Breaking down the 2026 Big Ten schedule: The SEC factor, premier Saturdays, brutal back-to-backs and more

Big Ten football is on such a good roll, even snags morph into advantages.

Consider the demise — err, pause — in the USC-Notre Dame series, which is deeply unfortunate for both the conference and the sport.

The ancient rivals’ haggling over future matchups, and the eventual decision to cancel the 2026 game, forced the Trojans to find a 12th opponent. That, in turn, prompted a delay in the Big Ten’s schedule rollout by more than a month, to Tuesday — well after the SEC schedule was revealed in early December.