LSG vs GT IPL 2026 Live Score: Lucknow Super Giants looks to continue winning run against buoyed Gujarat Titans; full squads, toss at 3:00PM IST
LSG vs GT, IPL 2026: Catch all the live updates and highlights from the IPL 2026 match between Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans at the Ekana Stadium, Lucknow on Sunday, April 12.
Gujarat Giants will be looking to continue its winning run.
| Photo Credit:
AP
Gujarat Giants will be looking to continue its winning run.
| Photo Credit:
AP
Welcome to Sportstar’s live coverage of the IPL 2026 match between Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans at the Ekana Stadium, Lucknow on Sunday, April 12!
Lucknow Super Giants comes into this match on the back of consecutive wins after having lost its season-opener, while Gujarat Titans is fresh off its first win in a nailbiter against Delhi Capitals. Victory will push the winner further up the table as things begin to get competitive in the hunt for a playoff spot.
Match details:
Venue: Ekana Stadium, Lucknow
Timing: April 12, 3:30PM IST
Injury news: Lucknow Super Giants will be sweating on the fitness of Mohsin Khan, who has not played since the first match, and has added George Linde to its squad as a replacement for Wanindu Hasaranga. Gujarat Titans is expected to have a fully fit contingent.
Pitch/weather conditions: The pitches at the Ekana Stadium have been tough to decipher, with vastly varying scores although the hot weather conditions may have a telling influence on the state of the pitch.
Welcome!
Hello, and welcome to Sportstar’s live coverage of the IPL 2026 match between Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on April 12!
Stay with us for all the thrills, spills, and updates from today’s first match.
LSG vs GT, IPL 2026: Catch all the live updates and highlights from the IPL 2026 match between Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans at the Ekana Stadium, Lucknow on Sunday, April 12.
Updated : Apr 12, 2026 13:09 IST
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Gujarat Giants will be looking to continue its winning run.
| Photo Credit:
AP
Gujarat Giants will be looking to continue its winning run.
| Photo Credit:
AP
Welcome to Sportstar’s live coverage of the IPL 2026 match between Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans at the Ekana Stadium, Lucknow on Sunday, April 12!
Lucknow Super Giants comes into this match on the back of consecutive wins after having lost its season-opener, while Gujarat Titans is fresh off its first win in a nailbiter against Delhi Capitals. Victory will push the winner further up the table as things begin to get competitive in the hunt for a playoff spot.
Match details:
Venue: Ekana Stadium, Lucknow
Timing: April 12, 3:30PM IST
Injury news: Lucknow Super Giants will be sweating on the fitness of Mohsin Khan, who has not played since the first match, and has added George Linde to its squad as a replacement for Wanindu Hasaranga. Gujarat Titans is expected to have a fully fit contingent.
Pitch/weather conditions: The pitches at the Ekana Stadium have been tough to decipher, with vastly varying scores although the hot weather conditions may have a telling influence on the state of the pitch.
Welcome!
Hello, and welcome to Sportstar’s live coverage of the IPL 2026 match between Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow on April 12!
Stay with us for all the thrills, spills, and updates from today’s first match.
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 21: Kelsey Plum #10 of the Los Angeles Sparks drives to the basket during the game against the New York Liberty on June 21, 2026 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Kelsey Plum’s two-season tenure with the Los Angeles Sparks is likely coming to an end, per LA Times reporter Marisa Ingemi. Ingemi reported that the Sparks will most likely trade Plum by Sunday’s midseason trade deadline, and that they’ve gotten interest from across the league.
Couple of league sources I spoke with this morning said it's "most likely" that the Sparks will trade Kelsey Plum by the Sunday trade deadline. They've gotten multiple calls from other WNBA teams and the plan is to move her.
