Ten isn't just winning games; they're winning the era. Whether you're a die-hard Hoosier or a jaded Buckeye, the "score" of the conference's health has never been higher.