Big Ten midseason grades: UCLA aces first half, while Penn State has failed every test

Individual grades on the midseason report card for all 18 teams in the Big Ten Halfway through the 2026 college football season, the Big Ten has produced its share of surprises. UCLA and Northwestern are vying for spots in Indianapolis while Oregon and Penn State are just trying to get their seasons back on track. Let's talk about those Bruins. They've aced every single test they've faced in Year 1 under Bob Chesney. A road trip to Eugene? Win. Hosting Wisconsin with backup Ty Dieffenbach starting in place of the injured Nico Iamaleava? Win. The defense has taken immense strides, setting UCLA up to do real damage down the stretch. On the other side of the country and conference, another first-year coach is having the opposite experience.

Matt Campbell is still looking for his first Big Ten win at Penn State, and the Nittany Lions have totally squandered what appeared to be one of the softest schedules in the Power Four. To make matters worse, fifth-year senior Rocco Becht was supposed to provide a high floor at quarterback, but the offense has been stuck in the mud for weeks now. There are a couple more overachievers (Northwestern and Iowa), but the conference is filled with teams who have yet to impress. That group includes marquee brands like Michigan, Oregon and