Plum is in the midst of a historic offensive season, albeit an injury-riddled one. She’s averaging 23.9 points and 6.4 assists, while shooting 52.7% from the field. All of those numbers are career highs. She’s also shooting 38.3% from three, her highest mark since 2023. But she’s appeared in just 12 of 27 games as she’s dealt with an ankle and a lower leg injury. The Sparks are currently out of the playoff mix, holding a 10-17 record and losers of 6 straight games.
Plum signed a one-year, $999,999 contract ahead of the season, after being traded to LA from Las Vegas in a three-team trade that saw the Seattle Storm get the No. 2 pick (and Li Yueru), and Las Vegas acquire Jewell Loyd. While Plum has individually excelled since arriving in Los Angeles, the team missed out on the playoffs in Year 1 and appears on track to do so again.
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 21: Kelsey Plum #10 of the Los Angeles Sparks drives to the basket during the game against the New York Liberty on June 21, 2026 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Kelsey Plum’s two-season tenure with the Los Angeles Sparks is likely coming to an end, per LA Times reporter Marisa Ingemi. Ingemi reported that the Sparks will most likely trade Plum by Sunday’s midseason trade deadline, and that they’ve gotten interest from across the league.
Couple of league sources I spoke with this morning said it's "most likely" that the Sparks will trade Kelsey Plum by the Sunday trade deadline. They've gotten multiple calls from other WNBA teams and the plan is to move her.
Plum is in the midst of a historic offensive season, albeit an injury-riddled one. She’s averaging 23.9 points and 6.4 assists, while shooting 52.7% from the field. All of those numbers are career highs. She’s also shooting 38.3% from three, her highest mark since 2023. But she’s appeared in just 12 of 27 games as she’s dealt with an ankle and a lower leg injury. The Sparks are currently out of the playoff mix, holding a 10-17 record and losers of 6 straight games.
Plum signed a one-year, $999,999 contract ahead of the season, after being traded to LA from Las Vegas in a three-team trade that saw the Seattle Storm get the No. 2 pick (and Li Yueru), and Las Vegas acquire Jewell Loyd. While Plum has individually excelled since arriving in Los Angeles, the team missed out on the playoffs in Year 1 and appears on track to do so again.
#WNBA #AllStar #guard #traded #reports">WNBA All-Star guard will likely be traded, per reports
LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 21: Kelsey Plum #10 of the Los Angeles Sparks drives to the basket during the game against the New York Liberty on June 21, 2026 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Juan Ocampo/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Kelsey Plum’s two-season tenure with the Los Angeles Sparks is likely coming to an end, per LA Times reporter Marisa Ingemi. Ingemi reported that the Sparks will most likely trade Plum by Sunday’s midseason trade deadline, and that they’ve gotten interest from across the league.
Couple of league sources I spoke with this morning said it's "most likely" that the Sparks will trade Kelsey Plum by the Sunday trade deadline. They've gotten multiple calls from other WNBA teams and the plan is to move her.
Plum is in the midst of a historic offensive season, albeit an injury-riddled one. She’s averaging 23.9 points and 6.4 assists, while shooting 52.7% from the field. All of those numbers are career highs. She’s also shooting 38.3% from three, her highest mark since 2023. But she’s appeared in just 12 of 27 games as she’s dealt with an ankle and a lower leg injury. The Sparks are currently out of the playoff mix, holding a 10-17 record and losers of 6 straight games.
Plum signed a one-year, $999,999 contract ahead of the season, after being traded to LA from Las Vegas in a three-team trade that saw the Seattle Storm get the No. 2 pick (and Li Yueru), and Las Vegas acquire Jewell Loyd. While Plum has individually excelled since arriving in Los Angeles, the team missed out on the playoffs in Year 1 and appears on track to do so again.
But Hewitt found his feet, breaking back in the sixth game and holding serve before succumbing 6-2.
Cheered on by a crowd that included his famous father, Hewitt started the second set brightly.
But he was broken again on his second service game and could not reel in De Minaur, who warmly embraced the youngster at the net after taking the match.
