Picking USC-Fresno State and other Week 1 Big Ten football games
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The Big Ten football season began with USC versus San Jose State. Now the full conference gets into the swing of things for 2026 this week. It starts with Rutgers on Thursday evening and carries into Labor Day weekend. Let's make some picks!
UMass at Rutgers (Thursday)
Rutgers 38, UMass 10 - Nothing about UMass football is competitive or particularly competent, until proven otherwise. This is not a good Rutgers team, but it should cruise on this night.
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UAB at Illinois (Thursday)
Illinois 40, UAB 14 - UAB is a far cry from what it was a few seasons ago. New head coach Alex Mortensen has a lot of work to do in Birmingham.
Toledo at Michigan State (Friday)
MSU 24, Toledo 21 - This game figures to be close. Michigan State is starting over under new coach Pat Fitzgerald.
Fresno State at USC (Friday)
USC 34, Fresno State 20 -- Matt Entz, a former USC linebacker coach under Lincoln Riley, returns to face the Trojans. He knows how Lincoln operates, so I don't expect a total blowout here.
North Texas at Indiana
Indiana 42, North Texas 14 -- The defending national champions begin their season. North Texas lost its coach and quarterback in the offseason. Indiana's season opener usually is a little sluggish. The team needs a few weeks to settle into the season.
Ohio at Nebraska
Nebraska 27, Ohio 13 - The Husker offense is not convincing. Matt Rhule is not convincing. The defense is what will enable the Cornhuskers to beat Ohio.
Ball State at Ohio State
Ohio State 55, Ball State 3 -- The Buckeyes have a lot to prove after losing in the playoff quarterfinals last season.
Boise State at Oregon
Oregon 45, Boise State 24 -- The Ducks welcome Boise State on a day when the Broncos play their first game as a Pac-12 member school (and Oregon isn't). This is a weird case of role reversal.
Marshall at Penn State
Penn State 31, Marshall 10 - The Nittany Lions begin their new era under Matt Campbell.
Northern Illinois at Iowa
Iowa 30, Northern Illinois 7 -- Iowa gets a soft opener before the bigger games to come.
Western Michigan at Michigan
Michigan 31, WMU 10 -- Kyle Whittingham begins his new coaching tenure in Ann Arbor.
UCLA vs California
UCLA 27, Cal 24 -- Bob Chesney looks like the real thing in Westwood. He will beat Cal to start his tenure with the Bruins.
Washington State at Washington (Sunday)
UW 34, Washington State 20 - A lot is expected of the Huskies this season. They play the Apple Cup in their season opener.
Wisconsin vs Notre Dame (Sunday - Green Bay, Wisconsin)
Notre Dame 24, Wisconsin 6 -- The Irish have an elite defense. We will see where their offense is in Week 1. Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell is on the hot seat this year.
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This article originally appeared on Trojans Wire: Picking USC-Fresno State and other Week 1 Big Ten football games