In the mega-expanded Big Ten, having an elite mind on the sidelines is the ultimate difference between contending for a national championship and scrambling for bowl eligibility. USA Today ran a comprehensive audit to rank every single Big Ten head coach heading into the 2026 season. From Curt Cignetti crowning an incredible national title run in Bloomington to top Ryan Day and Dan Lanning, to blockbuster moves like Kyle Whittingham taking over Michigan and Matt Campbell landing at Penn State, we break down the entire 18-team hierarchy. Check out our complete tactical breakdown to see where your favorite team's head coach lands entering 2026.

USA Today's Big Ten College Football Head Coaches Ranked 1-18: Going Into Week 8

USA Today's Big Ten Starting Quarterback Rankings: Going Into Week 8

Ranking the Top 10 Most Disappointing College Football Teams Going Into Week 8

ESPN Predicts the Record for All 18 Big Ten Teams Right Now: Going Into Week 8

Ranking the Top 50 College Football Running Backs Right Now

As the 2026 college football season approaches, USA TODAY Sports assembled a 10-voter panel to power rank the top 25 head coaches in the country. Following a chaotic expanded playoff season and a wild coaching carousel, the master list features major shifts across every power conference. From established heavyweights holding down the top tier to rising program builders like Rhett Lashlee, Jon Sumrall, Clark Lea, Josh Heupel, and Sonny Dykes cracking the rankings, we break down every coach's career record, key achievements, and 2026 outlook. Check out our full 25-coach power rankings to see where your team's leader sits.

USA TODAY's Top 25 College Football Coaches Going Into Week 8

Going 12-0 in modern college football is arguably the hardest feat in sports. As kickoff for the 2026 season approaches, ESPN’s Football Power Index (FPI) supercomputer simulated thousands of regular-season scenarios to calculate the exact win-out probabilities for every FBS program. Factoring in roster depth, efficiency ratings, and schedule difficulty, we expanded our master index to power rank the 10 teams most likely to finish the regular season undefeated. From Notre Dame, Texas Tech, Georgia, Indiana, and Ohio State leading the unblemished board to Miami, Oregon, Texas, Penn State, and UNLV lurking, we break down every program's FPI profile, team record, and path to perfection. Check out our full 10-team breakdown to see who could run the table.

ESPN Ranks College Football's 6 Undefeated Teams From Most to Least Likely to Win Out Ahead of Week 8

Michigan and Penn State enter winless in Big Ten play, with shaky offenses and coaches under pressure. The betting pick targets over 42.5 total points.

Michigan vs. Penn State Betting Pick: Over 42.5 Total

LATEST Alex Tatsch NEWS

Dave shares Week 8 college football picks: Tennessee, Michigan-Indiana under, Utah-Houston over, and New Mexico to cover at home against North Dakota State.

Week 8 College Football Best Bets and Betting Picks

Utah and Houston meet in a top-15 Big 12 clash. With both offenses poised to score and Houston&#039;s defense vulnerable, the over 56.5 is the best bet tonight.

Utah vs. Houston Preview: Bet the Over in Big 12 Shootout

Ole Miss is backed to cover and win outright against struggling Texas, while the Longhorns&#039; team total over 27.5 offers another betting angle to consider.

Texas vs. Ole Miss Picks: Rebels ATS, Team Total Over

Dan Lanning&#039;s quarterback gamble nearly sank Oregon last week. With Dylan Rayola now starting, Illinois +10 is the pick as Oregon faces a tough road test.

Oregon vs. Illinois Betting Pick: Take the Illini +10

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View the profile of Penn State Nittany Lions LB Alex Tatsch on SportsGrid. Get the latest news, stats, player prop picks, related players, and more on SportsGrid.com.

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Alex Tatsch is a LB for the Penn State Nittany Lions in the NCAAF.

Penn State Nittany Lions

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USC falls apart in Madison, losing to unranked Wisconsin

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Key turnovers lead UCLA to 28-10 win over Michigan State

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Ducks bedeviled again on the road, drop 5th straight

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Lakers outlast Clippers behind big three

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World Series Game 1: Brewers Host Rays in Milwaukee

Impending MLB Lockout: Key Issues in Collective Bargaining

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A’ja Wilson, Jackie Young continue dominance with All-WNBA selections

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Miami Escapes FSU, but Notre Dame Test Still Looms

Kentucky vs. Vanderbilt Prediction: Wildcats Win Big

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UCLA-Michigan State Preview: Unbeaten Bruins aim to continue historic rise against sputtering Spartans

Predicting the 1st Loss for the Remaining 5 Undefeated College Football Teams Heading Into Week 8

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12-Team College Football Playoff Bracket Based on the AP Poll Going Into Week 8

College Football Playoff Chaos as Texas Doubts Grow

ESPN Ranks College Football's 36 2-Loss Teams by Most Likely to Make the CFP

UCLA at 80-1: A College Football Playoff Value Bet

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College Football Picks: Miami, Georgia and Top Props

Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith Now the Heisman Trophy Favorite

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Ranking the Top 20 5th-Year College Basketball Players Who Could Return for 2026

UCLA women&#39;s basketball hires former WNBA coach Noelle Quinn

Ranking the Top 99 Players in the College Basketball Transfer Portal

What UCLA learned from their exhibition match against Team Canada

Most Outstanding Player Odds: Mara, Reed Lead the Pack

National Championship Odds: Michigan Leads, Arizona Trails Behind

National Championship Odds Analysis: Michigan Leads the Pack

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Hoosiers and Tar Heels Meet in Indy for Exhibition Match

For Pastner, Rebels, it&#39;s about a chemistry test

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Exploring NCAA's Reaction to College Basketball Trends

NCAA Fifth-Year Eligibility and Legal Controversies

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Navigating NIL Deals & Early Sports Agent Involvement

Chromiak’s game-winning goal leads Reign to first home win of the season

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Knights see three-game win streak snapped in 6-2 loss to Lightning

Kings&#39; offense and Kuemper step up against Capitals for first win of season

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Stanley Cup Showdown: Vegas vs. Carolina for the Title

Carolina and Vegas Favorites for Stanley Cup Showdown

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Kings edge Islanders 3-2 on Clarke goal in overtime

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Tkachuk Brothers Make NHL History on Wild Hockey Night

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2026-27 NHL Season Begins: Key Teams and Betting Tips

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Clippers dethrone the Sacramento Kings in regular-season opener

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TST Images: Lakers defeat Warriors, 127-105, in Los Angeles

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Spurs Lead in Western Conference Odds Over OKC & Denver

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Alex Tatsch

#25 · PSU · LB

HT/WT

6’2”, 235 lbs

Birthplace

Latrobe, PA, USA

Class

Sophomore

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