It was the first head-to-head ATP Tour match between the two, who have known each other for years.
“It was definitely weird,” said De Minaur. “I knew I was going to play him on the tour someday, but I didn’t actually expect it to be this week.
“It was an amazing feeling. Even all the lead up, seeing all the incredible pictures that we have together and how we’ve both grown up.
“I’m glad I managed to get through, but I’m sure we’re going to have many battles in the years to come.”
De Minaur next faces American Brandon Nakashima, who upset Czech seventh seed Jakub Mensik 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-4.
US home hope Shelton advanced with a gritty victory over France’s Humbert. After handing Humbert the first set with a double fault on set point, Shelton dominated the second.
Ben Shelton celebrates after beating Ugo Humbert of France.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images
Ben Shelton celebrates after beating Ugo Humbert of France.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images
But the third set was a tense affair and after seizing a break for a 5-4 lead Shelton had to fend off a break point before polishing off the match with a sharply angled serve that Humbert smacked into the net.
“For me, it was all about heart tonight,” Shelton said after lining up a meeting with Chile’s Alejandro Tabile, a 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) winner over France’s Terence Atmane.
Pegula also had to rally from a set down, saying she started her match against Poland’s Frech “just a little off” after a first-round bye.
“I wasn’t quite attacking the ball, and I felt like once I did that, then everything else kind of started to click together,” said Pegula, who finished with 42 winners and won 12 of the last 15 games.
Pegula next plays fifth-seeded Anna Kalinskaya, who saved two match points to beat Indonesia’s Janice Tjen 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (9/7).
But Hewitt found his feet, breaking back in the sixth game and holding serve before succumbing 6-2.
Cheered on by a crowd that included his famous father, Hewitt started the second set brightly.
But he was broken again on his second service game and could not reel in De Minaur, who warmly embraced the youngster at the net after taking the match.
It was the first head-to-head ATP Tour match between the two, who have known each other for years.
“It was definitely weird,” said De Minaur. “I knew I was going to play him on the tour someday, but I didn’t actually expect it to be this week.
“It was an amazing feeling. Even all the lead up, seeing all the incredible pictures that we have together and how we’ve both grown up.
“I’m glad I managed to get through, but I’m sure we’re going to have many battles in the years to come.”
De Minaur next faces American Brandon Nakashima, who upset Czech seventh seed Jakub Mensik 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-4.
US home hope Shelton advanced with a gritty victory over France’s Humbert. After handing Humbert the first set with a double fault on set point, Shelton dominated the second.
Ben Shelton celebrates after beating Ugo Humbert of France.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images
Ben Shelton celebrates after beating Ugo Humbert of France.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images
But the third set was a tense affair and after seizing a break for a 5-4 lead Shelton had to fend off a break point before polishing off the match with a sharply angled serve that Humbert smacked into the net.
“For me, it was all about heart tonight,” Shelton said after lining up a meeting with Chile’s Alejandro Tabile, a 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) winner over France’s Terence Atmane.
Pegula also had to rally from a set down, saying she started her match against Poland’s Frech “just a little off” after a first-round bye.
“I wasn’t quite attacking the ball, and I felt like once I did that, then everything else kind of started to click together,” said Pegula, who finished with 42 winners and won 12 of the last 15 games.
Pegula next plays fifth-seeded Anna Kalinskaya, who saved two match points to beat Indonesia’s Janice Tjen 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (9/7).
Published on Jul 31, 2026
#Washington #Open #Minaur #beats #teen #Hewitt #allAussie #clash">Washington Open 2026: De Minaur beats teen Hewitt in all-Aussie clash
Defending champion Alex de Minaur powered into the Washington Open quarterfinals with a clinical 6-2, 6-3 victory over fellow Australian Cruz Hewitt.
Women’s top seed Jessica Pegula also advanced, rallying to beat Magdalena Frech 3-6, 6-3, 6-0 while men’s second seed Ben Shelton outlasted Ugo Humbert 6-7 (3/7), 6-3, 6-4.
