Big Ten rankings · National FBS rankings · All teams
| Date | H/A | Opponent | Tier:Conf | Result | Score | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8/24 | H | Texas Tech (8-5) | [P4:Big 12] | W | 45-21 | |
| 9/7 | H | Kent State (3-9) | [G5:MAC] | W | 51-17 | |
| 9/14 | H | Washington St (10-2) | [P4:Pac-12] | W | 25-7 | |
| 9/21 | A | Cincinnati (7-6) | [G5:CUSA] | W | 23-19 | |
| 9/28 | H | Indiana (3-9) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 45-17 | |
| 10/5 | A | Northwestern (3-9) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 27-16 | |
| 10/12 | H | San José St (6-7) | [G5:WAC] | W | 50-7 | |
| 10/19 | A | Wisconsin (7-6) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 19-14 | |
| 10/26 | H | Penn State (9-3) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 13-7 | |
| 11/2 | H | Minnesota (7-5) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 34-3 | |
| 11/9 | A | Purdue (6-6) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 10-6 | |
| 11/16 | A | Illinois (5-7) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 23-16 | |
| 11/23 | H | Michigan (9-3) | [P4:Big Ten] | W | 14-9 | |
| 1/3 | N | Miami (12-0) | [P4:Big East] | W | 31-24 | AT TEMPE AZ * |
* game does not count in Harbin ratings