UCLA's 2026 Big Ten football schedule has been released, and we now know what head coach Bob Chesney and the Bruins will face during their first season together

The Big Ten football schedule makers did USC and UCLA one small favor. Neither team will make back-to-back conference trips in 2026 without a bye week in between as part of the schedules released Tuesday.

The Big Ten became the final Power Four conference to unveil its schedule for the 2026 college football season when it released on Tuesday the full slate for its 18 members. One game in particular stands above the rest with reigning conference and national champion Indiana set to host Ohio State on Oct.

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.

Upsetting No. 4 Purdue 69-67 on Tuesday night wasn't enough to put UCLA head coach and noted curmudgeon Mick Cronin in a good mood.  After the game, the Bruins' head coach ripped into the Big Ten Conference for scheduling 5 of UCLA's first 7 games on the road and playing Purdue on just two days rest.

Indiana, Michigan and USC are the most challenging matchups for the Scarlet Knights, who will entertain each of those preseason top-15s at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, New Jersey. Rutgers has a favorable shot at getting off to a hot start in September against UMass, Boston College and Howard before reality sets in for Greg Schiano's team.

The last three national champions all play one another, while Oregon faces both Ohio State and Michigan. How does the schedule stack up?