Top-seeded De Minaur was always likely to prove too much for 17-year-old qualifier Hewitt – son of Aussie great Lleyton Hewitt – who had only captured his first ATP victory in Tuesday’s first round.
The first set threatened to become a demolition as De Minaur raced to a 5-0 lead.
But Hewitt found his feet, breaking back in the sixth game and holding serve before succumbing 6-2.
Cheered on by a crowd that included his famous father, Hewitt started the second set brightly.
But he was broken again on his second service game and could not reel in De Minaur, who warmly embraced the youngster at the net after taking the match.
It was the first head-to-head ATP Tour match between the two, who have known each other for years.
“It was definitely weird,” said De Minaur. “I knew I was going to play him on the tour someday, but I didn’t actually expect it to be this week.
“It was an amazing feeling. Even all the lead up, seeing all the incredible pictures that we have together and how we’ve both grown up.
“I’m glad I managed to get through, but I’m sure we’re going to have many battles in the years to come.”
De Minaur next faces American Brandon Nakashima, who upset Czech seventh seed Jakub Mensik 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-4.
US home hope Shelton advanced with a gritty victory over France’s Humbert. After handing Humbert the first set with a double fault on set point, Shelton dominated the second.
Ben Shelton celebrates after beating Ugo Humbert of France.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images
Ben Shelton celebrates after beating Ugo Humbert of France.
| Photo Credit:
Getty Images
But the third set was a tense affair and after seizing a break for a 5-4 lead Shelton had to fend off a break point before polishing off the match with a sharply angled serve that Humbert smacked into the net.
“For me, it was all about heart tonight,” Shelton said after lining up a meeting with Chile’s Alejandro Tabile, a 6-3, 7-6 (8/6) winner over France’s Terence Atmane.
Pegula also had to rally from a set down, saying she started her match against Poland’s Frech “just a little off” after a first-round bye.
“I wasn’t quite attacking the ball, and I felt like once I did that, then everything else kind of started to click together,” said Pegula, who finished with 42 winners and won 12 of the last 15 games.
Pegula next plays fifth-seeded Anna Kalinskaya, who saved two match points to beat Indonesia’s Janice Tjen 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (9/7).
Dante Moore has all the tools to be a great talent in the NFL, but I’m just not sold on him at Oregon. More importantly, I hate the moves that Oregon made at coordinator this offseason. Will Stein and Tosh Lupoi were two of the hottest names in this past coaching carousel, and I believe their losses will be drastically missed. Oregon might end up in the playoffs; I just think they’re slightly overrated right now.
#6 Indiana: Underrated
Jul 30, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Indiana Football head coach Curt Cignetti speaks during Big Ten Media Days at Hilton Chicago. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
If Josh Hoover can provide consistent quarterback play, the Hoosiers can easily win back-to-back national championships. Indiana lost playmakers on defense to the draft, but still brought key pieces to the defense in Tyrique Tucker, Rolijah Hardy, and Isaiah Jones. Coach Curt Cignetti also brings in the number-one portal class and has proven he can get the most out of these guys during his first two years in Bloomington. There’s no reason Indiana can’t win a national title again in 2027.
#13 Michigan: Overrated
Last season’s Michigan team was far worse than their record showed, and they’re even less talented this season. The Wolverines are severely lacking size in the trenches, and Bryce Underwood doesn’t have playmakers around him. Even if Underwood had Julian Sayin’s resources, I still don’t think he’s a top-half quarterback in the conference. Most importantly, Michigan lucked into a very favorable conference schedule, something they won’t be as lucky with this year. They’ll travel to Oklahoma in out-of-conference play and then deal with Iowa, Penn State, Indiana, Oregon, and Ohio State in Big 10 play as well.
#14 Penn State: Properly Rated
Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton (33) reaches for the ball as he attempts to block a punt in the first half of an NCAA football game against Nevada, Saturday, August 30, 2025, in State College, Pa.
For all of James Franklin’s faults, he was always able to recruit above his weight class at Penn State. Matt Campbell might be stronger come gameday, but this is one of the least talented iterations of Penn State football we’ve seen in years. I would consider the Nittany Lions overrated, but they have one of the easiest power conference schedules. They’ll likely be favored in 9-10 games this year, and Iowa State transfer Rocco Becht should be able to handle most of the bottom-tier teams in the Big 10.
#16 Washington: Underrated
If Washington recovers from the Demond Williams Jr. NIL nightmare, this will be the most fun team to watch in the conference. Last season, Washington’s defense was young and underrated, but now they’re experienced and ready to run. They’ll return 10 impact starters and could quietly be one of the better units in the conference. Jonah Coleman and Denzel Boston will be tough to replace on offense, but I think breakout receiver Dezman Roebuck can provide enough support for Williams and this offense. Washington will be in the fight for a playoff spot this year.
#19 Iowa: Overrated
Iowa tight end Addison Ostrenga (87) runs for extra yards after a catch during the Hawkeyes’ final spring NCAA football practice, Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
Iowa’s offense looked competent at points last season, which is an upgrade from previous years. They were close to being a top-50 scoring offense last year, but I think they’re going to slide a decent bit, and they also shouldn’t have an elite defense to bail them out either. Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown are the least exciting QB competition in the country, and they’ll both be stuck behind a very inexperienced offensive line. Kamari Moulton and South Dakota transfer L.J. Phillips are an exceedingly talented backfield for Iowa, but I don’t trust their offensive front enough. The schedule is pretty light for Iowa, so Kirk Ferentz will probably find a way to get 9 wins again and make me look stupid.
#20 USC: Underrated
There is no universe in which USC finishes as the 8th-place team in the Big 10. If they aren’t making a serious playoff push this year, it might be the last we see from Lincoln Riley in Southern California. Riley has struggled to field a competent defense at USC, but bringing in former TCU head coach Gary Patterson was a wonderful move. They crushed the portal on defense, and play calling should be out of Riley’s hands, hopefully leading to big improvements. Jayden Maiava might struggle early on, throwing to an entirely new receiving core, but I still expect him to be one of the best quarterbacks in the country. I feel the USC is a dark horse playoff contender and will have a shot at playing in the Big 10 championship this year as well.
Dante Moore has all the tools to be a great talent in the NFL, but I’m just not sold on him at Oregon. More importantly, I hate the moves that Oregon made at coordinator this offseason. Will Stein and Tosh Lupoi were two of the hottest names in this past coaching carousel, and I believe their losses will be drastically missed. Oregon might end up in the playoffs; I just think they’re slightly overrated right now.
#6 Indiana: Underrated
Jul 30, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Indiana Football head coach Curt Cignetti speaks during Big Ten Media Days at Hilton Chicago. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
If Josh Hoover can provide consistent quarterback play, the Hoosiers can easily win back-to-back national championships. Indiana lost playmakers on defense to the draft, but still brought key pieces to the defense in Tyrique Tucker, Rolijah Hardy, and Isaiah Jones. Coach Curt Cignetti also brings in the number-one portal class and has proven he can get the most out of these guys during his first two years in Bloomington. There’s no reason Indiana can’t win a national title again in 2027.
#13 Michigan: Overrated
Last season’s Michigan team was far worse than their record showed, and they’re even less talented this season. The Wolverines are severely lacking size in the trenches, and Bryce Underwood doesn’t have playmakers around him. Even if Underwood had Julian Sayin’s resources, I still don’t think he’s a top-half quarterback in the conference. Most importantly, Michigan lucked into a very favorable conference schedule, something they won’t be as lucky with this year. They’ll travel to Oklahoma in out-of-conference play and then deal with Iowa, Penn State, Indiana, Oregon, and Ohio State in Big 10 play as well.
#14 Penn State: Properly Rated
Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton (33) reaches for the ball as he attempts to block a punt in the first half of an NCAA football game against Nevada, Saturday, August 30, 2025, in State College, Pa.
For all of James Franklin’s faults, he was always able to recruit above his weight class at Penn State. Matt Campbell might be stronger come gameday, but this is one of the least talented iterations of Penn State football we’ve seen in years. I would consider the Nittany Lions overrated, but they have one of the easiest power conference schedules. They’ll likely be favored in 9-10 games this year, and Iowa State transfer Rocco Becht should be able to handle most of the bottom-tier teams in the Big 10.
#16 Washington: Underrated
If Washington recovers from the Demond Williams Jr. NIL nightmare, this will be the most fun team to watch in the conference. Last season, Washington’s defense was young and underrated, but now they’re experienced and ready to run. They’ll return 10 impact starters and could quietly be one of the better units in the conference. Jonah Coleman and Denzel Boston will be tough to replace on offense, but I think breakout receiver Dezman Roebuck can provide enough support for Williams and this offense. Washington will be in the fight for a playoff spot this year.
#19 Iowa: Overrated
Iowa tight end Addison Ostrenga (87) runs for extra yards after a catch during the Hawkeyes’ final spring NCAA football practice, Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
Iowa’s offense looked competent at points last season, which is an upgrade from previous years. They were close to being a top-50 scoring offense last year, but I think they’re going to slide a decent bit, and they also shouldn’t have an elite defense to bail them out either. Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown are the least exciting QB competition in the country, and they’ll both be stuck behind a very inexperienced offensive line. Kamari Moulton and South Dakota transfer L.J. Phillips are an exceedingly talented backfield for Iowa, but I don’t trust their offensive front enough. The schedule is pretty light for Iowa, so Kirk Ferentz will probably find a way to get 9 wins again and make me look stupid.
#20 USC: Underrated
There is no universe in which USC finishes as the 8th-place team in the Big 10. If they aren’t making a serious playoff push this year, it might be the last we see from Lincoln Riley in Southern California. Riley has struggled to field a competent defense at USC, but bringing in former TCU head coach Gary Patterson was a wonderful move. They crushed the portal on defense, and play calling should be out of Riley’s hands, hopefully leading to big improvements. Jayden Maiava might struggle early on, throwing to an entirely new receiving core, but I still expect him to be one of the best quarterbacks in the country. I feel the USC is a dark horse playoff contender and will have a shot at playing in the Big 10 championship this year as well.
#Big #Preseason #Rankings #Teams #Overrated #Underrated #Deadspin.com">Big 10 Preseason Rankings: Which Teams Are Overrated and Underrated? | Deadspin.com
Oregon quarterback Dante Moore walks off the field following the Oregon Ducks annual spring game on April 25, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.
After winning their third straight national title, the Big 10 rightfully sits atop the throne of college football. With that success come expectations, and this year will be no different. Eight different Big 10 teams will start the year in the preseason top 25, tying the SEC for the most in the nation.
As the SEC has been viewed in the past, success has led to more teams being overrated in the Big 10. Here are the teams in the preseason top 25, and whether I feel they’re overrated, underrated, or properly rated.
#1 Ohio State: Properly Rated
When your roster has Julian Sayin, Bo Jackson, and most importantly, Jeremiah Smith, you’re going to be one of the best offenses in the country. Ohio State’s defense will be much more of a question mark this year, with most of that unit now playing on Sundays, but I trust Matt Patricia to get them up to speed. The Buckeyes are my pick to win the national title, so I think they’re properly rated.
#2 Oregon: Overrated
Dante Moore has all the tools to be a great talent in the NFL, but I’m just not sold on him at Oregon. More importantly, I hate the moves that Oregon made at coordinator this offseason. Will Stein and Tosh Lupoi were two of the hottest names in this past coaching carousel, and I believe their losses will be drastically missed. Oregon might end up in the playoffs; I just think they’re slightly overrated right now.
#6 Indiana: Underrated
Jul 30, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Indiana Football head coach Curt Cignetti speaks during Big Ten Media Days at Hilton Chicago. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
If Josh Hoover can provide consistent quarterback play, the Hoosiers can easily win back-to-back national championships. Indiana lost playmakers on defense to the draft, but still brought key pieces to the defense in Tyrique Tucker, Rolijah Hardy, and Isaiah Jones. Coach Curt Cignetti also brings in the number-one portal class and has proven he can get the most out of these guys during his first two years in Bloomington. There’s no reason Indiana can’t win a national title again in 2027.
#13 Michigan: Overrated
Last season’s Michigan team was far worse than their record showed, and they’re even less talented this season. The Wolverines are severely lacking size in the trenches, and Bryce Underwood doesn’t have playmakers around him. Even if Underwood had Julian Sayin’s resources, I still don’t think he’s a top-half quarterback in the conference. Most importantly, Michigan lucked into a very favorable conference schedule, something they won’t be as lucky with this year. They’ll travel to Oklahoma in out-of-conference play and then deal with Iowa, Penn State, Indiana, Oregon, and Ohio State in Big 10 play as well.
#14 Penn State: Properly Rated
Penn State’s Dani Dennis-Sutton (33) reaches for the ball as he attempts to block a punt in the first half of an NCAA football game against Nevada, Saturday, August 30, 2025, in State College, Pa.
For all of James Franklin’s faults, he was always able to recruit above his weight class at Penn State. Matt Campbell might be stronger come gameday, but this is one of the least talented iterations of Penn State football we’ve seen in years. I would consider the Nittany Lions overrated, but they have one of the easiest power conference schedules. They’ll likely be favored in 9-10 games this year, and Iowa State transfer Rocco Becht should be able to handle most of the bottom-tier teams in the Big 10.
#16 Washington: Underrated
If Washington recovers from the Demond Williams Jr. NIL nightmare, this will be the most fun team to watch in the conference. Last season, Washington’s defense was young and underrated, but now they’re experienced and ready to run. They’ll return 10 impact starters and could quietly be one of the better units in the conference. Jonah Coleman and Denzel Boston will be tough to replace on offense, but I think breakout receiver Dezman Roebuck can provide enough support for Williams and this offense. Washington will be in the fight for a playoff spot this year.
#19 Iowa: Overrated
Iowa tight end Addison Ostrenga (87) runs for extra yards after a catch during the Hawkeyes’ final spring NCAA football practice, Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
Iowa’s offense looked competent at points last season, which is an upgrade from previous years. They were close to being a top-50 scoring offense last year, but I think they’re going to slide a decent bit, and they also shouldn’t have an elite defense to bail them out either. Jeremy Hecklinski and Hank Brown are the least exciting QB competition in the country, and they’ll both be stuck behind a very inexperienced offensive line. Kamari Moulton and South Dakota transfer L.J. Phillips are an exceedingly talented backfield for Iowa, but I don’t trust their offensive front enough. The schedule is pretty light for Iowa, so Kirk Ferentz will probably find a way to get 9 wins again and make me look stupid.
#20 USC: Underrated
There is no universe in which USC finishes as the 8th-place team in the Big 10. If they aren’t making a serious playoff push this year, it might be the last we see from Lincoln Riley in Southern California. Riley has struggled to field a competent defense at USC, but bringing in former TCU head coach Gary Patterson was a wonderful move. They crushed the portal on defense, and play calling should be out of Riley’s hands, hopefully leading to big improvements. Jayden Maiava might struggle early on, throwing to an entirely new receiving core, but I still expect him to be one of the best quarterbacks in the country. I feel the USC is a dark horse playoff contender and will have a shot at playing in the Big 10 championship this year as well.
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